Biological Name: Symphytum officinale

Family: Boraginaceae

Other Names: wallwort, Comfrey, slippery root, Knitbone, salsify, Blackwort, knitback, bruisewort, healing herb, gum plant

Elements Applied: Plant’s rootstock and leaves are applied in herbal medicine.

Active Components:

• Pyrrolizidine alkaloids, such as symlandine, lycopsamine, symphytine, and echimidine. Alkaloid content is registered in fresh green leaves and rootstock, but, according to some researches, dried extract has no alkaloids in it.
• Allantoin
• Phenolic acids; lithospermic, caffeic, chlorogenic, and rosmarinic acids.
• Mucilage, nearly 29 percent, includes polysaccharide which in its turn contains fructose and glucose.
• Other: triterpenes, choline, steroidal saponins, asparagine, tannins, and volatile oil

Used For: The remedy is known to produce a healing and anti-inflammatory effect, in addition to its ability to calm the nervous system, induce expectoration, and act as an astringent.

Comfrey is successfully applied for healing sores and other skin eruptions. This ability originates from allantoin presence in the herb. The element is known to recover tissues and boost cell building, thus promoting successful healing.

Mucilage which bears calmative property makes Comfrey capable of soothing duodenal and gastric ulcers, ulcerative colitis and hiatus hernia. Due to its astringent property the herb is known to reduce bleeding.

Additionally, Comfrey is applied in respiratory conditions like severe coughs, bronchitis, as it helps to soothe irritation acting as an expectorant.

Comfrey is applied topically to heal wounds and promote appropriate scar tissue formation. However, when the wound is deep and serious, Comfrey is not suitable for application, as it may provoke tissue formation close to the skin surface, but leave the deep inflammation untreated, thus being potent of causing abscesses.

It can also be applied for external sores, fractures and wounds in form of poultice or compress. It is effective for recurrent varicose sores.

Comfrey is believed to prevent cancer.

Additional Info: Comfrey belongs to perennials and is usually found in wet places of Europe and the US. The rhizome is black-colored outside, white-colored under the surface, and excretes glutinous juice. The stem is covered with fuzz, and features lanceolate oblong leaves. The plant blossoms from late spring to the end of summer, when it is covered with white or purple-colored flowers.

Preparation and Intake: For a decoction take 1-3 teaspoons of dried extract and fill it up with a cup of water, then boil up and leave on low heat for 15 minutes. The result is taken thrice a day.

In form of tincture the herb is taken in a quantity of 2-4 ml thrice a day.

For cold tea take 3 teaspoons of dried of fresh rhizome and aid it with a cup of water, infuse for ten hours and filter the result. The waked rhizome should be boiled up in half a cup of water and filtered. The cold tea should be then combined with the boiled up part and drunk in a dose of a deep swallow throughout the day.

To use as pulp put chopped fresh rhizome to warm water to make a mash. Distribute over a linen fiber and put to the affected area. Change every 2-4 hours.

Commonly mixed with: To treat stomach inflammations and ulcers take it with Meadowsweet and Marshmallow. For respiratory conditions the remedy is mixed with Elecampane, White Horehound and Coltsfoot. As a vulnerary remedy Comfrey is added to Calendula.

Safety: There is no data concerning the plant’s safety level. It is possible that the herb may interact with medicines you take. Don’t use the remedy until you speak with your health-care provider.