Comfrey
(also referred to as...)
Common Comfrey, Knitbone, Russian Comfrey
Latin Name: Symphytum officinalis, S. uplandicum
Family: Boraginaceae
Description
"Comfrey" comes from the Latin confirma which mean "with strength". symphtum is from the Greek word "symphtos", meaning "to unite". Both names refer to the use of these plants in healing fractures. In the 1653 "the English physician" Nicholas Culpeper wrote, "special good for ruptures and broken bone; yea it is said to be so powerful to consolidate and knit together, that if they be boiled with dissevered pieces of flesh in a pot, it will join them together again". He also recommended it for sore breasts and hemorrhoids, for which purposes it is still used by the pharmaceutical industry today, but in a synthesized form.
Comfrey is native to Europe and Asia and has been naturalized in North America. It prefers rich wet meadows and ditches and moist to wet soil in sun or partial shade.
Ailments / Situations Where Used
Comfrey can be used to treat wounds and injuries of any part. Prepare as a poultice or fomentation. This herb encourages cell proliferation, producing healing of any part of the body in about half the normal time examples: wounds, bones, skin or mucosae. Apply topically and take internally (see contraindication). It also speeds wound closing. It heals coughs and is considered one of the better healers of the respiratory system, especially if hemorrhage is present.
Comfrey has also been used to treat lung cancer, and water extracts are considered to have tumour reducing properties. It is also useful for colitis and has demulcent and vulnerary properties.
Russian comfrey is commonly mixed in with animal feed along with hops (which is useful as a good general tonic) and is best used dried. It is also very beneficial as a green manure crop or added to compost, either fresh or dried.
Source
Leaves, roots, and rhizomes.
Preparations
Infusion: For respiratory problems. Prepare from fresh or dried leaves. Add 2 tablespoons fresh or 1 tablespoon dried herb per cup of water. Allow to steep for 15 minutes and drink as needed.
Decoction: For digestive problems. Add 1 to 3 teaspoons dried root per cup of hot water. Simmer for 15 minutes. Drink 3 times daily.
Poultice/Fomentation: Made from leaves or minced root. Soak briefly in boiling water before pounding to a pulp to remove hairs. Also good as a facial mask as it improves the skin cells.
Cream: Cream can be made using the liquid extract prepared from a strong infusion(leaf) or decoction(root). Use just enough water to cover herb, strain and replace water portion of basic cream recipe with strained infusion/decoction. (Infused oil can also be made using the leaves. Replace oil portion of recipe instead)
Comfrey can be combined with coltsfoot, elecampane, and horehoud for chest and bronchial problems and calendula for wound healing.
Contraindications / Precautions / Warnings
The internal consumption of comfrey may be prohibited by law.
Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that are hepatotoxic and can cause fatal veno-occulsive disease of the liver. Russian comfrey is carcinogenic to rats in low doses -- 0.5% to 8% of diet, but is also anticarcinogenic. S. officinale is less toxic than S. uplandicum although only two possible fatalities have ever been recorded in humans. These characteristics are usually absent from the dried herb. This plant has a long historical use.
Ailment / Situation Listing
| Animal Feed | Bloody, Purulent Discharge | Cancer |
| Colitis | Cough | Tumours |
| Varicose Veins | Wounds | |
All information contained on this website is for reference purposes only and all content should be treated as a resource. It is highly recommended that you consult with your naturopath or other health practitioner when undertaking self-treatment. For serious conditions, always seek the advice of your naturopath or other health practitioner. People taking medication should
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