Butterbur might help reduce asthma symptoms
Posted Monday, May 31, 2004, Daily Herald

Alternative Approach by Patrick Massey MD, PhD Cases of asthma in the United States have risen by more than 75 percent since 1980.

No one knows why. Perhaps pollution and chemicals are to blame for asthma, an inflammation and hypersensitivity of the airways in the lungs. Another reason might be our diets. The typical American diet is rich in omega 6 fats that promote an inflammatory response. Diets that are rich in omega 3 fats tend to do the opposite.

Asthma can be a serious disease, responsible for 2 million emergency-room visits, 500,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths every year. Medical treatments successfully relieve symptoms of asthma but have significant side effects and costs.

Are there alternatives?
A number of botanicals might help in reducing the symptoms of asthma. One of these is butterbur. Butterbur (Petasites vulgaris), is a plant that grows wild in Europe. Its distinctive leaves can grow to 2 feet in diameter. Butterbur leaves once might have been used to wrap butter during hot weather, thus giving the plant its name.

Historically, butterbur has been used to treat a number of medical conditions, including heart disease, asthma and the plague (no data shows whether it was effective against the plague) But researchers increasingly are studying its effect on inflammation, especially in asthma. One recent study in the medical journal Clinical and Experimental Allergy looked at butterbur as an additional therapy for people who require steroids for controlling their asthma. In a moderate-sized, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial researchers discovered that daily consumption of butterbur significantly reduced a number of measures of asthma reactivity. They suggested that with further study, butterbur could prove to be effective by itself for mild asthma.

Other studies looking at asthma and seasonal allergies had similar results. Daily use of butterbur reduces many of the measures of allergic reactivity. There are no large clinical trials using butterbur for asthma or seasonal allergies, but they might be coming. Interestingly, several medical studies published this year suggest that butterbur might also reduce by 50 percent the incidence of migraines in those with chronic migraines.

It is interesting that as we examine many of these old remedies, often dismissed as unscientific, we rediscover that we are closely connected to nature and that nature provides us with many of the "medicines" we need for optimal health.

Butterbur is well-tolerated by patients and appears to be very safe. As always, however, consult with a physician before incorporating any botanical therapy into your treatment. Asthma is serious business. Nontraditional practitioners might be well-educated on herbs, but most have little or no medical training, especially when it comes to combining medications and herbs.

• Patrick B. Massey, M.D., Ph.D., is medical director for alternative and complementary medicine for Alexian Brothers Hospital Network.

Patrick Massey MD, PhD
Medical Director, Integrative Medicine, Alexian Brothers Hospital Network.
President, ALT-MED Medical and Physical Therapy