Page 37 - Pharmacognosy 02-06203

Preparations:

Dried aerial parts, capsules, extracts and tinctures.

Test for Purity:

As mentioned before.

It should not contain blue coloured fragments (Passiflora coerula).

Feverfew

Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Schultz Bip. family Asteraceae / Compositae.
Feverfew is one of the most commonly used botanicals in Western herbal medicine for the
prevention and treatment of migraine headaches. Evidence-based reviews suggest it is clinically
valuable as a migraine prophylactic, but not as effective for treatment. Feverfew is also used as
a diaphoretic and for arthritis. Various varieties of Tanacetum are used. The only variety known
to be effective is the parthenolide yielding type.

Macroscopy / Microscopy:

The fruits are achenes.
Features of the powdered drug include portions of leaf epidermis having a striated cuticle and
anomocytic stomata, vascular tissue from the stems and veins, numerous large uniseriate
covering trichomes, glandular trichomes, portions of the florets and typical Compositae pollen
grains.

Constituents:

Sesquiterpene lactones: Germacranolides include parthenolide and others.
Other constituents: volatile oil (up to about 0.07%), tannins and flavonoids.
Feverfew is standardized on its parthenolide content and the BP/EP requires a minimum of 0.2%
with reference to the dried drug.

Uses:

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