Feverfew - a powerful natural remedy

Migraine - if you don't suffer from it - you don't know what you're talking about! The collins dictionary definition is:

Migraine noun
A throbbing headache usually affecting only one side of the head and commonly accompanied by nausea and visual disturbances.

However, this is a pale discription of what can be a crippling and agonising condition for those who suffer from migraines. Nobody is quite sure what triggers migraines - partly because like many conditions the term migraine covers a mulitude of individual experiences. However the pain has been linked to the rapid constriction and subsequent dilation of blood vessels in the head. Feverfew contains partenolide which is believed to act as an inhibitor of the pathways that lead to the blood vessel contractions that are believed to be responsible for migraines.


Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is an age old remedy for migraines. Feverfew belongs to the same family as the camomile and has a similar daisy-like flower. However, it's the leaves of the Feverfew plant which are used medicinally while the flowers have no health benefit. Feverfew is readily available in a number of forms; Tea, Capsule and Tablet. At Organico we stock Lifeplan Feverfew Capsules, Jan De Vries Tincture, Munster WholeFoods Loose Dried Herb and Weleda Feverfew 6X Tablets and Sona Feverfew Capsules.

Feverfew can be grown in your garden. It flourishes is well drained soil in partial shade. The fresh leaves can be chewed as a remedy, however the fresh leaves have been known to irritate the lining of the mouth.

Naturally you should always consult a qualified medical practitioner for any chronic health conditions.

Feverfew should be avoided by pregnant and breastfeeding women and also by anyone taking warfarin or bloodthining drugs.

Organico Shop, Glengarriff Rd., Bantry, Co. Cork, Ireland. Phone +353 (0)27 51391