Condition
Treatment Support
promotes cell growth
Application
compress externally
Comfrey
(Symphytum officinale)
Also know as Russian comfrey
Botanical Information
A vigorous perennial garden plant with a profusion of large acutely-pointed leaves and spreading roots. The purple-white flowers are in small elongated sprays shaped like a scorpion’s tail.
Working with Comfrey
Part(s) Used
Root, Herb
Herb Forms
Teabag, tincture, homeopathic tablet, capsule, tablet, salve, cream, bulk herb, powder
Comfrey root has long been recommended as an external preparation for helping heal all manners of trauma to the skin and bones. It is used both internally and externally for bites, burns, bruises, stings, and wounds as well as sprains and broken bones. It contains allantoin, which increases the growth of cells and is an excellent demulcent due to its high mucilage content. Comfrey root is also taken internally for lung, bowel, and urinary tract conditions.
Comfrey has a taste of BITTER, SWEET and a temperature of COOL.
Cautions
Today comfrey is most often recommended for external use because it contains toxic alkaloids that have been linked to liver inflammation and toxicity in connection with its internal use. These pyrrolizidine alkaloids, or PAs, are only mildly toxic, but other species are known to have various levels of PAs of high toxicity (the young leaves and roots of S. officinalis contain the highest levels). One reason why commercial products containing comfrey have been discontinued by most manufacturers is the difficulty in determining the species identity when the herb has been powdered or extracted and added to capsules or tablets.
Avoid comfrey if you are pregnant or nursing. Don’t use leaf preparations internally for longer than 1 week, twice a year, and always do so under the care of a qualified herbalist. We do not advise using it internally or on broken skin.
Allantoin, however, is a safe and effective cell proliferator. Don’t apply it unless a broken bone has been set properly, and do not use it on a deep, open wound that may not have been cleaned, since it could close at the top before the underlying tissue has fully healed.
Conditions treated with Comfrey
Condition
Treatment Support
Application
Condition
Treatment Support
demulcent anti-inflammatory
Application
poultice, externally
Condition
Treatment Support
skin cell proliferant
Application
fresh or dried root externally
The information given here is designed to help you make informed choices about your health. The information is drawn from numerous sources—both traditional medicine practice, from the clinical experience of many herbalists currently practicing, and supported by decades of scientific research from the author. The research most consulted includes human clinical trials that help to determine the most effective and safe herbs for various needs, the best doses, and types of preparations.
The information offered in this database is not intended as a substitute for any that may have been prescribed by your health practitioner or physician.
