Butterbur and migraine
What 4 graded rows on butterbur agree on for migraine, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Butterbur page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Butterbur page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Butterbur and migraine
4 rows · 471 peopleMostly an improvement: 3 of 4 rows, and most of the people. 1 had mixed results.
- BGrade B× 1
- CGrade C× 1
- DGrade D× 2
- Rows
- 4
- Trials
- 4
- People
- 471
What the rows share
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade B, is a randomized trial of 245 people (2004) and found an improvement.
The rows run from 58 to 245 people, published from 2000 to 2008: 4 single studies.
The rows
3 improved · 1 mixed- BGrade BMigraine attack frequency · Improved
RCT · n 245 · 2004 · Adults aged 18–65 with 2–6 migraine attacks per month
75 mg twice daily (150 mg/day); 50 mg twice daily also tested · 4 months
Attack frequency fell 48% on 150 mg/day versus 26% on placebo (p=0.0012); 68% versus 49% had at least a 50% reduction. The 100 mg/day dose was not significantly better than placebo. Mild burping was the most common side effect.
- CGrade CMigraine attack frequency · Improved
RCT · n 60 · 2000 · Adults with migraine
50 mg twice daily (100 mg/day) · 12 weeks
Attack frequency fell by up to 60% from baseline, significantly more than placebo; no adverse events were reported.
- DGrade DMigraine frequency in children and adolescents · Improved
Open-label trial · n 108 · 2005 · Children and adolescents aged 6–17 with migraine
50–150 mg/day by age · 4 months
77% had at least a 50% drop in attack frequency; burping was the main side effect and no serious adverse events occurred.
- DGrade DHeadache frequency in school-aged children with migraine · Mixed
RCT · n 58 · 2008 · Primary-school children with migraine; all groups also received headache education
Not stated in the abstract · 12 weeks, with follow-up 6 months later
Butterbur was not better than placebo in the 8 weeks after treatment (only music therapy was, p=0.005), but was better than placebo in the 8-week follow-up period 6 months later (p=0.044). Attack frequency fell substantially in all groups during the baseline period.