Posted by Bob Johnson (12.19.49.2) on July 21, 2000 at 08:11:24:
Migraine Sufferers Now Have Safe, New Options for Relief; New All-Natural Drug Petadolex Helps Greatly Reduce Migraine Episodes
July 21, 2000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GAINESVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 20, 2000 via NewsEdge Corporation -
A new, all-natural herbal remedy prescribed for years throughout Europe, offers migraine sufferers a possible preventative solution. Debilitating onsets of migraine headaches affect 23 to 26 million Americans, causing partial vision loss, nausea, sensitivity to light and noise, and an inability to function at work and home. Migraine headaches cost the United States economy over $11 billion each year in terms of lost workdays, according to an article in Natural Pharmacy, 1998.
Dr. Alexander Mauskop presented clinical results of Petadolex to over 800 leading US neurologists at the American Headache Society's 42nd Annual Scientific Meeting in Montreal, Canada. Petadolex was the only non-conventional presentation at this prestigious annual gathering of leading US neurologists.
Richard Lipton, MD, president of the American Headache Society, a leading US neurological society, indicates early research looks positive for US migraine sufferers.
"Petadolex is a promising new preventative strategy for migraine sufferers," said Lipton.
Petadolex, which has ingredients extracted from the Butterbur plant, is a prophylactic drug manufactured by Weber & Weber that helps migraine sufferers prevent the onset of the incapacitating headaches.
Weber & Weber is a German-based pharmaceutical manufacturer started in Germany in 1953. Since the company's founding, it has grown and expanded to the United States.
"I am very pleased with the initial response from well-respected neurologists as well as the response from the physicians at the American Headache Society conference," said Volker Gallichio, President of US Operations. "As Petadolex becomes more widely-known, I expect family practitioners and OB/GYNs to begin recommending Petadolex to their patients."
German companies have long been known as the world's leader in herbal remedies, having operated for decades under stringent government regulations.
Conventional drugs are often prescribed by physicians to alleviate the symptoms caused by migraine, but many times are very expensive, have severe side effects, and sometimes are not effective. Also, conventional drugs treat migraine episodically and do not provide preventative treatment.
For years, migraine sufferers have been searching for alternatives to alleviate their headache pain through a combination of lifestyle changes in diet, exercise, stress reduction, increased sleep and other methods such as biofeedback. Other options sufferers look to are all-natural products found in plants and minerals.
Patients take one 50 mg gel cap twice daily of Petadolex for a minimum of four weeks before preventative effects can be seen. The drug is designed to lower the frequency and pain intensity of migraines, not treat the acute conditions associated with migraine. Petadolex should be taken as a part of phytopharmaceutical migraine therapy.
Petadolex has been tested and used in Europe for many years, and is very popular. Results of double-blind studies conducted by physicians indicate that the Petadolex group had significantly fewer attacks, fewer migraine days, less pain intensity and shorter duration of attacks than those taking the placebo.
The study revealed that the drug has no known side effects.
In 1996, Werner Grossman, MD, a professor at the University of Munich in the department of Neurology and Pharmacology in Germany, conducted a double-blind study of Petadolex.
The study, carried out in strict accordance with standards established by the International Headache Society and Good Clinical Practice, compared Petadolex use to a placebo. An American trial is underway with promising results expected by year-end.
An abstract by Dr. Alexander Mauskop was published in the May, 2000 issue of the journal Headache The Journal of Head and Face Pain, Vol 40; Issue 5; pg 420. The journal is peer reviewed by leading US neurologists.
The Journal of the American Medical Association (November 11, 1998 - Vol. 280, No. 18) reported that use of at least one to 16 alternative therapies during the previous year (of the study) increased from 33.8 percent in 1990 to 42.1 percent in 1997. Overall use of alternative therapies increased from 1990 to 1997 by 25 percent, total visits by an estimated 47 percent, and expenditures on services provided by practitioners of alternative therapies by an estimated 45 percent.
The journal reports that 12.1 percent of respondents used herbal medicine in the past year (of the study), an increase from 2.5 percent in 1990. Also noted is that in the past year of the study, 3.4 percent stated that they used homeopathy, an increase of 0.7 percent in 1990. One of the most common uses for alternative therapy in those studied was headache.