![]() Allow to cool slightly, then pour into containers. Heat 10 fluid ounces of infused oil with 1 ounce of grated beeswax until the wax melts. ![]() ( More on comfrey's wound healing effects here.)įor your herbal medicine cabinet, dry the leaves and infuse them in olive oil, then turn the oil into a salve by adding beeswax. No scab, no scar, no pain – which is great, because I still have a lot of canning to do. The cut happened Monday night, and this is what the wound looks like on Wednesday morning. I kept the compress on it for 24 hours, and kept it covered for another 24. I made a compress of fresh comfrey leaves and dried yarrow, which is antibacterial and also known for treating wounds. It bled like crazy, so I knew the wound had been flushed out. The cut was about one inch long and 1/8 inch deep at the deepest. I had a chance to check out the healing properties of comfrey first hand when I sliced my fingertip open. Cover with breathable wrapping, and replace daily. Puree until relatively smooth.Īpply the puree to a piece of gauze and place over the affected body part. Blend with an equal amount of fresh comfrey leaf and just enough water to mix. Dig up the roots, clean and chop into short lengths. The Holistic Herbal discusses more of these other uses.īackyard Medicine uses the roots and leaves for a topical comfrey poultice. The roots were commonly used for bronchitis and other chest complaints, and for stomach issues such as ulcers, but now other herbs are generally recommended. The plant also contains tannins, mucilage, gum, resin and volatile oil. This anti-inflammatory chemical stimulates cell proliferation and supports the immune system. One of the active compounds in comfrey is allantoin. Horses, cattle, goats, and pigs are susceptible to being poisoned apparently sheep are more resistant to adverse reactions.Īs its many folk names suggest, comfrey is one of the best herbs for healing broken bones, sprains, strains, bruises, and tears. ![]() Illinois Wildflowers notes that many bees enjoy the flowers, but mammals, like humans, may have problems ingesting the plant. Many herbalists now recommend alternative herbal medicines for internal use, just to be safe. Mature leaves have a much lower concentration of the toxins than the roots. Russian comfrey has higher pyrrolizidine alkaloid levels than common comfrey. Different species were lumped together, and they don't all have the same amount of the compounds. Some used the isolated compounds instead of the whole herb. The thing is, most of the studies showing adverse effects used extremely large amounts of the herb over long periods of time. They're worried about liver damage and liver disease. Reports in the scientific literature clearly associate oral exposure of comfrey and pyrrolizidine alkaloids with the occurrence of veno-occlusive disease (VOD) in animals. These plants contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, substances which are firmly established to be hepatotoxins in animals. In 2001, the Food and Drug Administration advised dietary supplement manufacturers to remove comfrey products from the market. If consumed in large amounts, these can be toxic to the liver. Why is Comfrey Illegal in the US?Ĭomfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are naturally occurring plant toxins. (Don't plant them in a spot unless you're sure you want them there.) The roots are dark brown on the outside and white on the inside and measure less than 1/2 inch in diameter. ![]() They are brittle and break easily, and a new plant will regrow from the leftover bits. The roots have a branching habit, forming dense clusters that are difficult to remove. Common comfrey spreads more readily than Russian comfrey, and also self-seeds. Be warned, comfrey may try to take over the garden. ![]()
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