Update on the efficacy and safety of Petadolex^®, a butterbur extract for migraine prophylaxis

Abstract:

Migraine has a heavy socioeconomic impact in terms of lost productivity and burden on the health care system. The efficacy of current drug regimens in migraine prophylaxis is limited, and therapeutic alternatives are needed. These include a range of herbal medicines based on butterbur, feverfew, St John’s wort, and Ginkgo. Of these, Petadolex^®, an extract of the butterbur root, is the most promising. Petadolex^® has been investigated in four studies, including one good quality clinical trial involving 202 patients, two randomized controlled trials with smaller cohorts including adults and children, and a large observational, open-label study. However, post-marketing surveillance only supports its safety at lower doses and over treatment durations shorter than those used in the clinical trials. Moreover, the long-term safety of the product has been called into question, leading to withdrawal in some European countries. This review draws an overall picture of this complex set of data. The safety and efficacy of Petadolex^® remains a matter of debate by a number of clinical, regulatory, and professional bodies.

Keywords::

• Petasites hybridus
• migraine
• herbal medicine
• clinical evidence
• safety

Disclosure

The author reports no conflicts of interest in this work. The listing of a medication or supplement herein does not imply endorsement or recommendation by the author.