Comfrey
Symphytum
officinale
This
revered herb is a member of the Borage family, the Boraginaceae.
A strong and invasive plant, Comfrey always grows back from the
smallest piece of root left in the soil. For this reason, we keep
it out of the garden and in more manageable, “wild”
clumps far from the cultivated beds. It emerges early from the spring
soil, and flowers in late June (the best time for picking the leaves).
Its root is also used, usually harvested in the fall, to yield a
rich and dark-colored preparation for healing the skin.
Elemental associations: Air
Phytochemistry: Allantoin, mucilage, pyrrolizidine alkaloids
Actions: Demulcent, vulnerary
Specific systems: Digestive, muscolo-skeletal, skin
Allantoin, a chemical component Comfrey possesses in abundance,
has almost miraculous power to stimulate tissue growth and regeneration.
For this reason, the oldest use of Comfrey is as an external remedy
to speed the healing of cuts and wounds, and prevent scarring. To
this effect, a poultice or compress of the leaves is quite effective,
as is a salve of leaf or root. Just be sure that the wound is properly
cleaned and disinfected before applying Comfrey, as it will close
the lips of the cut and could lock in an infection!
Its demulcent, soothing property is invaluable in healing ulcerations
and inflammations of the digestive tract, especially in the lower
intestine (in cases of ulcerative colitis, for instance). Its regenerative
and healing action to the irritated digestion is easy to overlook,
since we are used to using Comfrey externally, but should always
be remembered for short-term treatment while the longer-term issues
are being addressed.
Taken internally, Comfrey can also speed the regeneration of bone,
and is quite useful as a simple tea or extract if any part of the
skeletal structure is broken (again, all its uses point to its power
to stimulate the regeneration of tissue).
The alkaloid content of Comfrey has sparked some controversy, as
the pyrrolizidine alkaloids it contains have been shown to damage
liver tissue during metabolism. While the concentration of alkaloids
used in the trials was much higher than that found in Comfrey, it
is still advisable to limit the internal use of this plant to no
more than 3 months – which is usually fine given that it works
best for acute, limited physical injury conditions.
Indications:
Wounds, broken bones, inflamed digestive tract
Contraindications: The external use is perfectly safe. Make sure
that deep cuts are properly disinfected before applying. The internal
use is contraindicated if there is liver disease, and theoretically
if there are malignancies (aggressive tumors) in the digestive tract,
as these may be stimulated. Long-term use should be approached with
caution.
Preparation/Dosage: Make a tea of the leaves, 3-4 TBS in a quart
of water, and drink daily to help mend broken bones. A stronger
tea of the leaves and root, 4 TBS in a quart of water, can be used
for digestive symptoms. The tincture, 1:5 in 40% alcohol, can be
taken in ½ tsp. doses up to 4 times daily. Externally, apply
a tea, compress, or poultice of the leaves and/or root to speed
the healing of cuts and wounds and to minimize scarring.
