COMFREY - SYMPHYTOM OFFICINALE

Family: Boraginaceae

Part used: Root, leaf

Herbal action:  vulnerary, antihemorrhagic,demulcent, relaxing expectorant, astringent

Contraindications and cautions: In view ofthe concerns regarding comfrey, it should notbe used continuously for more than a twoweek period.

Indications: cuts, abrasions, wounds, broken bones, torn cartilage, ligamentsand tendons gastric and duodenal ulcers, bronchitis, tuberculosis

Medicinal uses:  Comfrey is the most valued and powerful vulnerary in theMateria Medica, used both internally and topically for a variety of injuries,inflammations or ulcerations. Wherever comfrey has grown, the native tonguehas almost always named comfrey as some kind of ‘knit-bone,’ so important anduniversal its reputation as a vulnerary. Although some may attribute comfrey’shealing power to allantoin alone, the other mucilaginous and astringentconstituents greatly facilitate this vulnerary effect, helping to draw the edges ofthe wound together.

To treat external injuries, comfrey is best applied as fresh plant poultice. Thiscan be done chopping the root in small chunks, and then further pulverizing it ina food processor. The sloppy mucilaginous mixture can then applied to thewound and covered with bandage. Similarly, a strong decoction can be madeand then used as a fomentation.

Felter and Lloyd report that comfrey root is useful in “…diarrhoea, dysentery,bronchial irritation, coughs, hemoptysis, other pulmonary affections,leucorrhoea, and female debility” In the treatment of gastrointestinalulceration comfrey is of great benefit to inhibit further damage and heal theinflamed lesions, drunk as an infusion of the dried leaf for a few days up to aweek.