Uses of the Comfrey Plant

Comfrey is a perennial plant that has been used by traditional Western herbalists for hundreds of years. Some of its other traditional names are "boneset," "knitbone" and "bruisewort," all of which hint at its use to heal sprains and fractures. Comfrey contains high amounts of allantoin, a compound that is known to help regenerate damaged tissue.
Comfrey should only be used externally, as it also contains substances known as pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can be toxic to the liver. Pregnant and nursing women should avoid comfrey entirely.

Sprains and Bruises

Comfrey has been used for centuries to speed the healing of sprains and bruises. Allantoin is readily absorbed through the skin, so a comfrey poultice is a remedy of choice.
To create a comfrey poultice, roughly chop a handful of fresh leaves. Place in a pot, cover with water and simmer for two minutes. Squeeze out the excess liquid and spread the cooked leaf paste over the affected area. Cover with gauze or cheesecloth and leave in place for up to three hours. You can also make the poultice with dried leaves if fresh ones are unavailable.

Boils

A comfrey poultice can also be used to draw the pus from boils. Warm compresses are often recommended for boils; adding comfrey to the mix has several additional beneficial effects. Comfrey contains tannins, which are astringent and help dry up the boil. It also contains soothing mucilage that helps reduce inflammation. Finally, the allantoin contained in comfrey leaves promotes skin healing once the boil has drained.

Healing Scars

Comfrey may also be of value in reducing scar tissue and fading old scars. Once again, it's the high allantoin content of the leaves that's responsible. To treat scars, apply a dab of homemade comfrey ointment up to three times a day. To make the ointment, melt 1/2 cup of beeswax and 1/2 cup of coconut oil together with 1/2 cup of fresh or 1/3 cup of dried comfrey. Simmer gently for 90 minutes in the top part of a double boiler, then strain and pour into clean, dry jars.