Butterbur

Butterbur is an herbal supplement used for pain, upset stomach, stomach ulcers, migraine and other headaches, ongoing cough, chills, anxiety, plague, fever, trouble sleeping (insomnia), whooping cough, asthma, hay fever (allergic rhinitis), and for irritable bladder and urinary tract spasms. Butterbur is also used to stimulate the appetite.

Some people apply butterbur to the skin to improve wound healing.

Butterbur is available under the following different brand names: Blatterdock, Bog Rhubarb, Bogshorns, Butterdock, Capdockin, Flapperdock, Langwort, Petadolex, Petasites spp., and Umbrella plant.

• Leaf, root and bulb

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows:

Migraine

• 50 mg orally three times daily or 100 mg orally twice daily for 4 weeks, THEN
• 50 mg orally twice daily

Allergic Rhinitis:

• 50 mg extract generalized standardized to contain 7.5 mg petasins orally twice daily
• Leaf extract: 8 mg of petasin, 1 tablet orally three-four times daily

Common side effects of Butterbur include:

• burping (belching)
• headache
• itchy eyes
• diarrhea
• asthma
• upset stomach
• fatigue
• drowsiness
• allergic reactions

This document does not contain all possible side effects and others may occur. Check with your physician for additional information about side effects.

If your doctor has directed you to use this medication, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider or pharmacist first.

• Butterbur has no known severe interactions with other drugs.
• Butterbur has no known serious interactions with other drugs.
• Butterbur has no known moderate interactions with other drugs.
• Butterbur has no known minor interactions with other drugs.

This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your health care professional or doctor for additional medical advice, or if you have health questions, concerns or for more information about this medicine.

Warnings

This medication contains butterbur. Do not take Blatterdock, Bog Rhubarb, Bogshorns, Butterdock, Capdockin, Flapperdock, Langwort, Petadolex, Petasites spp, or Umbrella Plan if you are allergic to butterbur or any ingredients contained in this drug.

Keep out of reach of children. In case of overdose, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center immediately.

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity

Effects of Drug Abuse

• No information available

Short-Term Effects

• See "What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Butterbur?"

Long-Term Effects

• See "What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Butterbur?"

Cautions

• Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (especially in roots), which may be carcinogenic and hepatotoxic (commercial preparations are generally pyrrolizidine-free).

Pregnancy and Lactation

• There is no information available about use of butterbur during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Consult your physician.