More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies every year.  Symptoms include sneezing, stuffy nose, runny nose, watery eyes and itching of the nose, eyes or the roof of the mouth.

A study published in journal Phytotherapy Research reported on a clinical trial testing Butterbur (Petasites hybridus).

Butterbur is a flowering plant in the sunflower family that is native to North America, Europe and parts of Asia.

Historical uses of Butterbur include:

• Allergies
• Migraines
• Pain
• Headache
• Anxiety
• Cough
• Fever
• Upset stomach

A randomized controlled clinical trial compared butterbur to Fexafenadine (the active ingredient found in Allergra®).

In this study 330 human subjects were administered:

• Butterbur – Each capsule was standardized to 8 mg of Petasins.  Capsules were taken three times daily for a total daily dose of Petasin of 24 mg
• Fexofenadine – 180 mg administered one time daily
• Placebo – A capsule was administered without any active ingredient

Here were the main results:

• Both Butterbur and fexofenadine were found to be better than placebo
• Butterbur and fexofenadine were found to be equally effective
• Butterbur resulted in “Full Recovery” of 30.9% of patients compared to fexofenadine that reported 28.9%
• Butterbur resulted in “Clear Improvement” in 25.5% of patients while fexofenadine reported 38.9%

Take away message:  If you are looking for a natural alternative to prescription and over the counter anti-histamines Butterbur may be a good option.  The daily dose in this study was 24 mg of Petasin from Butterbur.  Also, you want to make sure that your product is certified free of pyrrolizidine alkaloids which have been shown to increase liver enzymes.  Adverse events with butterbur were similar to placebo.  Symptoms of allergic rhinitis in this study began to improve with Butterbur after just 1 day, similar to fexofenadine.

Phytotherapy Research. 2005 June; Volume 19 (Issue 6): Pages 530-7.

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Jeremy Johnson, PharmD, PhD

Dr. Johnson is a tenured associate Professor and licensed Pharmacist at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy.

His research on plant medicine has led to more than 45 publications and abstracts.This research has been presented at international meetings in the USA, France, Turkey, Peru, Israel, Austria, and Italy.

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Categories: Allergies, Clinical Trials, Plant Extracts