"officinale" or "officinalis", when part of the botanical name, refers to the species of a plant which is the one used medicinally. In fact, both mean 'medicinal'. Such plants are often called 'official' (still meaning medicinal), usually because they are listed (or were once listed) on the pharmocopaea of certain countries (the list of medications approved by the authorities - medical officials! - whoever they may be, or once were). Sometimes, knowing the meaning of Latin (botanical) names of plants, helps in deciding which one to select!

I believe that Grandiflorum and the Asperum varieties just have different colored flowers. Comfrey is not suggested as an internal herb, so I don't see the problem using the others as a topical treatment herb. Asperum might have smaller leaves and there is also a Variegatum which has yellow marbling on the leaves.

I use different species of Thyme all medicinally and it's not an issue. I use different species of chamomile again with no issue. The mints are a different story. I use different garlics all the same way. The same with Lavender, Feverfew, Parsley, Geraniums, Orris Root, blah, blah, blah. I say go for it. Always experiment on yourself first, though.

The color of the flowers of comfrey depends on the amount of light which the plant receives and on the pH of the soil. If the plant grows in sandy soil in full sun, the flowers are darkest maroon. In shade the colors fade. The lightest is yellowish white.

You can test out the effectiveness of comfrey by looking at how gooey it is. The stems contain the greatest amount of goo, and I use them almost exclusively in compresses, which is the most common use in Germany which is the place where comfrey grows wild. Compresses heal bones, cartilege, and bruises. The easiest use is after freezing the stems to release the goo. I have some information of how to use comfrey which I will send out to people on request.

S. x uplandicum (Russian comfrey) is the variety I've been using for the past few years & is recommended by herbalists Rosemary Gladstar & Susun Weed. It's flowers are supposedly sterile so it doesn't self-sow & become a menace, though any broken off bit of root will grow into a new plant. Also, Uplandicum supposedly has very low levels of the potentially dangerous alkaloids which garnered comfrey some bad press in the last few years. In general, use full grown leaves & avoid internal consumption of the small, early spring leaves.

I bought mine by mail order from Richters Herbs in Canada.

~bushpoet

There don't appear to be any varieties of comfrey safe for internal use. On this score the supplement industry and alternative medicine advocates agree with the FDA. In the words of one alt med proponent:

In addition to common comfrey (Symphytum officinale), the warning extends to other types of comfrey, including prickly comfrey (Symphytum asperum) and Russian comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum). The FDA also ask(s) manufacturers to report any adverse events that may be related to the consumption of comfrey products.

Concern about comfrey-containing and particularly PA (pyrrolizidine alkaloid)-containing herbal supplements has been a foremost concern of the herbal products industry for many years and most manufacturers have already taken steps to remove these products from store shelves. In July 1996, the American Herbal Products Association Board of Trustees recommended that all botanical ingredients containing toxic PAs, including comfrey, display a cautionary statement that directs consumers to only use the products topically only when the skin is free of abrasions or cuts. They also advised that nursing women avoid all uses of these products including topical applications.

The toxic alkaloids have been linked to severe liver damage and are potentially carcinogenic. Not an acceptable risk for an herbal drug with such limited efficacy to begin with.

Kathy started this thread asking about use of comfrey for _salve_. It is safe for such use.

~bushpoet

"In general, use full grown leaves & avoid internal consumption of the small, early spring leaves."

This statement implies that it is safe to take "full grown leaves" internally. It is not deemed safe either by the FDA or by the herbal supplement industry.

The cautionary statement from the American Herbal Products Association quoted above is also directly relevant in that people are advised not to use salves except on intact skin, and that nursing women avoid using comfrey even in salves.

Again:

Kathy inquired about comfrey for making salve & I suggested that she "use full grown leaves & avoid internal consumption of the small, early spring leaves." I stand by my comment, which, incidentally, is consistent with both the conservative and traditional views of comfrey usage.

And Kathy I also meant to suggest earlier that you perhaps avoid using the ornamental forms of comfrey since we don't have extensive experience/knowledge of their medicinal effects.

~bushpoet

Thanks for all of the info. I acquired some S. officinale seed this year so I will be using that for salve. I knew comfrey shouldn't be taken internally, but I didn't realize that comfrey salve also shouldn't be used on broken skin. So I appreciate that bit of info as well.

Kathy

Would you be willing to share your recipe for salve?

I realize this is a very old thread, but I was also hoping
to find a recipe for comfrey salve.
Thanks,
Mary

Comfrey Salve

2 cups olive oil
3 ounce (about six tablespoons) fresh comfrey leaves*
1/2 cup beeswax
*or 1/2 ounce dried

Put the olive oil and the herbs in the top of a double boiler. Gently cook for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring frequentlyÂlittle bubbles around the edges of the oil are okay; bubbling throughout the mixture means it's too hot. Pour the mixture through a strainer to remove the herbs; discard the herbs and set the oil aside. Melt the beeswax in the top of the double boiler. When the beeswax is melted, add the strained oil and stir until completely blended. Pour the mixture into jars or salve tins. When it is cool, label and date it. The salve lasts about a year, more if it's kept refrigerated.

Hope this helps,

John

"Natives who beat drums to drive off evil spirits are of scorn to smart Americans who blow horns to break up traffic jams" - Mary Ellen Kelly.

Hi Johnyb,
Thanks so much for the reply. I am now wondering if I
can find beeswax on ebay as well!
I have also seen the root powder for sale. Is there a
difference in using the root as opposed to the leaf?
Thanks Again,
Mary

My references tell me that both leaves and roots may be used, the leaves gathered at the start or just prior to flowering, and the roots gathered in autumn or spring. Maybe use a mix and see how you go.

John

There's an important difference between roots and leaves. The roots contain at least ten times the toxic alkaloids found in the leaves; therefore numerous herbalist sources recommend against use of preparations made from comfrey roots, even externally.

From alternativedr.com: "Do not use products made from the root of the comfrey plant and those made from S. asperum and S. uplandicum...
Stick to herb and leaf ointments, creams, and other topical preparations. Use only the amount recommended on the label and never more than this amount. You shouldn't use comfrey remedies for more than four to six weeks in any given year."

From healthandage.com:

"...roots contain up to 16 times the amount of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and are therefore more likely to cause poisoning."

Comfrey products in any form are also not recommended for use in children.

Here is a link that might be useful: More on comfrey

I never realized how many comfrey varieties were out there. I've got to say, our local health store does not have dried root in specific varieties.
I know there must be alot of reasons for concern out there for using Comfrey. I have never seen so much information before the last few years. The sources for this info leads me to believe an alterior motive. Our family has been using comfrey root poultices for over 30 years. It has been used for all sorts of cuts and bruises. Including a severe wound from a mining accident 15 years ago. In my brother-in-laws' case, he had several holes in his calf and shattered bone where a stainless rod was used. His healing was so rapid the doctor was absolutely amazed. Did I say he was taking comfrey internally too? ALL of these cases have produced exceptional results. Pain relief within a hour or less. Visual healing and redness minimized the next day. None of us have EVER experienced an ill side-effect. Because of authoritive discourse in this thread, I would NEVER recommend any usage as I've described.

The Materia Medica of Herbs for the Southern Hemisphere states that comfrey leaves and roots may be used for external use, I presume the same applies to the Northern Hemisphere.

Don't take it internally nor apply to open skin, and comfrey is fine to use in childen.

John

From healthandage.com (see link above): "Children should never ingest comfrey or comfrey-containing products for any reason.

There are no known scientific reports on the pediatric use of topical comfrey ointments or creams. Therefore, it is not currently recommended for children."

Another source regarding the inadvisability of using comfrey in children.

And another.

John may wish to post any links he has concerning studies confirming comfrey's safety and efficacy in children (I could not find any), or statements from respected herbalists recommending comfrey use in children.

As far as individual reports that comfrey hasn't posed them any problems - I'm sure that, for example, you could also find a goodly number of fen-phen users who swear that it worked for them and they had absolutely no lung problems. Most drugs that've been pulled from the market because of side effects have not been universally damaging. The decision to remove them or restrict their use is based on a number of factors, including unacceptably high risk in the face of limited effectiveness.

Incidentally, comfrey is not the only herb which contains the toxic PA alkaloids. Borage is another one. I learned this some years after casually using small amounts of the herb in drinks and salads. I'm still here to tell about it, and I have my doubts that there's any significant risk involved in consuming small quantities of it once in awhile (this is not a recommendation to others). These days I'm content to admire borage in the garden and leave it out of the salad.

Comfrey is not to be ingested. The Materia medica of Western Herbs for the Southern Hemisphere does not containdicate, nor precaution the use of topical comfrey in children.

Incidentally, are you a doctor?

John

Yes John, I'm a physician. Since you've been around here awhile, I had thought you were familiar with the backgrounds of posters who are members of health professions and interested in herbalism. I had gathered from your own posts that you are a practicing naturopath.

"Materia medica" is a general term for publications on herbal uses which covers a wide range of books and listings going back for centuries. Without knowing more about how up-to-date your citation is and what scientific studies support it, it's hard to judge how accurate it is. And of course, noting that it does not "precaution" the use of comfrey in children doesn't indicate that it mentions kids and safety at all.

While we're talking about materia medicas and naturopathy, maybe you can explain the online materia medica for your own profession. The Australian Naturopathic Network has published a listing on comfrey that details a whole laundry list of internal diseases and conditions the herb is supposed to help, including bronchitis, "gut wall erosions", colitis, diarrhea, "rheumatic arthritic conditions", gastric and duodenal ulcers and cancer (not to mention my favorite, that comfrey "Fosters the Yin". We could use more of that around here ;)

It's only in one line at the bottom of the page that it's noted that comfrey should not be taken internally. Since nearly all of the wondrous things that the naturopathic association promotes comfrey for involve internal complaints, why hasn't the association deleted these references for public safety and to avoid misleading members of your profession? (the one-line disclaimer about not self-medicating is hardly going to discourage enthusiasts reading about all the great things comfrey allegedly does, none of which have been documented by authoritative research).

Thanks for confirming your status as a physician Eric. I definately know you are not a Gastroenterologist based on one of your previous posts, but i will raise that with you seperately.

Thanks for referrng to the Australian Naturopathis Network, I have never heard of them, nor are they are major association that any Australian naturopath would have membership of, so . They obviuosly have a different stance on comfrey than do associations that mainstream naturopaths would be members of such as ANTA or the Australian Herbalists Assoc.

What are your favorite herbs Eric?

John

Thank you all who posted about comfrey.
I have been interested in it for many years, but never really
took the plunge to actually try it.
My first reference to this plant was in a book called
"Back to Eden" by Jethro Kloss.
I do not have a copy of that book, but have never forgot
many of the things I read in it.
My father [aged 76] bruises easily. I was hoping to apply
this type salve or poultice and see how quickly it could
help him.
He is just recovering from having a stoma, and will be looking
at more time in the hospital in few weeks. I was hoping for
some more immediate healing before he leaves.
Mary

Re spreading of the plant, it isn't by seeds but by root. The roots grow incredibly deep and are impossible to dig up. Once comfrey is established anywhere, you can't get rid of it. Even covering it up with something solid won't help. The roots will grow around the blockade and new plants will surface all around it by the next year.

I wouldn't bother making a salve. It is way too much bother. To be effective, the gooey substance needs to be used in concentrated form which means without dilution. I just bang up the thick stems and lay them on the affected area, cover it with plastic-wrap and wrap an elastic bandage around it to keep it in place.

Those thick stems can be stored in the freezer for winter use or you can gather some stems from under the snow and use them.

I have in the meantime discovered a new use for the goo. If applied to an inflamed area, it will heal the inflammation in one single application. The pain stops and the temperature of the area goes down to normal. I tried a compress in desperation on an inflamed bunyon, and it worked like magic. That use is not contained in any herbal. Traditionally, the herb is only used to heal bones, cartilege, and bruising.

ooh interesting, i have too much comfrey in my garden (you sure are right about it spreading)

to add to the prob of spreading i dug up some plants recently and just chucked them to one side to die, they diddnt! just left one the surface they survived and the roots grew down

oh well, its an impressive plant

I am very fond of comfrey; used to eat it in early spring when no other greens were up. I would pile a bunch of leaves together, bend the whole pile over once, and make thin slices of the pile, which I would then steam. I thought it tasted a bit like asparagus. Looking back now, I am glad I did that only occasionally.

I would be afraid to do the above now, with the warnings that have been made.

Even now, I will occasionally steep up some tea which includes a few leaves of comfrey. I only do this when I am truly desperate, in the same spirit that people used to take doses of arsenic for otherwise incurable complaints prior to antibiotics.

I only used the root once (commercial, dried), and didn't feel right afterward, so I think the warnings are valid. I prefer not to use the roots of plants, in any case, because it kills them.

I had often wondered why animals do not seem to bother comfrey. Perhaps they are able to sense the presence of unsafe compounds.

shortarse_hedgewitch, the exact same thing happened to me. i threw a root against a tree to die coz i was moving the "mother" and had enough room. it did not die and it sprouted more than a week later. I took that root which had a leaf sticking out and offered it to a friend in the southwestern US. mailed it. it's alive.

tis almost impossibly to kill

much like its more anooying relative alkanet, my garden is overrun with it, it sends down its brittle taproots about 4 feet and is almost impossible to kill

i hate it

Actually, I have read books that recommend comfrey as fodder for different types of animals - I thinks cows, chickens and rabbits and such. Apart from the "harmful" asspects from the plant I understand it is high in vitamins. I have in the past feed it to our little Jersey cow (Before we sold her - lost the heart to butcher her! LOL! She went to be a mama and milk cow!)She seems to love it. Our rabbits and chickens also enjoyed a bit now and then but I never feed excesive amounts.
Interestingly, it is supposed to make great compost tea for fertilizing plants. Just soak in a bucket of water for several days and strain. We had tons of comfrey where we previously lived - kept spreading! I always felt I never really used it to full potential. I did use it on a duck who had an injury to its neck once. I don't know if it helped or not. Ever see a duck with an ace bandage on its neck? LOL! Needless to say on its long skinny neck it didn't stay on long! Quite a sight though!