Comfrey may sound very appealing and comforting, and it is. It speeds up healing of injuries of muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones and it reduces the pain of these health problems.
The more you read about it, the more interesting it becomes. So, let go on.
What is comfrey?
The Latin name for this plant is Symphytum officinale. Comfrey is a wild plant, which is also found in gardens. In Europe it is a hardy, perennial plant that grows to a height of 50-80 cm, or about 2 feet, and that flowers from May until the end of summer with small purple or sometimes white flowers. The leaves and stems are covered with short hairs.
Because comfrey is a strong grower, it is also seen as a weed. A small piece of the root of this plant can be enough to regrow. Nevertheless, it is a useful plant in the garden. The flowers attract bumblebees and other insects. If the leaves become too much, you can use them in the garden as mulch or compost. You can also use the leaves, fresh or dried, for health.
What is the effect and how to use
Allantoin is the main active ingredient in comfrey. This is in the entire plant, so both aboveground and underground parts. The roots contain the most allantoin. This substance has a healing effect because it stimulates damaged tissue to form new tissue and stimulates cell division.
Comfrey is mainly used externally. Internal use comes with a risk. See 'warnings and disclaimer'.
It can be applied externally in several ways, namely as a poultice, compress, oil infusion or ointment. For a general explanation of the meaning of the terms poultice and compress, you can read this blog.
Poultice
The leaf is used in a comfrey poultice. This can be fresh or dried leaves. Crush the fresh leaf and place it on the body part you want to treat. You can also make a paste from fresh or dried leaves with some water and psyllium husks or ground flaxseed. Put this paste on a piece of gauze and fold it in. Place that package on the affected body part. Secure it with a band Aid or a bandage. Repeat this several times a day, as long as necessary. You can make several poultices at once and store them in the freezer. Let it thaw before you apply it.
Compress
For a compress you first make a tea, or rather an infusion. To do this, steep dried comfrey leaf or root in hot water for 10-15 minutes. Use 2 tablespoons of plant material per 250 ml or 1 cup of water. Allow this infusion to cool further to the desired temperature.
Soak a clean cloth in the infusion and squeeze out the excess liquid. Place this compress on the area that needs treatment. Cover with a dry towel. Let the compress sit for at least 10 minutes. Re-moisten in the infusion as needed.
You can adjust the temperature depending on the situation. If someone has a fresh wound or has just sprained their ankle, you can apply it cold or at room temperature. With back pain due to tense muscles, a warm application can be pleasant.
Infusion
You can make an oil infusion with dried comfrey leaves or pieces of the root. To do this, place dried plant material in oil in a glass jar with a lid. Make sure that all pieces of root or leaf are well covered in the oil. Leave this in a warm place (out of direct sunlight) for several months. Shake the jar daily.
For a quick method, heat the oil with the comfrey leaf or root slightly until lukewarm for a few hours. During the infusion, the active, fat-soluble substances of the comfrey go into the oil.
Then strain the plant material from the oil by pouring it through a piece of cheesecloth. Then the oil infusion is ready for use or for further processing into ointment.
Ointment
You can easily make ointment from the infused oil. You need 4 grams of beeswax granules per 30 ml of oil. Heat the oil with the beeswax in a saucepan over low heat. Stir frequently and remove from the hob as soon as the wax melts. Pour the mixture into a clean jar. You will see it start to solidify. Close the jar when the salve has cooled completely.
Indications
Several randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of comfrey root preparations for the local treatment of pain, inflammation and swelling of muscles and joints in osteoarthritis, acute back problems, sprains, bruises and strains after sports injuries and accidents, including in children aged 3 or 4 years and older.[i]
In a study they compared the treatment of an ankle sprain (distortion) with comfrey ointment and the painkilling and anti-inflammatory medicine diclofenac (gel). This showed that the comfrey was more effective than the medicine.[ii]
Comfrey ointment also works well for osteoarthritis of the knee. The results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study indicate that comfrey is very suitable in the treatment of an osteoarthritis of the knee. The pain decreases, the mobility of the knee improves and the quality-of-life increases.[iii]
The comfrey ointment has also been studied in patients with back pain. An hour after applying the ointment, the pain had decreased by an average of one third.
In my own family I have used comfrey salve with positive results for a sprained foot, a long-term muscle injury in the hand and a minor Achilles tendon injury. In these cases, the pain and swelling quickly decreased.
In short, comfrey is a valuable medicinal plant for muscle, tendon, and joint complaints.
In addition, you can also use comfrey for cuts, scrapes, and bruises.
Warnings and Disclaimer
The information on this website is educational and general in nature. The blogs on this site are not a substitute for medical diagnosis, personal advice, or treatment from a qualified health care professional.
Even if you are treated by a doctor, comfrey can be an (additional) part of your healing process.
In general, comfrey is safe to use for external applications, as described above.
Only apply comfrey to clean, not too deep wounds. Due to the rapid healing, it could happen that dirt is trapped inside a deep wound. This can then lead to infection.
Internal use, for example in the form of a tea, is not recommended, because comfrey also contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which (with long term use) can damage the liver.
If you already have health problems with your liver, comfrey is not recommended.
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