Butterbur info from WebMD

[Guest guest]

Butterbur May Be Effective Hay Fever Remedy

But Safety Questions Remain About Products Sold in U.S.

By _Salynn Boyles_

(http://aolsvc.health.webmd.aol.com/content/Biography/7/1756_53655.htm)

WebMD Medical News Reviewed By _Brunilda Nazario, MD_

(http://aolsvc.health.webmd.aol.com/content/Biography/7/40428.htm)

on Monday, August 22, 2005

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Aug. 22, 2005 -- An herbal product derived from the leaves of the butterbur

plant was found to be as effective for treating hay fever as a widely used

antihistamine.

But concerns remain about the safety of unregulated products containing the

plant extract sold in the United States.

The Swiss study was the largest ever to examine butterbur for the treatment

of allergies. A total of 330 participants receive either the butterbur-extract

product Ze339, high doses of the antihistamine Allegra, or placebo.

Swiss herbal medicine manufacturer Zeller AG, which markets Ze339, sponsored

the research. The product is not sold in the United States, but other

butterbur-extract products are.

Researcher s Schapowal, MD, PhD, tells WebMD that this and other

studies conducted by his research team show that the herbal product is both safe

and effective. He adds that because it is also nonsedating, it could be a good

choice for people who experience drowsiness when taking certain

antihistamines.

Butterbur Used for Centuries

Butterbur (also known as blatterdock, flapperdock, or butterfly doc) is a

plant found throughout Europe and Asia and parts of North America. It has been

used in herbal remedies for centuries and in commercial medicines in Europe

for several decades.

In nature, the plant does contain chemicals that are considered toxins and

may be carcinogenic. There have been isolated reports of serious liver problems

occurring in people who took butterbur preparations containing high levels

of these chemicals.

Schapowal says the product he tested is safe because it is derived

exclusively from the heart-shaped leaves of the butterbur plant and not the

root, as

some other preparations are. Plants are also especially cultivated to make the

herbal product.

In the newly published study, hay fever patients being treated at 11 centers

throughout Switzerland and Germany received either Ze339 three times a day

(totaling 8 milligrams), a single-daily 180-milligram tablet of Allegra, or a

placebo.

The researchers reported that both active treatments were equally effective

and more effective than placebo for relieving hay fever symptoms such as

sneezing, nasal congestion, and itchy eyes and/or nose. Both active treatments

were also well tolerated. The findings were reported in the June issue of the

journal Phytotherapy Research.

[Guest guest]

Please note Butterbur can be very toxic to the liver. The only form that

should be taken is one free of harmful levels of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids

(PAs).

Rosie

>

> Butterbur May Be Effective Hay Fever Remedy

> But Safety Questions Remain About Products Sold in U.S.

> By _Salynn Boyles_

> (http://aolsvc.health.webmd.aol.com/content/Biography/7/1756_53655.htm)

> WebMD Medical News Reviewed By _Brunilda Nazario, MD_

> (http://aolsvc.health.webmd.aol.com/content/Biography/7/40428.htm)

> on Monday, August 22, 2005

>