Medicinal plants: COMFREY

Scientific name: Symphytum officinale
Common name: boneset, knitbone

Comfrey, a native of Europe and northern Asia, growing in damp grasslands and along rivers and streams. Comfrey is most common in central Europe, rare in southern Europe. Comfrey is a perennial that grows from 2 to 4 feet tall on an angular stem. It has large lancelet or oval leaves which are about 12 inches long with a protruding midvein. The broad lance-shaped eaves at the plant's base grow to more than a foot in length and up to 4 inches wide. The leave  get smaller as they get higher up the stem. The rough, hairy, sandpaper-textures leaves are distinctly winged, and the leaf base cleaves the stem. Both the leaves and the stem are bristly. The bell shaped flowers grow in curled clusters and can be whitish, pink or purplish. Comfrey is found growing in the wild in open woods, along streams, and in meadows. Once planted in a garden comfrey tends to take over and can be difficult to eradicate.

Of the 35 species of Symphytum, 2 are commonly used in herbal traditions  commonly used in herbal traditions, common comfrey (S. officinale) and Russian comfrey (S. x uplandium). Russian comfrey is a coarse perennial that may reach 6 feet, a hybrid of common comfrey and prickly comfrey (S. asperum). Russian comfrey's leaves are rounded or heart shaped at the base. Flowers, about 3/4 inch long, are dark purple  changing to shades of blue and pink. Comfrey has a large, fleshy  black taproot, which is cream colored within. Leaves and roots for Russian and common comfrey are traditionally used in herbal medicine.

Russian comfrey is naturalized in much of central and northern Europe. Its exact origins are unclear. It was once widely cultivated in Europe as a fodder crop for livestock, producing more tonnage per acre than almost any other temperate climate species. The deep taproot spreads by lateral offshoots, making it difficult to eradicate once it is established. If comfrey once grew at a site, it is most likely still growing there. 

Comfrey is easily propagated from root cuttings. A new plant will sprout from a piece of root an inch long. Plant Comfrey in a permanent location, because if you plan to move it later, you will have to remove every scrap of root, or a new plant will soon emerge. Comfrey is adaptable to most soil types. It grows in full sun.

Comfrey's common names, boneset and knitbone, reflect its traditional use an historic reputation as a soother of painful joints and broken bones and a healer of damaged tissue. Comfrey contains allantoin, a chemical that helps tissues to regenerate and heal, and rosmarinic aci, an anti-inflammatory an pain-relieving compound. These benefits are counterbalanced by the fact that comfrey is a well-documented source of a group of dangerous chemicals called pyrrolizidine alkaloids toxic to the liver and perhaps even cancer causing. Governmental and scientific groups have set limits on the amount of these alkaloids that is safe to ingest. Some herbal medicines companies have developed techniques to remove the alkaloids from comfrey, offering formulations presumed safer to use.

Fuente: Comfreycentral

Comfrey has been used as a healing herb for much off human history. It was carried by the armies of Alexander the Great to treat wounds and during the middle ages was used to treat fractures. Comfrey moistens yin, heals irritated mucous membranes, and soothes and protects damaged tissues.It helps reduce pain, especially in the bones, tendons, and lungs. It is best known as an herb that can help regenerate cells. Today, comfrey tea is used to treat acne, arthritis, asthma, bronchitis, burns, cough, diarrhea  dysentery, eczema, fractures, gallstones, heartburn,hemorrhage, laryngitis, pneumonia, pleurisy, tonsillitis, tuberculosis, ulcers, underweight conditions, and whooping cough.

In recent study, alcohol-based comfrey root extract with 99 percent of the dangerous alkaloids removed was incorporated into an ointment and used, over a 3-week period, on 220 people with osteoarthritis in their knees. When these subjects were compared with a placebo group, pain relief was noted-categorized as total, at rest, an with movement. Also noted was improvement in knee mobility and overall quality of life. This same extract was used in people people with ankle sprains; finding also supported this use, showing it at least as effective as a commonly prescribed pharmaceutical gel used t control pain and swelling. Other topical preparations using extracts of species related to S. officinale were tested in people with back pain; improvements in mobility and pain relief supported comfrey's anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.

Some medicinals properties of Comfrey are alterativem, anodynem, anti-inflamamatory, anti rheumatic  antiseptic, astringent, biogenic, stimulator, demulcent, emollient, expectorant, hemostatic, immune stimulant, lung tonic, nutritive, pectoral, refrigerant, styptic, vulnerary and yin tonic.

Allantoin, a biogenic stimulator that is one of comfrey's important ingredients  is used in lotions to treat dry, rough, or wrinkled skin. Comfrey is also included in lotions, poultices, and salves to treat bruises, burns, carpal tunnel syndrome, eczema, fractures, hemorrhoids  scars, sunburn, swellings, wounds, wrinkles, and varicosities. As a poultice, comfrey helps draw out splinters and infection. As a bath herb, comfrey can soothe  dry skin, an it can be added to shampoo and conditioners to treat dandruff and dry scalp. It can be used as a gargle for tonsillitis or made into a soothing douche or enema. comfrey powder is used to brush the teeth and as a snuff for nosebleeds.

Comfrey bathwere once given to women before marriage to restore the hymen and thus "virginity". The roots Comfrey were once used as a dye plant, and the plant has long been used as animal fodder. When added to the compost bin comfrey accelerates the breakdown of organic matter. 

Fuente:yourdictionary

Because comfrey causes rapid wound healing, make sure a wound is clean of any dirt before applying comfrey. Also be sure of your species; poisonings have occurred from novices collecting toxic foxglove, mistaking it for comfrey.

The young comfrey leaves can be eaten raw, cocked, or juiced; since the plant is hairy, it needs to be finely chopped before being eaten. The roots can be candied. 

Uses :
Cream, gel or ointment: 
Germany's commission E authorities recommend no more than 1 mg of comfrey daily in order to limit toxicity to the liver and the other organs. Concerns over comfrey's toxicity are addressed by using specialized formulations where the dangerous alkaloids have been removed and the anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving substances retained. Extracts are safest way to take advantage of the benefits of comfrey. These preparations can be massaged into affected joints 3 to 4 times daily.

Precautions: 
Comfrey leaf and root contain liver toxins and cancer-causing compounds potentially dangerous when ingested or applied to the skin. Preparations free of these compounds are presumed safer, though most sources still warn against applying comfrey products on open wounds. 

Comfrey is recommended only for short-term use of a lees than six weeks, and it is not recommended for use during pregnancy or while nursing. Some of its alkaloids are pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which may cause hepatic toxicity, specifically hepatic vena occlusive disease, in which the small and medium veins in the liver become obstructed. The root contains more of these potentially dangerous alkaloids than the leaves, and young leaves contain more than mature leaves. Herbalist debate about the safety of using herbs containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and more research needs to be conducted to determine whethercomfrey is safe for internal use. But there is no problem with using it topically.