![]() In addition, an unpublished case was reported to USP Practitioners Reporting Network of a fatality resulting from liver damage in a man who drank comfrey tea. ![]() A 23-year-old man died from liver disease after consuming comfrey leaves (Yeong 1990). Ingestion of comfrey has resulted in many serious adverse effects including at least two deaths. Comfrey is harmless when used topically and should not be consumed orally. The plant alkaloids are highly water-soluble boiling or steaming the leaves in several changes of water may reduce toxicity.Įven though some compounds in comfrey stimulate healing of damaged tissues and reduce inflammation, the benefits that oral ingestion may have for bronchitis, ulcers, diarrhea, or inflammatory GI conditions are generally outweighed by the risk of liver damage due to the toxic PAs naturally occurring in the herb (Mills and Bone 2000). Comfrey roots have ten times the concentration of PAs found in the leaves (Foster 1999) however, adverse reactions have resulted from ingestion of comfrey leaves, too. In some instances, roasted comfrey roots have been used as a substitute for coffee (Fugh-Berman 2000). One study demonstrated that it may be more effective than over-the-counter topical NSAID creams for treating Oosteoarthritis (D’Anchise 2007).Ĭomfrey leaves are sometimes used in teas, salads, cooked as vegetables or added to soups. Randomized placebo-controlled trials have shown it to have both statistically and clinically significant effects on reducing pain and swelling and improving mobility in cases where it may have been impaired (Grube 2007 Koll 2004 Barna 2007 Kucera 2004 & 2005). Comfrey roots contain a greater percent of allantoin than comfrey leaves (Foster 1999). Allantoin compounds, responsible for the healing effects of comfrey, have been shown to stimulate cellular turnover and tissue regeneration (Fugh-Berman 2000 Foster 1999 Stickel and Seitz). Medicinally, comfrey is still popular for topical treatment of wounds, burns, contusions, sprains, minor cuts or scrapes, swelling, and osteoarthritis. The discovery and identification of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in comfrey led to changes in recommendations for its preparations and use both medicinally and in foods. Comfrey also contains unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) that are toxic (Evans 1998). Symphytum species contain mucilage, tannins, saponins, and allantoin. Comfrey has also been consumed as a cooked green, though its culinary use was far less common than its medicinal utilization. ![]() Oral preparations included decoctions and syrups (Culpeper 1814 Mills and Bone 2000). Though there are some medieval texts that offered words of caution against ingesting comfrey preparations, it was generally considered safe for treating internal ailments including indigestion, ulcers, gastrointestinal cramping or bleeds, respiratory congestion, diarrhea, and rheumatic complaints (von Hildegard 133). These blends serve as treatments for joint pains, sprains/distortions, fractures, hematomas, thrombophlebitis, wounds, cuts, hemorrhoids and other conditions including breast tenderness in nursing women (Stickel and Seitz 2000 Culpeper 1814 Mills and Bone 2000). Believed to have both anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, various parts of the herb have been applied topically in preparations of creams, oils, demulcents, poultices, mucilages, or the like to speed healing and to relieve pain and swelling. Symphytum spp. has a long tradition of use for treating various ailments via both external application and ingestion. xuplandicum) are some of the more commonly used species. The plant usually flowers in June or July and sheds its seeds in August (Fugh-Berman 2003 Culpeper 1814). They possess small, bell-shaped flowers that are colored in shades of purple, white, or pink and contain small black seeds. Depending on the species, comfrey plants can grow anywhere from 5 to 150 centimeters in height. Typically, comfrey species are found growing in disturbed sites, especially moist areas (Culpeper 1814).Ĭomfrey typically has long, thick, dark roots, and hair-like lanceolate leaves that grow in an alternating pattern along the stem. Native to the continent of Europe, numerous species are now cultivated throughout the world (Stickel and Seitz 2000). Comfrey is a perennial herb of the Boraginaceae family.
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