Facts About Comfrey

Comfrey is an herb found in damp areas around North America. Traditional medicine made use of the leaves and roots of the plant. However, consuming comfrey or applying it to broken skin is a health hazard and not recommended, according to the FDA. Consult a doctor before using comfrey.

Description

Comfrey is known by many names including knitbone, boneset, wallwort and bruisewort. It is a flowering plant native to Europe and Asia. Settlers brought the plant over to North America in the 17th century. Comfrey is a hardy perennial that favors moist soil. It grows three feet tall with white, yellow or mauve flowers. It contains gamma linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid and vitamin B12, although internal use is toxic to humans. Cosmetic companies make use of comfrey in bath oil, shampoo, conditioners and skin creams.

Historical Use

In Elizabethan times, physicians prescribed comfrey tea as a gargle and mouthwash for colds, bronchitis and sore throats. The gelatinous and sticky nature of the root was strong enough for it to make a plaster cast for broken bones. In traditional medicine, external poultices of comfrey were applied as a poultice for burns, sprains, bursitis and skin wounds. Comfrey contains allantoin, a chemical that helps skin to heal. Elizabethan doctors also used comfrey for gastrointestinal symptoms such as stomach ulcers and diarrhea. Horse trainers would use comfrey as forage for racehorses and to help cure laminitis, an inflammation of tissues around the hoof.

Supplement Safety

Eating or drinking comfrey has been associated with hepatic veno-occlusive disease. The is caused by chemicals found in comfrey called pyrrolizidine alkaloids that are toxic to the liver. In this condition, veins leading from the liver to the heart become blocked. Symptoms include jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and eyes, abdominal swelling, vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain. Veno-occlusive disease can cause scarring of the liver and permanent liver damage. In response to growing concerns over the safety of oral comfrey, the FDA released an advisory in July 2001 to stop the sale of any dietary supplements containing comfrey.

Garden Use

Comfrey is a good source of potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium for your plants. You can make a liquid fertilizer from comfrey compost, also called compost tea. Put freshly cut comfrey into a compost barrel and fill the barrel with water. Wait 4 weeks and then collect the liquid compost. Diluted with water, organic gardeners can use this compost tea to fertilize root crops, tomatoes, squash or cucumbers. Note that comfrey is rich in protein, which unfortunately makes the compost tea quite foul smelling.