Petasites hybridus

Petasites hybridus, also known as the butterbur, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Asteraceae that is native to Europe and northern Asia. Although used over centuries in traditional medicine to treat various disorders, there are no approved medical uses, but it is sold as a dietary supplement. Concerns about the potential toxic effects of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in butterbur limit its use in human and animal studies.

Common names

Butterbur may have derived from the use of leaves to wrap butter centuries ago. It is also called bog rhubarb, ''Devil's hat, and pestilence wort''. == Description ==

Description

The species is dioecious, the male and female flowers being borne on separate plants. In Britain, the male flowers are widespread, but the female flowers have a restricted distribution in northern and central England. The flowers are produced in the early spring, before the leaves appear. They are pale pink, with several inflorescences clustered on a stem. The leaves are large, on stout tall stems, round, with a diameter of with petioles up to . == Distribution ==

Distribution

It is native to central Europe, extending from the British Isles to the Caucasus, and from southern Italy to southern Scandinavia. It is present as an introduced species in North America. ==Dietary supplement and research==

Dietary supplement and research

As there are no approved clinical uses of butterbur or its extracts, preparations are sold in some countries as a dietary supplement. Traditional medicine Petasites hybridus leaves were used in Austrian and Czech traditional medicine internally (as tea or cold maceration in ethanol) and externally (as compresses or maceration in vinegar) for treatment of infections, fever, flu, colds, hay-fever, and allergies. ==Phytochemicals==

Phytochemicals

Petasites hybridus contains senecionine and other toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids in its leaves and roots. Also present are the sesquiterpene esters petasin, isopetasin, and neopetasin. ==Potential toxicity==

Potential toxicity

Butterbur extracts have been found to contain hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids at the retail level. Long-term health effects and interaction of butterbur with other drugs have not been well documented. However, it can theoretically interact with certain blood pressure and heart medications, as well as with drugs that can induce a liver enzyme called CYP3A4. ==References==

Source: Wikipedia ↗

tickerdossier.com tickerdossier.substack.com