Butterbur got its name from early farming communities in North America and Europe who used the leaves to keep their butter fresh in warm weather. In Europe, butterbur has long been used to cure spasm, fever and plague. Native Americans used butterbur to cure headaches and inflammations. Now, it is considered that butterbur may help in the treatment of migraine headache, allergies and asthma.
Health Benefits of Butterbur
Listed below are some of the health benefits of butterbur:
- Butterbur for Treatment of Asthma: It is suggested that butterbur can prevent production of inflammatory compounds that are responsible for the constriction of bronchial tube. This might help treat asthma.
- Butterbur as a Cure for Migraine Headache: Experts suggest that the presence of petasin and isopetasin contained in butterbur can check migraine. Petasin can control smooth muscle spasms and spasm of blood vessels, thereby treating migraine. Isopetasin can alleviate migraine pain by reducing prostaglandin in the brain.
- Butterbur Improves Digestion: It is believed that butterbur can act on the duodenum, stomach and bile ducts, thereby promoting bile flow. This may help in treating indigestion.
- Butterbur as a Natural Treatment of Allergic rhinitis: It is suggested that the anti-inflammatory property of butterbur may check allergic rhinitis (hay fever).
Inspite of these possible health benefits, butterbur can cause severe liver damage and even cancer because it contains some toxic alkaloids. Even small traces of these highly toxic alkaloids can be quite dangerous. Butterbur has also been linked with fatal blood clots and scarring of lung tissues.
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