Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) has a longstanding history of use in traditional European herbal medicine, especially for pain relief, including headaches and tension-type headaches. The plant contains salicylates—precursors to salicylic acid, the basis for aspirin—which are thought to contribute to its analgesic (pain-relieving) and anti-inflammatory properties. Historically, meadowsweet was used in folk medicine to relieve various aches and pains, and Nicholas Culpeper’s 17th-century writings mention its use for headaches.

However, while its traditional use is well documented, scientific evidence supporting meadowsweet’s effectiveness specifically for tension headaches is limited. Most modern studies on meadowsweet focus on its constituents and general anti-inflammatory effects rather than clinical trials for headache relief. The presence of salicylates lends some plausibility to its use, given the known efficacy of aspirin for headache, but there is a lack of direct clinical research validating its use for this condition. Therefore, its use for tension headaches is justified by tradition, with a modest level of indirect scientific support due to its chemical makeup, but not by robust clinical evidence.

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