[Herbs Index] Botanical Culinary Aromatic Spiritual Medicinal History/Folklore

Comfrey - Symphytum officinale

Grown and used at BridesMill

Other Names:

	Ass ear, Blackwort, Boneset, Bruisewort, Comfrey, Comfrey symphytum, Common Comfrey, Consound, Gum plant, Healing Herb, Invisible vet, Knitback, Knitbone, Nipbone, Salsify, Slippery root, Wallwort
	Consoude officinale, Grande consoude
	Lægekulsukker, Kulsukker, Kulsukkerrod
	Beinwell, Beinwurz, Echter Beinwell, Gemeine Wallwurz, Gemeiner Beinwell, Schwarzwurz, Hasenbrot
	Gewone smeerwortel, Smeerwortel
	Consolda maggiore, Orecchia d'asino
	consolda-maior
	consuelda mayor
	Lus Cnámh (Irish Gaelic) Meacan Dubh (Scots Gaelic - Large or Dark Plant)
	Rohto-raunioyrtti
	Valurt
	Zywokost, Zywokost lekarski
	Äkta vallört, Vallört
Note	"Salsify" is quite off the mark! (Salsify normally refers to Tragopogon porrifolius) Do NOT confuse with Wild Comfrey (Cynoglossum virginianum) or Russian Comfrey (Symphytum uplanicum syn. S. uplandicum)

Botany:

Taxonomy: Family - Boraginaceae - borages

Habit: A tall (up to 2m) perennial herb Black roots white inside, up to 2.5 cm thick. Entire lanceolate leaves, hairy, up to 30 cm long. Flowers blue, yellow, or white on short curved racemes. Tubular corolla with five lobes, 1 cm long; 5 lobed calyx, five stamens.
Distribution: Native to Russia & Kazakhstan; throughout Europe. Zones 3-9. Fairly common through North America (except central areas)
Associated Plants:
Composition: Active ingredients include allantoin, pyrrolizidine alkaloids
Propagation: Perennial. Easy to start form seed.
Companions:
Harvesting: Take leaves or root as required.

Uses:

Culinary:

Comfrey was in the past used as a vegetable; there is absolutely no reason to do so now - read the cautions.

Spiritual

(European traditions):
- Properties:

Cosmetic/Aromatic:

Medicinal

Comfrey should be used externally only. If you are thinking of using Comfrey internally anyways, read this paper by Marguerite Terruso. Contains allantoin, which has been shown to be effective in encouraging healing of wounds. The juice of leaves or root may be placed on bruises and scrapes to aid healing.

Other:

Ethnobotany

(European traditions):
- Culpeper cites its utility in fighting internal bleeding, including blood in the urine, haemorrhoids, gangrene, etc. Externally, he uses it for wounds, cuts, and bruises; either as a decoction or infusion; he points out that the root is more effective (indeed, it contains twice as much allantoin as the leaves), and also recommends the root placed directly in the injury
(American Aboriginal traditions): Not widely used - only the Cherokee are noted to have used it (both internally and externally), for heartburn, gonorrhoea, dysentery, sprains & bruises.

CAUTIONS: Hairs may cause contact dermatitis. (In any case they are scratchy) Comfrey contains the pyrrolizidine alkaloids echimidine, heliosupine, and lycopsamine in sufficient concentration to cause concern. These chemicals are hepatotoxic - in lay terms, they can kill you by wrecking your liver. Although there is some debate as to exactly 'how' toxic Comfrey is when taken internally, and one cup of Comfrey tea is not going to have debilitating effects unless you are allergic, there is absolutely no sense whatsoever in taking this herb internally, given that there are plenty of 'known to be safe' alternatives out there. Don't be stupid - just because grandma used it all the time is no reason to ignore the facts; that's like saying it's OK to smoke because you now someone who smoked and lived to be 99....if you doubt all this or want some authoritative proof, read this

Complete ethnobotanical notes and references available on request

Last edited 27 February 2002

Caveat: This page is posted for information purposes only. No medical recommendation is made or should be construed from the material on this page. If you require medical assistance, seek professional and personal help.