It’s not the first time that the benefits and effectiveness of traditional remedies have been demonstrated by scientific studies that focus their attention on herbs, plants, seeds and berries in order to test the properties already known by ancient wisdom. This has happened also with the research (Mazzei et al) published in January 2018 in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology by CNR, the Italian National Research Council. Subject of the study were several plants used for centuries to soothe headache.
The scientists have performed a large research on the main traditional plants used as a remedies against headache. The research has showed that there are particular compounds present in these remedies such as flavonoids, terpenoids and phenylpropanoids. These substances are able to block the chemical mediators involved in the onset of headache by acting as painkilling and anti-inflammatory agents. Particularly useful to soothe headache have been result Artemisia (also known as wormwood), sunflower and elderberry that, thanks to their content in diterpenes, act as NSAID, the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, a type of medicine that includes aspirin, ibuprofen and paracetamol and that is commonly used against headache. For this reason, green light to sunflower seeds, taken as a healthy snack or in salads, but also to herbal teas and fluid extracts of these plants, this will help counteract migraines and headache. And it doesn’t end there, according to the same research, these plants are useful also to counteract the inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis and musculoskeletal disorders.
