Subject: Question about genus & species of feverfew

From: Diane Reid <[email-masked]>
Date: 15 Mar 1996 13:59:45 GMT

I am wondering what the genus & species of the herb feverfew is, also the plant
chamomile (camomile).  How closely related are they?  How closely related are
they both to Ambrosia artemisafolia? Is there a WWW site where I can look up
information about the chemical compositions of them?  

I've been taking feverfew to help alleviate my migraines, and it is working
fairly well.  However, I am allergic to ragweed pollen and have had adverse
reactions to chamomile as well.  I am wondering if feverfew is also closely
related to them and thus leading to allergic reactions.

I haven't found them in my botany books (not that I looked very far) and my
knowledge of the plant kingdom is so rusty from non-use! My B.Sc.(Hons) in
Biology was completed in 1979, but I haven't used much of the bio stuff I
learned since then.

  Diane

-- 

employed by Nortel Technology      
            Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
who may or may not agree with my opinions

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From: [email-masked] (Mary Leontovich)
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 1996 15:32:46 -0800

Hi-

Feverfew is Tanacetum parthenium. There are two kinds of chamomile used
medicinally, Chamaemelum nobile (roman chamomile) and Matricaria recutita
(German chamomile). I have no idea what they're related to--sorry. 

As for headaches, I take a tincture that mixes feverfew, meadowsweet
(spirea ulmaria) periwinkel (vinca major) and lavender. Works great!