The comfrey plant was once used both internally and externally as a medicinal herb until cases of liver failure began to emerge. One case lead to the death of a 23-year old that consumed young comfrey leaves, according to Steven Foster and Varro Tyler, authors of "Tyler's Honest Herbal." While you should not use comfrey internally, you can make it into a paste that hardens into a wrap that can be used for external problems.
Description
Comfrey originates from Western Asia and Europe. The plant was introduced to Canada and the United States and continues to grow these regions. Comfrey has also gone by the names of blackwort, slippery wort, knitbone and boneset. Comfrey is a perennial member of the borage family with hairy, lance-shaped leaves. The leaves are dark green in color. The bell-shaped flowers may appear in colors of purple, cream, pink or white. You can use both the leaves and root of the comfrey plant for medicinal purposes, according to Alan Gaby, author of "The Natural Pharmacy."
Uses
Comfrey has been used medicinally since 400 B.C. Dioscorides, a Greek physician, used the plant to mend bones and heal wounds, according to Steven Foster and Rebecca Johnson, authors of "National Geographic Desk Reference to Nature's Medicine." Comfrey leaves have since been used in traditional medicine as a topical treatment for bruises, sprains, wounds, skin ulcers and broken bones, according to Gaby. There is also a history of comfrey being used internally for lung problems, bowel diseases and stomach ulcers. According to Gaby, comfrey has also been used as an eye wash to heal eye irritations. Comfrey is believed to speed up the repair of broken bones.
Active Ingredients
Comfrey contains allantoin, rosmarinic acid, mucilage and pyrrolizidine alkaloids. The allantoin may be responsible for the herb's ability to heal your wounds quickly. The compound can also help your cells to multiply and damaged tissue to regenerate, according to Steven Foster and Rebecca Johnson. The rosmarinic acid found in comfrey can help to decrease any inflammation you have, while the mucilage has a soothing effect. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids help to stop bleeding.
Dosage
Comfrey can be prepared for your topical treatments by simmering 3-1/2 oz. of the herb in a pint of water for 15 minutes. You can use the resulting mixture by soaking a cloth in the liquid and applying it to the wound for 15 minutes, according to Gaby. Another way to apply the herb is to grind up fresh leaves and apply the mixture directly to the skin. Many of the ointments and creams available for topical use in stores contain either comfrey or constituents of comfrey. Medications for oral herpes or vaginal infections often contain allantoin, according to Thomas Broken Bear Squier and Laura Peden, authors of "Herbal Folk Medicine."
Safety
The pyrrolizidine alkaloids in comfrey, which help to stop bleeding, also are responsible for liver toxicity and disease. The roots of the plant contain the highest amounts of the compound, and the leaves have 16 times more of it than mature leaves, according to Gaby. Comfrey was banned for internal use in the United States in 2001, according to Foster and Johnson. There have also been cases of atropine poisoning dues to confusion of the plant with deadly nightshade, or digitalis poisoning after mistaking it with foxglove leaves, according to Foster and Varro.
References
- "Tyler's Honest Herbal"; Steven Foster and Varro Tyler PhD; 1999
- "Herbal Folk Medicine"; Thomas Broken Bear Squier and Lauren David Peden; 1997
- "National Geographic Desk Reference to Nature's Medicine"; Steven Foster and Rebecca Johnson; 2006
- "The Natural Pharmacy"; Alan Gaby, M.D.; 2006
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