herbs- Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)

What is it?

Comfrey is native to Europe and western Asia. It is often called boneset or knitbone because of its traditional use, of helping to mend broken bones. The root and leaves are used in herbal medicine.

Action

Comfrey contains many compounds including allantoin, mucilage and pyrrolizidine alkaloids. It has anti-inflammatory, soothing and potent healing properties.

Uses

Our experts recommend topical Comfrey for the following disorders

Other information

Herbalists have used Comfrey for a variety of disorders including: ulcers, sprains, cuts, broken bones and rheumatic conditions. It is available in topical preparations as ointment, cream or as an oil for massaging into larger areas.

Cautions

• Traditionally Comfrey was used for internal use, but this is no longer recommended. Recent research advises that Comfrey should be used for external use only. It has been discovered that the pyrrolizidine alkaloids may have a negative effect on the liver. Comfrey is still available as a loose tea in the United Kingdom, but there is no way of knowing how much of these alkaloids are present, hence it is not recommended for long term use. There is a homoeopathic version of Comfrey called Symphytum for internal use, which is a much safer alternative.



• There are no other side effects or contra-indications of Comfrey for topical use.



• When this article was written there were no well-known negative drug interactions with Comfrey.

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