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Butterbur Extra™ made by Vitanica contains remarkably effective levels of butterbur’s active constituents, called petasins. In addition, the efficacy of butterbur is magnified by magnesium, vitamin B2, ginger, and other synergetic compounds in this blend. Overall, this adds up to a potent formula that brings significant ongoing help for many of our patients.

The active elements of butterbur, called petasins, are derived from butterbur root and they support healthy blood vessel tone, healthy brain chemistry, and normal blood flow in the brain. This butterbur extract formulation meets our specifications because it includes a correctly standardized extract of butterbur root, certified free of unhelpful pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs).

This exceptionally effective blend is carefully balanced with generous and clinically effective doses of other scientifically studied ingredients: vitamin B2 (riboflavin), magnesium, the botanicals ginger and feverfew, and the amino acid 5-hydroxytryptophan. Each of these ingredients enhance the actions of butterbur and benefits migraine, asthma, and nasal allergies.

Our patients regularly enjoy reduced frequency and intensity of pain with classic migraines, menstrual migraines, and even hypnic migraines that occur during sleep. Patients tell us that they continue to experience ongoing improvements for years. They also report major improvements for nasal allergies and asthma, with less nasal congestion, reduced postnasal drip, less wheezing or tight chest, and reduced cough or shortness of breath. Overall, we’ve seen significantly better results with this formula for migraines and other conditions than with butterbur root alone.

About this product

Butterbur has a long history of traditional use stretching back at least 2,000 years where it was used to soothe headaches, ease digestive symptoms, and relieve asthma attacks. Butterbur is a perennial shrub that grows well in the marshy terrain of Europe, Asia, and North America. The variant Petasites hydridus is found in colder, northerly regions of Russia and Europe. An equally effective medicinal species called Petasites frigidus is found in the northern United States and Canada. With its large, parasol-like leaves, Butterbur’s botanical name Petasites is thought to derive from the Greek word “petasos,” referring to the Thessalian sun hat worn by ancient Greeks. Its common name may also stem from its use to wrap butter; the large heart-shaped leaves help to prevent melting in warm weather.

For migraines, butterbur is a potent pain reliever. Used consistently, it can significantly reduce or, for some patients, prevent migraines. Butterbur acts in several ways to ease pain: It desensitizes sensory neurons, decreases inflammatory signaling, stabilizes vascular and neurological disruptions, and enhances healthy brain blood flow.

The American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society support the use of butterbur extract from the root or rhizome of the plant, based on promising research results from high-quality studies. In May 2012, the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society issued two sets of guidelines on migraine prevention. One addressed pharmacologic therapies demonstrated to be effective in trials, and the other evaluated NSAIDs and complementary treatments that have proven efficacy. The only complementary remedy recommended with top-ranking Level A evidence was butterbur.

Butterbur has stronger, evidence-based clinical research to verify its efficacy compared to other natural migraine remedies on their own, such as feverfew, capsaicin, magnesium, and vitamin B2. However, these substances can act synergistically to enhance the actions of butterbur.

For pain relief, petasins, the most active constituents of butterbur, desensitize channels of sensory neurons, where pain is registered. They decrease the body’s inflammatory response by inhibiting the release of calcitonin gene-related peptides (CGRP). CGRP is known as a biomarker and a promoting factor of migraines. These protein peptides can cause inflammation and migraine pain if they are secreted around the brain; blocking CGRP signaling is the crucial step necessary to curtail and prevent migraine attacks.

Recent research confirms that butterbur modulates CGRP differently from the usual migraine drugs and from newer medications including the monoclonal antibody injectable drugs, which can have uncomfortable side effects including fatigue, nausea, dizziness, and constipation. By contrast, butterbur generally has zero side effects.

The first placebo-controlled trial of butterbur root extract in 2004 showed that a dose of 50 mg of butterbur root extract taken twice daily can lower the frequency of migraines. Close to 50% of the patients in the study reported that the average frequency of migraines decreased by half after 3 months, and butterbur was well-tolerated. This rate of improvement was similar to prescription medications including the newer monoclonal antibody injectable drugs such as Aimovig, Ajovy, Vyepti, and Emgality. The American Headache Society has observed that butterbur extract is the only natural product “in the same category of effectiveness as the best [older] prescription drugs, like topiramate and divalproex sodium”.

Butterbur also eases migraines through its direct anti-inflammatory actions: Petasins work via other anti-inflammatory pathways in addition to CGRP inhibition. Research indicates that petasin and isopetasin inhibit the inflammation-causing enzyme lipoxygenase (LOX), bringing highly potent reduction of inflammation. Butterbur extract can also calm inflammation by inhibiting activity of the enzyme cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2). Higher levels of COX-2 speed up the production of certain prostaglandins, chemical messengers that play a key role in promoting inflammation. Inhibition of the COX-2 enzyme relieves migraine pain and inflammation.

Butterbur extract has a third important way to ease migraines: It is a strong antioxidant. This antioxidant action helps to stabilize vascular and neurological disruptions that contribute to migraine, thus reducing pain.

A fourth mechanism by which butterbur helps migraines is enhancing healthy brain blood flow due to its muscle-relaxing effects on blood vessels in the brain that become overexcited during a migraine. These muscle-relaxing actions help to prevent the initial stages of migraines and to stabilize blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more evenly to the brain. Butterbur’s active components isopetasin and oxopetasin induce smooth muscle relaxation, particularly in cerebral blood vessel walls. Butterbur petasins also decrease the intracellular concentration of calcium, offsetting calcium-induced vasoconstriction, adding to smooth muscle relaxation and improved blood flow.

For asthma, butterbur extract reduces wheezing, cough and sputum, and eases tight chest and shortness of breath, also improving exercise capacity. It has been shown in research studies to decrease the number, duration, and severity of attacks due to its anti-inflammatory and bronchodilation actions. The active compounds in butterbur, particularly iso-S-petasin, act as bronchodilators, relaxing and widening the airways. Butterbur has been shown to improve lung function in patients with chronic asthma and chronic bronchitis.

For nasal allergies, also known as allergic rhinitis or commonly as hay fever, butterbur extract is a highly effective remedy for reducing nasal congestion, mucus, and itching of nasal passages and eyes. Butterbur extract inhibits leukotriene receptors, helping to prevent or relieve allergic reactions, as verified by clinical studies. An allergic reaction is caused by the immune system releasing mediators including histamines and leukotrienes which can cause inflammation of the nasal linings, leading to sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes. Because of its significant anti-inflammatory properties, butterbur is a highly effective remedy for nasal allergies, and it shows promising benefits especially when taken during allergy season.

Other nutrients enhance the benefits of butterbur extract and are also helpful in their own right for migraines, asthma, and nasal allergies. These include the following:

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) in an ample dose by mouth seems to reduce the number of migraine headaches by about 2 attacks per month. Especially when used in combination with botanicals including butterbur and other vitamins and minerals, the effectiveness of riboflavin is even greater to ease the pain of a migraine. Evidence shows that vitamin B2 is well-tolerated as a preventive treatment for migraine and is shown to be effective in reducing migraine frequency and severity. Clinical guidelines for managing headaches indicate that 400mg of riboflavin per day is effective in reducing migraines. For asthma and nasal allergies, the intake of vitamin B2 correlates with a lower risk of developing an allergy, and ample amounts of this micronutrient in combination with magnesium are associated with improvements in bronchial asthma control.

Magnesium has a long track record for relieving the frequency and intensity of migraines pain due to its roles in smooth muscle tone and nerve function. Magnesium is a known bronchodilator that relaxes the bronchial muscles and expands the airways to relieve the symptoms of asthma such as shortness of breath and acute asthma flare-ups. For nasal allergies, we know that chronic magnesium deficiency may provoke a higher allergic response by increasing histamine levels in the blood after being exposed to allergens. Since migraine sufferers, asthmatics, and patients with seasonal and year-round allergies have lower magnesium levels within cells, the first step in care is taking extra magnesium.

Ginger reduces both pain and nausea and is therefore very useful for the treatment of migraine headaches. Ginger has a naturally occurring oil that is responsible for both its flavor and health benefits. The chemical compounds in this oil, including gingerols and shogaols, have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects and are also effective at treating nausea and vomiting. Ginger extracts may also increase serotonin, a chemical messenger involved with migraine attacks. Increasing serotonin levels in the brain may help stop migraines by reducing inflammation and stabilizing blood vessels. For asthma, ginger is a potent anti-inflammatory compound that induces bronchodilation in airway smooth muscle and is therefore helpful in reducing asthma symptoms. Ginger works as a natural antihistamine, potent antiviral agent, and immune booster easing the symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Feverfew is a botanical with traditional and research-supported actions for migraine relief. Scientific studies confirm that this may be due to its parthenolide, an active ingredient which helps relieve spasms in smooth muscle tissue, or to its anti-inflammatory action. This also supports its use in relieving the symptoms of asthma as it reduces the bronchial spasms responsible for shortness of breath and acute asthma flare-ups. For nasal allergies, feverfew has a long history of use in traditional and folk medicine and has been noted for its anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects, especially through the inhibition of histamine release.5-Hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP for short, relieves migraines as it encourages optimal neurotransmitter levels and healthy brain chemistry. 5-HTP raises serotonin levels in the brain and is effective at reducing the frequency, severity, and duration of migraine headaches. This same mechanism of action is believed to be effective at reducing leukocyte recruitment and allergic inflammation, a novel potential target for intervention in both allergy and asthma treatment.

Contents

2 capsules provide:

Riboflavin (as vitamin B2) 200 mg
Magnesium (as malate) 105 mg
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Root Extract (4:1) 300 mg
Purple Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) Root Extract (no pyrrolizidine alkaloids, Pas) 50 mg
Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) Leaf and Flowers Extract (4:1) 50 mg
5-Hydroxytrytophan from Griffonia (Griffonia simplicifolia Seeds) 50 mg

Other Ingredients: Vegan capsule (HPMC and water), L-leucine.

This product does not contain artificial colorings or flavorings preservatives, binders, ingredients of animal origin, eggs, milk derivatives, lactose, fish or shellfish, wheat, gluten, soy, salt, peanuts, tree nuts, or GMOs.

Cautions

Always take natural remedies under the supervision of your healthcare provider. Do not self-diagnose migraine, asthma, or nasal allergies if you have any symptoms such as intractable headache, visual disturbances, difficulty breathing, or nosebleeds. See your healthcare provider immediately for an accurate diagnosis.

Use caution and consult your physician if you are on migraine medications or asthma inhalers, anti-coagulants, SSRI anti-depressants, or have reduced kidney function. Avoid taking Butterbur Extra™  if you have liver disease or if taking blood sugar lowering medication.

Butterbur extract should be concentrated only from the plant roots and rhizome, which are medicinally effective. It must be free of leaf or stem extracts that contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), that are not well-tolerated by humans and may be toxic to the liver. Use only butterbur root extract certified free of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, or PAs. Avoid teas made from leaves or stems.

Butterbur may cause allergic reactions in people who are sensitive to the Asteraceae/Compositae family of plants such as ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and daisies.

Avoid during pregnancy and during lactation unless under the guidance of your physician.