Discussion on Comfrey

[Lavender]

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)

Though in many herbals comfrey has been recomended for internal usage for all sorts of illnesses, recent studies have shown that comfrey may not be completely safe. Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that is toxic to the liver. As well, this chemical may be carinogenic. The results seems to be mixed. Some say that comfrey is ok in low levels, others say it's too risky. Personally, for internal use, I find there are much more safer alternatives for me to risk using comfrey.

For external use, that's another matter. One of the main constiuents of comfrey is allantoin, which promotes skin repair, relieve pain & swelling, heals wounds & sores, and helps control dandruff.

For swellings & brusing, make a tea infusion. Soak a cloth & place over the bruised area. Reapply as often as needed. This will keep the brusing down & the discolouration to a minimum.

I've always read about how comfrey helps in the healing of sores that are hard to heal. I had an opportunity to try this out one summer. We were camping & one of the other campers cut his foot on a rock. Because of the conditions & him using his foot all the time, it was taking a long time to scab over. I didn't have fresh comfrey but had dried roots with me. I made a mash with it & applied it to the sore & wrapped it up overnight. The next day it was noticeably better & started to scab over & heal.

Both the leaves & roots of comfrey are used. As to which one is better depends on when it was harvested. The allantoin compound is higher in the leaves before flowering in the summer & higher in the roots in the fall.

Some people are allergic to the little hairs on the stems. It's a good idea to wear gloves when harvesting the leaves. Brush off the dirt with a soft brush & hang to dry.

The roots can be dug up & divided. Comfrey can be quite invasive if you don't control it. You can divide 2/3 of the roots without harming the plant. The roots themselves are black on the outside & white on the inside. Brush off the dirt & wash gently. Cut into 1/2 inch pieces & let dry in the hot sun. I got a food dehydrator last summer & had really good success drying the roots that way.

Here are some links to more info on comfrey.

http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/comfre92.html

http://www.holisticonline.com/Herbal-Med/_Herbs/h222.htm

[Lavender]

Psst! Where is everyone?

[Nina]

I didn't know you could use the leaves!

It's good to bring out deep bruises and make them heal more quickly.

[Faery-Wings]

I am here, and I read through all of the info. Isn't botanical.com a great site?

I haven't used comfrey except in a commercial (Body Shop) formula for acne. I have never heard of an EO distilled from comfrey, has anyone else?

Chris

[Faery-Wings]

Just found a bit of folklore/trivia regarding comfrey. It was used in the past to repair the hymen and "restore" virginity!

:p :rolleyes:

[Lavender]

Originally posted by chryssi1
Just found a bit of folklore/trivia regarding comfrey. It was used in the past to repair the hymen and "restore" virginity!

:p :rolleyes:

Hmm...that's interesting...did it say anymore? Like how? :eek:

[Lavender]

Comfrey is associated with the West and the planet Saturn. According to some folklore, comfrey when used as part of a herbal amulet will ensure safe travel and health. Tuck a bit into your baggage to prevent it from getting lost or stolen. As a totem, comfrey acts as a guardian to travelers in that, the more adverse the situation, the stronger the powers.

[kblackthorne]

I had not heard of using comfrey to heal skin-sores... just things like broken-bones & sprains/strains, etc.

I have used it in this manner on both human & animal.

Yes, I got a cat who was recovering from a broken leg (the bone had healed, the leg was atrophied) to lay there and let me put warm comfrey-compresses on his injured leg. :)

[Niamh]

I have a Burt's Bees comfrey ointment that I used on sores, blisters, burns, etc. IT's wonderful!

Ingredients are: sweet almond oil, olive oil, beeswax, cocoa butter, wheat germ oil, vitamin E, lavender oil, comfrey leaf & root extract.

Sometimes I wear those stay-up thigh high stockings... the ones that use elastic and strips of clear plastic to "stay up." Well, my skin can't breathe under that plastic, and if I wear them too long, I get blisters in some places.

I rub the comfrey ointment into my skin and I'm healed over night!

[LilacMoon0]

I make an all purpose salve with Comfrey and Calendula, its great for burns, rashes or other pesky skin problems.

[Scarlettvixen]

Hi Wildchild
you said in your initial introduction to comfrey that its good for dandruff

how would you use it? as some EO in the shampoo or as a tea and use it as a rinse?

[Scarlettvixen]

Comfrey (http://arknursery.ie/h/centers/comfrey.html)

Another plant that likes plenty of food. Comfrey is a perennial with a stout spreading root. It grows to about 3 ft high and flowers in May - June. The root contains a large amount of mucilage (gelatinous substance) and is rich in easily assimilated organic calcium. Know exactly where you want it to be planted because should transplanting be required, the smallest bit of root left behind will restart the plant.

[Scarlettvixen]

the following is from the herb power egroup on yahoo
i have only reproduced about 1/4 of what is there in the files dealing with comfrey!



There are two types of comfrey generally available:
Symphytum officinale (medicinal comfrey)
Russian comfrey (symphytum x uplandium) which is typically used for composting and never used internally.

Family: Boraginaceae

Other Names:
Folk Names: Assear, Black Wort, Boneset, Bruisewort, Consohda,
Consound, Gum Plant, Healing Herb ,Knit Back, Knit Bone, Miracle Herb, Slippery Root, Wallwort, Yalluc, Gavez, Smeerwartel, Karakaffes, Ztworkost.

Description:
The stem and leaves of the plants are rough and coarsely hairy and can cause contact dermatitis in susceptible individuals. The lower leaves are large but become progressively smaller as they grow up the stem. The relatively narrow roots are
known to grow up to 30-40 cm in length and are useful for breaking up heavy soil, they are smooth, have blackish skin externally, and are white and juicy internally. Symphytum
officinale rarely grows taller than 1metre whereas Symphytum x uplandium has been known to attain 2 metres (I have never seen it this tall though). The drooping clusters of creamy yellow, or pink/pale purple flowers grow on short stalks.

[B}Medicinal uses: [/B]
Comfrey has been used for more different curative purposes than any other plant, and more importantly, the claims made for it have held up under present-day scrutiny. Literally a one-herb
pharmacy, it is emollient, astringent, alternative, expectorant, vulnerary, pectoral, healing for any kind of respiratory disease. It is also a cell proliferant (increases cell growth), and is healing for
internal and external use. Comfrey root is high in mucilage, containing even more than the marsh mallow. It also
contains allantoin and a small amount of starch and tannin. The allantoin content in aqueous solution has a powerful action in strengthening epithelial formations, or protecting any injured tissues, external or internal. It builds healthy cells which heal external wounds and ulcers of the stomach or duodenum.

This wonder plant contains potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, and cobalt. It is rich in Vitamin B (nicotinic and pantothenic acids, and riboflavin), Vitamin B11 (thiamin), and
B12 (cobalamin), Comfrey also contains Vitamins C and E.

Comfrey has received much attention in recent years. It is a valuable healing herb. Comfrey is useful as a poultice for varicose ulcers and a compress for varicose veins. Also it is good for chest colds and as a tonic to lessen arthritic pain and give a feeling of general well-being. The presence of allantoin (stimulates cell proliferation) makes comfrey an exceptional wound-healing herb. I use both the root and the leaf extensively in poultices, healing oils and ointments. It's not advisable however to use comfrey on very deep or dirty wound as it can quickly heal the tissue over
the surface of the wound creating the possibility of deep abscess formation. It is a prime remedy to treat bruises, wounds, sprains, strains, and fractures. Comfrey is also good for athlete's foot.
Excellent also as a compress or poultice to treat varicose and tropical ulcers and bleeding hemorrhoids. Combine with other herbs in an infused oil to treat arthritic joints.

The following is an extract from a report published by the FDA. The full report may be read by going to
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/dspltr06.html

'The use of comfrey in dietary supplements is a serious concern to FDA. These plants
contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, substances which are firmly established to be hepatotoxins
in animals. Reports in the scientific
literature clearly associate oral exposure of comfrey and pyrrolizidine alkaloids with the
occurrence of veno-occlusive disease (VOD) in animals'

Interestingly, two studies have shown that the alkaloids are found in the fresh young leaves and in the root, but are absent in the dried herb. The experiments conducted on animals was, to my mind inconclusive as huge amounts of comfrey were fed to the animals...far in excess of that which could be consumed by humans. However, I err on the side of caution and rarely use comfrey as an internal remedy but I feel that short-term, common sense use of comfrey is perfectly safe. Be aware that ingestion of raw leaf is not recommended as the hairs on the leaves can cause serious problems to the lining of the stomach.

Preparations:
Leaf: Make an "oil" to use externally on skin irritations. Pick clean dry leaves and cut into 1 inch squares. Pack into a clean dark jar. Apply a screw-top lid, label and date. This results in a viscous amber liquid with some sediment. Decant "oil" into a smaller container. Use on eczema and other skin inflammations. Put fresh leaves in a poultice for rough skin, aching joints, sores, burns, cuts, sprains and to reduce swelling around fractures.

One cup of the infusion of Symphytum officinale taken in 1/4 cup doses during the day will be helpful to treat poor digestion, as an overall tonic. Comfrey is a powerful remedy for coughs, catarrh. Don't take for longer than 6 days a week and for three weeks only.

Try a hot infusion of comfrey to relieve catarrh. (Boil 1 teaspoon dried comfrey root in 1 cup water for 10 minutes.)
Use a lotion or ointment made with comfrey for diaper rash.
A poultice of comfrey leaves has given remarkable results in many cases of chronic varicose skin ulcers.
For soothing and healing treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers - drink a comfrey tea.


Comfrey is an excellent home treatment for flu and bronchitis. Make a standard brew concentrate of two parts comfrey, one part yarrow, one part boneset, and a few juniper berries.
For diarrhea or dysentery, simmer one ounce of dried comfrey root in one pint of milk. Take a wineglassful three times a day.

For a cough, make this mixture: soak two ounces of comfrey root in one quart of water, overnight. Bring to a boil and simmer thirty minutes. Strain, add six ounces of honey and two ounces
glycerin and simmer again for five minutes. Cook, store in a glass jar and take one tablespoonful three or four times a day.

To alleviate skin problems, bed sores, athletes' foot, a useful salve can be made. The directions and ingredients are:
* Chop herbs. Put in an enamel or stainless steel pot.
* Barely cover herbs with spring, well, or bottled water. (Do not use highly-chemicalized city water.)
* Bring to a boil, let simmer thirty minutes. Strain.
* Add to liquid an equal amount of olive or safflower oil.
* Return to pot and simmer until all the water has evaporated. There will be no bubbles when the water is gone.
* Remove from fire and add enough beeswax to give the mixture a salve consistency.
* Put in a piece of wax about the size of a fifty-cent piece. Stir until dissolved.
* Pour a teaspoonful on a cool plate. If it thickens at once, the amount of wax is correct. If it does not thicken, quickly add more wax.
* Stir and bottle while hot. Label with date, ingredients, and use.