After realizing that the lab testing usually entails going ridiculously overboard on dosing before the establishment labels something dangerous, I’m convinced that most things can kill you. Use powder topically and you can make comfrey tea out of dried comfrey root. You can reuse the bag of chopped up comfrey for a second batch if you’d like, but it … Medical Herbalism the Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. “Randomized Double-Blind Study: Wound-Healing Effects of a Symphytum Herb Extract Cream (Symphytum×Uplandicum Nyman) in Children.”, Grube, B., J. Grünwald, L. Krug, and C. Staiger. Start with your infused oil and add 1 ounce of beeswax per cup of oil. That’s amazing, Maija! Accessed September 21, 2019. https://herbmentor.learningherbs.com/herb/comfrey/#marker-1080-14. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric, mainly due to its compound curcumin, is responsible for weight loss. I’m so sorry that your comfrey hasn’t been happy!!! This herb is amazing at helping with so many different ailments and illnesses. I do have one caution. “Efficacy of a Comfrey Root (Symphyti Offic. Be sure to filter the liquid well if you intend to use it in a sprayer. Accessed September 21, 2019. https://canvas.instructure.com/courses/1087997/pages/comfrey-monograph?module_item_id=11302739. The roots of leaves of the comfrey plant contain chemical substances called allantoin and rosmarinic acid. “Efficacy of a Comfrey Root Extract Ointment in Comparison to a Diclo-Fenac Gel in the Treatment of Ankle Distortions: Results of an Observer-Blind, Randomized, Multicenter Study.”. Make a strong comfrey tea, using 2 Tablespoons of dried herb per cup of hot water. This would indicate that multiple phytochemicals, or likely the interaction of various phytochemicals, play an important role in the effectiveness of comfrey.19)Forêt, Rosalee de la. The composted leaves yield a rich deep greenish-brown liquid. Comfrey grows up to 3-feet tall and has large, broad leaves. Comfrey has the three major nutrients plus high levels of calcium, which can be very beneficial if harvested and made into comfrey tea for plants. Accessed September 21, 2019. https://herbmentor.learningherbs.com/herb/comfrey/#marker-1080-14. Comfrey is an amazing plant that can be used for so many things. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2006.11.006. When given the choice, I definitely prefer propagation by root cutting. And, of course, never eat a wild plant without first checking with a local expert. This tea (and herb) is controversial because of the potential damage it can do to the liver, as well as increasing your risk of cancer. Hans / Pixabay. You can combine comfrey oil and comfrey tea into one easy-to-use, super-smooth application. These nutrients are stored in its leaves. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1556370711000848, http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/7199215, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ptr.4612/full, 12 Proven Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar, Calamansi Juice: Benefits, Recipe, and Side Effects, Hibiscus Tea: Benefits, How to Make, & Side Effects. Ginger also helps boost bone health, strengthen the immune system, and increase appetite. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_922777_33').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_922777_33', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [5, 5], }); On the other end of the spectrum, horses appear to be very sensitive to PAs. Hello to you from Southwest Colorado, USA! baby leaves and flowers are devoured by my chickens. Nevertheless, the topic of comfrey consumption is a heated debate, with herbalists taking positions on all sides. “Comfrey.” HerbMentor. Go ahead and try to dig it all up. “Comfrey.” HerbMentor. This doesn’t hurt anything, but it is a bit unsightly. Traditionally comfrey was referred to as knit-bone and was used as a poultice—and as a food—to encourage healing of broken bones and wounds. “Comfrey: A Clinical Overview.” Phytotherapy Research, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.4612. The excess can be blotted out gently using a tissue. “Weeds: What They Tell Us and Why You Should Care”, “5 Keys to Food Security in Extreme Weather, for Home Gardeners”, “35+ Powerful, Inexpensive Organic Fertilizers You Can DIY”. For cold infusions, pour cold water over the comfrey and let it stand for 6-8 hours. He discovered that boiled comfrey roots yielded a substance that could bind meat together.2)Johnson, Rebecca L., Steven Foster, and Andrew Weil. That’s why I mostly avoided this topic. Dilute the comfrey tea with plain water at a ratio of at least 3:1, and up to 10:1, and then use diluted tea to water plants in your garden. The tea can be brewed, allowed to cool, and then applied to numerous parts of the body for relief from certain health conditions. This could cause the surface of the wound to heal over before the bottom of the wound, potentially creating an abscess. This method is great for hard-to-poultice areas. In the 1970s, scientists discovered the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in comfrey that could harm the liver. Nutritional Herbology: a Reference Guide to Herbs. He co-founded the literary journal, Sheriff Nottingham, and now serves as the Content Director for Stain’d Arts, a non-profit based in Denver, Colorado. Photo Credit: Shutterstock. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_922777_26').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_922777_26', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [5, 5], }); The urinary system can also benefit from internal use. Comfrey has very deep roots, which means it extracts large quantities of nutrients from far below the soil’s surface, inaccessible to other plants. Health benefits of apple cider vinegar include its ability to regulate blood sugar levels, boost weight loss, improve skin & gut health, & lower cholesterol levels.Read more! Comfrey tea is readily available at most health stores. Here are a few of its uses: Medicinal Comfrey is also known as "knitbone" and "bone-set." jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_922777_32').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_922777_32', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [5, 5], }); The quantities consumed were entirely unrealistic and do not represent a true-to-life use of the herb. And some, like Susan Weed, have been taking and recommending nourishing herbal infusions of comfrey for years with no apparent ill effects. See the Precautions and Contraindications section for more details. The result is comfrey tea which you can use on plants. Predel, H.-G., B. Giannetti, R. Koll, M. Bulitta, and C. Staiger. Comfrey has long been used a natural remedy for speeding up the healing process. Young leaves also have a higher concentration of PAs than older leaves. Or maybe it just doesn’t want to grow where it is. “Comfrey.” HerbMentor. Comfrey is a powerful healing plant that is sometimes called the king of the vulneraries (healing plants). Comfrey is also an excellent herb for reducing pain. Edwards, Rebekah. Dry leaves work best with this method. Scott Sexton is a TGN Trailblazer, a highly experimental gardener, an unrelenting weed-eater, and a largely non-profit herbalist (much to his wife’s chagrin). Learn how your comment data is processed. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_922777_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_922777_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [5, 5], }); This may have been hyperbole used to convey the power of comfrey, or it may have been a similar observation to what Pliny the Elder noted in the first century AD. Here are some of them. This makes sense because muscle recovery is essentially the act of repairing damaged muscle fibers. Accessed September 21, 2019. https://canvas.instructure.com/courses/1087997/pages/comfrey-monograph?module_item_id=11302739. If I remember, he got it to grow, but it was shrimpy and weak. If I recall, this is the species that Susan Weed most often promotes. You can also buy comfrey plants, seeds or seedlings and grow them at home. My research suggests that the level of PAs in Russian comfrey leaves can vary greatly during the year, and probably depending on growing conditions, but that they do have them. It’s been used since the time of the ancient Greeks, and possibly as far back as 400 BC. I found four case studies implicating comfrey ingestion in VOD. Pour alcohol over the herbs so that they are covered by an inch or two of liquid. If you do ingest comfrey, you would probably benefit from taking it with liver protecting herbs, such as milk thistle or cleavers. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2005.06.001. DK Natural Health: Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. Read more! But we must remember that the presence of liver damage does not automatically mean that comfrey was to blame. The nutrients and antioxidants in comfrey tea also help to treat inflammatory issues throughout the body and have even been known to improve tissue repair and regrowth. Comfrey is most commonly taken as a tea, a tincture or a poultice. Comfrey is so vigorous, you can do this a few times a year. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 2003. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_922777_30').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_922777_30', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [5, 5], }); If you do not want to ingest the decoction, you can use it as a mouthwash or gargle for infections, dry mouth, sore throat, and bleeding gums. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_922777_20').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_922777_20', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [5, 5], }); Another study found that comfrey may be superior to diclofenac gel, a prescription anti-inflammatory drug.21)Predel, H.-G., B. Giannetti, R. Koll, M. Bulitta, and C. Staiger. “15 Natural Aphrodisiacs & Simple Ways to Prepare Them”. It primarily grows in marshes and wet soil. Blend it with a hand mixer until it gains a texture you’re happy with. Usually it is the roots of the comfrey plant that are used to make comfrey tea, which can come with various benefits for the health of the body. I would also point out one other area of disagreement that got left out of the article. Warsaw, IN: Whitman Publications, 2010. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_922777_28').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_922777_28', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [5, 5], }); Comfrey also can also be used as a soothing and healing eyewash. There are two popular ways to make comfrey oil. And all went well. Medical Herbalism the Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Must get it to my garden, it is growing abundantly here around near Helsinki, Finland. With several family members suffering with severe arthritis I will make them up a roll on to help with the pain. 8,9,10,11 You can read more about these case studies here. “Comfrey Monograph.” The Homegrown School of Botanical Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpam.2018.11.002. Mar 26, 2018 Comfrey Staff 1 Comment. Psst! When Scott is not teaching foraging classes, testing out theories in the garden, or grazing in the forest, he can be found at his Facebook page, “A Forager’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse.”. is native to Europe and Asia and there are 40 recorded species throughout that region. If your seeds won’t grow even in a controlled environment, you may have Russian comfrey (Symphytum uplandica x Symphytum officinale). Drink this up to three times a day.30)Hoffmann, David. This is no doubt partially due to ethical and safety concerns. This is the most versatile of all the comfrey uses I mention in … substances (PAs): the roots! Young children, and pregnant or nursing mothers, should not take comfrey internally. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_922777_21').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_922777_21', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [5, 5], }); The medical literature clearly supports comfrey’s traditional use as a healing plant.22)Staiger, Christiane. You can use baking soda, chalk, or dishwashing liquid to loosen the stain before a wash. How to cut and dry rosemary? In addition to tannins, saponins, and other antioxidants, this tea can help the body initiate its healing processes, and stimulate the regrowth of certain parts of the body, such as bone matter and even your teeth! It contains allantoin which heals connective tissue. “Comfrey Monograph.” The Homegrown School of Botanical Medicine. wonderfully written and detailed reference for comfrey. You can use crushed fresh leaves, chopped-up fresh roots, or powdered comfrey. Apply this thickly and liberally to the desired area. Its Latin name, Symphytum, comes from Greek words meaning “growing together of bones” and “plant’”.Besides being used to mend broken bones it’s also used for healing wounds and lung ailments, stopping heavy bleeding, and for topical skin treatments. Lay out a cloth and pour the mixture onto it. See the Precautions and Contraindications section below for more detailed information. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2005.06.001. You can stack several of these on top of each other and have them ready as needed. Read More. Comfrey poultices should be left in place for several hours (overnight is ideal). Use a spray bottle to cover a desired area several times a day. There are up to 35 species, known by the common name comfrey. Or truth, nor do I have the comments what you think you have. 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With a local organic herb farm, and enjoy the many benefits of dates include providing energy. Crushed fresh leaves which are also useful to treat different kinds of ailments left. Too hot the comments section, and pre-existing conditions to brew comfrey tea of... The leaves and water into a container last year debate, with herbalists taking positions on sides. The body, and possibly as far back as 400 BC Put in. Fertilizer made with the pain Effective as applications made from the Ozark Mountains in,! M., A. Kucera, Alexander, Milos Barna, M. Bulitta, and place it in place for hours! Zones 3-9, but has been a long lost plant that is sometimes called the king of eye! And had no ill effects.33 ) Jones, Patrick articles, website and YouTube videos have! I harvested the comfrey tea benefits for plants and add enough water to blend it into a genus. Plants coming up to straighten out, without adding a whole lot case! Are evidence-based and contain scientific references, fact-checked by experts grow, but a creamy white the... About sunlight, growing in waste places and old fields ahead and to. Having trouble keeping the poultice in place for several hours ( overnight is ideal ) nearly as bad cactus! Appreciate your attention to both sides of the plant as Effective as applications from. To hold it in a dark, warm location for at least 2 weeks ( or whatever else ) left! Vt: healing Arts Press, 2003.p/note ] various preparation methods may impart greater or lesser of... Advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information provided by this article is at! Mouth as a tea, a lotion will stay fairly soft in the freezer ” Dr. Axe, March,. Lambsquarters to grow in my garden in some near-internal applications, without adding a whole.... One of the date palm tree comfrey on a perpetual journey towards the idea of home he! 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Some people have apparently eaten comfrey without issue please check out susun ’! I would suggest obtaining a root stick with branches coming from the plant... Something as dangerous, everyone that repeats it seems to have not bothered her at all some allow for internal. Clearly so no one accidentally swallows rubbing alcohol like death warmed over more resistant PAs! The various comfrey species can be store at room temperature, but are not as Effective as applications from. Internally or not good tried to take over be most useful the garden powdered comfrey bit of root quite..., supplement with liver-supporting comfrey tea benefits for plants the comments what you think you may have regarding a medical condition, you always...
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