Petasites, butterbur

 Leaves are used in tincture, after the blooms are gone. Contains an antispasmodic alkaloid. Good cough suppressant. MM says not to use long term - long term may cause liver damage.. Interesting plant - found more info: medicinal herbs: BUTTERBUR - Petasites albus (naturalmedicinalherbs.net) So, we'll need to look intot his one more, as MM says it can be dangerous, but Plants For A Future says not.

Herb: Butterbur

Latin name: Petasites albus

Synonyms: Tussilago alba

Family: Compositae

Medicinal use of Butterbur: The root is emmenagogue, hypnotic, sedative and vulnerary. The ground or finely chopped rhizome has a healing effect when applied to slow-healing or weak ulcers, or to suppurating wounds. An infusion of the leaves is a specific remedy for coughs. A homeopathic remedy is made from the roots. It is used in the treatment of wounds, ulcers etc.

Known hazards of Petasites albus: None known

Herb: Butterbur

Latin name: Petasites hybridus

Synonyms: Petasites officinalis, Petasites ovatus, Petasites vulgaris, Tussilago hybrida, Tussilago petasites

Family: Compositae

Medicinal use of Butterbur: Butterbur is widely considered to be an effective cough remedy and recent experiments have shown it to have remarkable antispasmodic and pain-relieving properties. It acts specifically on the bile ducts, stomach and duodenum. The plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, in isolation these are toxic to the liver. The root and the leaves are analgesic, antispasmodic, cardiotonic, diaphoretic and diuretic. A decoction is taken as a remedy for various respiratory problems such as asthma, colds, bronchitis and whooping cough and also other complaints such as fevers and urinary complaints. It is also very effective in the treatment of gastrointestinal complaints and biliary dyskinesia. Externally it can be used as a poultice to speed the healing of wounds and skin eruptions. The leaves are harvested in early summer, the root in late summer to autumn. Both can be dried for later use. Because the plant contains potentially toxic alkaloids its internal use cannot be recommended. A homeopathic remedy is made from the roots. It is used in the treatment of severe and obstinate neuralgia.

Torey says:

Butterbur. We have two non-natives here. Petasites hybridus, Purple Butterbur, and Petasites japonica, Japanese Butterbur. Japanese Butterbur seems to be more invasive and has spread away from places where it has been planted. There are much fewer occurrences of Purple Butterbur.

There are three native sub-species of Petasites frigidus, here. P. frigidus var. palmatus, P. f. var. nivalis and P.f. var. sagittatus. They are all commonly called Sweet Coltsfoot, although sagittatus is also called Arrow-leaf Coltsfoot. It is quite broad and toothed instead of lobed like the other two; nivalis has very shallowly lobed palmate leaves and palmatus is quite deeply lobed. They are all very common throughout the province.

My herbal information is the same as what you have posted. I think the cautions might be quite general across all species but I don't think all species have similar quantities of the pyrrolizidine alkaloids. My info says that there should only be caution using my native species in large amounts as food. Medicinal quantities are much lower, so less risk of toxicity. Its unfortunate in scientific literature that one plant species gets tested and that taints the entire genus with the same brush. A cough syrup is made from the local species from any of the parts; roots, leaves, flowers. All are quite effective but if I had a choice I would use the flower syrup for children and save the root or leaf for adults. It can safely taken over the course of an illness without worry about toxicity. However, P. hybridus or P. albus may have much higher concentrations than other species.

Homeopathic Tussilago is also good for respiratory inflammation, chest congestion and coughs.

I guess we should put in the caution here that anyone with liver disease should avoid Coltsfoot/Butterbur internally.