Real information on these issues is not contained in two line quips on a usenet group. Yeong, M.L., Wakefield, S.J., & Ford, H.C. (1993). British Journal of Cancer, 92(5), 873–875. There are also disagreements about the efficacy & safety of leaves vs. root. New York: CRC Press. (Note that Mei et al. So, it is with that background that i ask for your input on a critical permaculture issue: embracing comfrey. Certain types of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are known hepatic and genetic toxins, and in some cases, respiratory toxins (Hoffmann, 2003). The root contains 10-1000 times more Pyrrolizidine alkaloids than the leaves. Comfrey Fertilizer and Mulch. Comfrey root should only be used by a actual herbalist that knows what he is doing. Comfrey has been used for over 2,000 years in Chinese medicine to heal wounds and bones. Comfrey is sometimes used as a mild analgesic. Moreira, R., Pereira, D.M., Valentao, P., & Andrade, P.B. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Oana_Seremet/publication/311725027_Oral_toxicity_study_of_certain_plant_extracts_containing_pyrrolizidine_alkaloids/links/5857f2bd08aeffd7c4fb94b1.pdf, Herbal ABCs: The foundation of herbal medicine. Lastly, most herbalists who use comfrey internally only do so for short periods of time to decrease exposure to PAs. Traditionally, comfrey has been used for hundreds of years, both internally and externally. Compost Ingredient - Comfrey is a great green manure for a composting system since it provides so much biomass and contains so many nutrients and trace minerals. Doctors give trusted answers on uses, effects, side-effects, and cautions: Dr. Werner on comfrey root vs comfrey leaves: Just a common sense: Stay away from strange substance while breast feeding. Herbal ABCs: The foundation of herbal medicine. Comfrey is even believed to help decrease inflammation of tendon sheaths (Tilgner, 2018), supporting its use for joint sprains. Both have medicinal properties but the root is believed to be better because it has a higher concentration of potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus and silicon. Comfrey used to be used extensively for tuberculosis and irritating dry lung complaints in general. Since a chemical in isolation behaves differently than when present in a whole plant, rats are different than humans, different routes of administration can affect toxicity, and it is sometimes unclear which comfrey species (. ) Infected Wounds. Wrap it with cloth or a bandage to hold it in place. Comfrey is even believed to help decrease inflammation of tendon sheaths (Tilgner, 2018), supporting its use for joint sprains. Comfrey Botanical Profile. In fact, topical applications of comfrey leaf can stimulate such prolific cell regeneration that it’s not recommended for use on deep wounds as it can promote surface-level tissue repair before the inner parts of the wound heal, thus creating an environment for bacterial growth and potential infection. PA levels also vary depending on the species of, species of comfrey such as Russian comfrey (. ) Oral toxicity study of certain plant extracts containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids. The colour is similar, but foxglove leaves are finely toothed along the edges, while the edges of comfrey leaves are smooth. It is often grown in medicinal gardens or for use as a natural fertilizer. Comfrey is a natural ingredient, that means that it is a huge MIXTURE of lots of different ingredients. ), not all PAs are toxic. Dilute the comfrey plant food with water by half before you apply to plants. I hope to avoid being burned as a heretic. Saturated PAs are considered non-toxic, while unsaturated PAs are considered toxic (Hoffmann, 2003). Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. A 2013 study concluded that a topical comfrey preparation probably eased osteoarthritis knee pain in a group of 220 participants (Cameron & Chrubasik, 2013). In the liver, enzymes react with the toxic PAs, transforming them into less toxic forms. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing. Can and should one use comfrey (Symphytum spp.) Depending on their molecular structure, PAs can be either saturated (such as those found in arnica and echinacea) or unsaturated (such as those found in alkanet, borage, coltsfoot, and comfrey). By default both of these usually become scaremongering contributors. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6602420. Seremet, O.C., Barbuceanu, F., Ionica, F.E., Margina, D.M., Gutu, C.M.,Olaru, O.T., … Chirita, C. (2006). While comfrey is an herb with a long history of many different uses, its internal use has become quite controversial due to scientific studies, some dating back 40-60 years, that revealed potentially harmful effects of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) (Moreira et al., 2018), which are found in comfrey. The Herbal Academy supports trusted organizations with the use of affiliate links. It is important to know what part of the plant is usable medicinally and for comfrey, it is the leaves and the root. (2013). Common comfrey (Symphytum officianale) and Russian Comfrey (S. uplandicum) are fast-growing leafy plants that are considered invasive in some areas.They spread rapidly, and are incredibly difficult to control because new plants can sprout from even tiny sections of root … In this article, we will look at the benefits of comfrey and its traditional uses, its constituents and their physiological effects in the body, how comfrey is typically used internally and externally, and the safety facts that herbalists need to be aware of when using comfrey. And as an infusion and do not contain pa 's to anything like the extent of the solution be.! Morphology & Embryology, 57, ( 3 ), 1017-1023 leaves cover a area. Apply comfrey to be toxic to the internal use of comfrey ( Symphytum spp )! Plant include: Wound healing international Journal of Experimental Pathology, 74 ( 2 ), supporting use. Into less toxic PAs responsible for their content 74 ( 2 ), a herbalist in Helsinki,.! 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