NutriDex

The Supplement Research Compendium
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Feverfew

Tanacetum parthenium

A traditional daisy herb taken to help prevent migraine attacks.

Mixed evidence ✨Joint & Skin

✚ Updated · How we grade evidence

Evidence tier
Mixed
Research weight
Citations
7 verified / 7
Classification
Joint & Skin
❝
What the evidence says. Graded mixed: a 2025 meta-analysis and one good MIG-99 RCT show a small drop in attacks (~0.6–1.1 fewer per month), but two rigorous trials were null and the Cochrane review rated the evidence low quality. (Mixed evidence: Conflicting results across studies; benefit uncertain.)

What is Feverfew?

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is a joint and skin supplement used for migraine prevention. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Mixed. Feverfew is a daisy-family herb long used to ward off fevers, arthritis and headaches. Modern interest centers on migraine prevention. Trials of leaf preparations gave conflicting results, and the standardized CO2 extract MIG-99 worked in its largest trial (6.25 mg three times daily cut attacks by 1.9 vs 1.3 per month on placebo) but failed overall in an earlier dose-finding study except in a frequent-migraine subgroup. The 2015 Cochrane review of six trials (561 people) found feverfew reduced attacks by only about 0.6 per month and rated the evidence low quality. A 2025 meta-analysis of nine RCTs (899 people) found a modest but significant reduction of roughly 1.1 attacks per month and shorter attacks, with no effect on nausea or light sensitivity. Overall the benefit, if real, is small and inconsistent; product quality and parthenolide content vary widely.

Purported Benefits

✓Migraine prevention
✓Fewer headache days
✓Anti-inflammatory effects
✓Traditional fever & arthritis remedy

Evidence by outcome

The same supplement can be well-proven for one use and unproven for another — here is the human evidence graded outcome by outcome.

OutcomeEvidenceEffectStudies
Migraine prevention (fewer attacks)Cochrane (~0.6 attacks/month, low quality) and a 2025 meta-analysis (~1.1/month) show modest benefit, but individual RCTs of leaf/extract conflict. Mixed ↔ mixed · small 5
Migraine attack duration2025 meta-analysis found attacks ~4.4 h shorter, but with no effect on nausea, photophobia or phonophobia. Preliminary ↑ benefit · small 1
Anti-inflammatory effect (mechanism)Parthenolide inhibits prostaglandin synthesis and platelet serotonin release in mechanistic work; clinical migraine evidence judged mixed. Preliminary ↔ mixed 1

Dosing & Compounds

Typical Dose
A stabilized CO2 extract (MIG-99) at 6.25 mg three times daily, or ~50–150 mg/day of dried leaf standardized to ≥0.2% parthenolide.
Active Compounds
Parthenolide (sesquiterpene lactone)Other sesquiterpene lactonesFlavonoids

Safety & Cautions

Generally well tolerated short-term; the most common effects are mouth ulcers and oral soreness (especially chewing fresh leaves) and GI upset. Stopping abruptly after long use can cause a rebound "post-feverfew syndrome" of headache, insomnia and joint pain. Feverfew has antiplatelet activity and a documented case of bleeding with abnormal clotting times, so avoid combining it with anticoagulants/antiplatelets (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel), NSAIDs or before surgery. It is contraindicated in pregnancy (may stimulate uterine contractions and menstruation) and breastfeeding, and can trigger allergic reactions in people sensitive to ragweed and other Asteraceae plants. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Feverfew with any medicine.

Feverfew drug interactions

Known or theoretical interactions between Feverfew and common medications — educational, not exhaustive. Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Feverfew with any medicine.

Caution
Blood thinners (warfarin, DOACs)
Feverfew may slow blood clotting and increase bleeding risk with blood thinners; stop before surgery.
Parthenolide inhibits platelet aggregation, adding to anticoagulant effects. NCCIH — Feverfew
Caution
Antiplatelet drugs (aspirin, clopidogrel)
Feverfew with aspirin or clopidogrel may add to bleeding tendency.
Feverfew inhibits platelet aggregation, compounding antiplatelet drugs. NCCIH — Feverfew

Key Studies

Meta-analysis Nelaturi 2025 ✓ PubMed
Meta-analysis of 9 RCTs (n=899): attacks fell ~1.11/month and duration ~4.4 h; no effect on nausea, photophobia or phonophobia.
Systematic review Wider (Cochrane) 2015 ✓ PubMed
6 RCTs (n=561): feverfew cut migraine frequency by ~0.6 attacks/month vs placebo; rated low-quality, mixed evidence.
Systematic review Pareek 2011 ✓ PubMed
Systematic review: parthenolide inhibits prostaglandin synthesis and platelet serotonin release; clinical migraine evidence judged mixed.
Safety Alenzi 2020 ✓ PubMed
Case report: 800 mg feverfew t.i.d. for 9 months caused prolonged vaginal bleeding with elevated PT/PTT; resolved after stopping.
RCT Diener 2005 ✓ PubMed
MIG-99 6.25 mg t.i.d. reduced attacks by 1.9 vs 1.3/month on placebo (P=0.046); responder odds ratio 3.4 (n=170).
RCT Pfaffenrath 2002 ✓ PubMed
Dose-response RCT: MIG-99 showed no overall prophylactic effect; benefit only in subgroup with ≥4 baseline attacks (P=0.02).
RCT De Weerdt 1996 ✓ Full text
Crossover RCT (n=50) of an alcoholic feverfew extract: no difference in attack frequency vs placebo; no prophylactic effect shown.
7 sources cited · 7 verified Search all studies on PubMed ↗

Common questions about Feverfew

What is Feverfew used for?

Feverfew is most often taken for Migraine prevention, Fewer headache days, Anti-inflammatory effects, Traditional fever & arthritis remedy. A traditional daisy herb taken to help prevent migraine attacks.

Does Feverfew work — what does the evidence say?

Mixed evidence. Conflicting results across studies; benefit uncertain. Feverfew is a daisy-family herb long used to ward off fevers, arthritis and headaches. Modern interest centers on migraine prevention. Trials of leaf preparations gave conflicting results, and the standardized CO2 extract MIG-99 worked in its largest trial (6.25 mg three times daily cut attacks by 1.9 vs 1.3 per month on placebo) but failed overall in an earlier dose-finding study except in a frequent-migraine subgroup. The 2015 Cochrane review of six trials (561 people) found feverfew reduced attacks by only about 0.6 per month and rated the evidence low quality. A 2025 meta-analysis of nine RCTs (899 people) found a modest but significant reduction of roughly 1.1 attacks per month and shorter attacks, with no effect on nausea or light sensitivity. Overall the benefit, if real, is small and inconsistent; product quality and parthenolide content vary widely.

What is the typical dose of Feverfew?

A stabilized CO2 extract (MIG-99) at 6.25 mg three times daily, or ~50–150 mg/day of dried leaf standardized to ≥0.2% parthenolide.

Is Feverfew safe? Any cautions or side effects?

Generally well tolerated short-term; the most common effects are mouth ulcers and oral soreness (especially chewing fresh leaves) and GI upset. Stopping abruptly after long use can cause a rebound "post-feverfew syndrome" of headache, insomnia and joint pain. Feverfew has antiplatelet activity and a documented case of bleeding with abnormal clotting times, so avoid combining it with anticoagulants/antiplatelets (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel), NSAIDs or before surgery. It is contraindicated in pregnancy (may stimulate uterine contractions and menstruation) and breastfeeding, and can trigger allergic reactions in people sensitive to ragweed and other Asteraceae plants.

How many studies support Feverfew?

NutriDex cites 7 sources for Feverfew, graded "Mixed".

Does Feverfew interact with any medications?

Yes — known or theoretical interactions include: Blood thinners (warfarin, DOACs) (caution), Antiplatelet drugs (aspirin, clopidogrel) (caution). This is educational and not exhaustive; always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Feverfew with any medicine.

Cite this page
APA

Peh, D. (2026). Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 26 Jun 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/feverfew

BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_feverfew,
  author       = {Peh, Daryl},
  title        = {Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
  url          = {https://nutridex.info/s/feverfew},
  note         = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-06-26}
}

For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.

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