Naturopathy

Comfrey

Synonyms in a broader sense

This topic deals with the medical uses of comfrey.

Also read our topic:

Comfrey ointment

Synonyms in a broader sense

Synonyms:

common comfrey
Milk roots
Bee herb
Corrugated root
Black root
Harmful root
Hare leaves
and
Lardine
Kytta ointment

Latin name: Symphytum officiale

Explanation / definition

The name Comfrey the plant has because of its medicinal properties. With "leg" the bones (bones, e.g. Collarbone) and "waves" means growing together or rolling together.
The botanical name: symphytes comes from the Greek symphyein and also means to grow together. The healing power of comfrey was already used in ancient times. Glaucus, a doctor of the ancient Romans used a root mash pad Broken bones, Sprains and bruises. Hildegard von Bingen cooked the herb of the medicinal plant with celery and wine and made a layer out of it and used it to heal tears in the peritoneum. Also the Indians used a comfrey root pulp to heal sprains and swellings.

The plant

The comfrey, Latin Symphytum officiale (officinale), belongs to the borage family or also predatory leaf family (Boraginaceae families). The herbaceous and bristly hairy, 30 cm to 120 cm high plant like to grow on sunny to semi-shady nutrient-rich loam soils. It is perennial. The upright, persistent stem grows from a juicy rootstock that is black on the outside and white on the inside. The wrinkled, hairy leaves are egg-lanceolate and grow up to 25 cm. The flowering period begins at the end of April and can last until September. The flowers of the comfrey are red-violet, sometimes dirty-white, and hang in bells. As a location, the Beinwells prefers moist places on the edges of forests, brook banks, moor meadows and alluvial forests in Asia and Europe. The harvest time for the roots is in March and April, as well as October and November. The leaves are harvested in summer. Leaves and dried and fresh roots are used medicinally (like devil's claw).

Summary

Of the Comfrey is a Medicinal plant, which belongs to the borage family (Boraginaceae). It is a perennial, bristly and persistent plant that grows on moist, nutrient-rich soils by ditches and alluvial forests. It is very undemanding and drives out again every year without care. The medicinal plant comfrey used to be in the Folk medicine very popular. The knowledge of the ancient healers has been confirmed according to the latest scientific findings. Important medicinally effective ingredients are Allantoin, choline and tannins. One can find further Silica, essential oils and small amounts of Pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

Manufacturing

At the Comfrey especially the root in Comfrey ointments and tinctures and gels are used. Comfrey preparations are only used externally. The finished preparations are offered in the pharmacy. For envelopes, a decoction or the porridge itself can be made. 100 g of dried roots and 1 liter of water are boiled together. The warm brew is used for compresses.For a poultice you take 2 - 4 tablespoons of dried and powdered roots and add some hot water. The paste is then spread onto a cloth and the area to be treated is covered with it. Renew after two to four hours.

Therapy, areas of application and effects

The healing properties of the Comfrey is scientifically proven. Preparations from comfrey for external use promote the healing of wounds and injuries. The different ingredients contribute to healing. The Choline inhibits the formation of Edema and promotes blood flow to the injured tissue. The active substance Allantoin is very important for cell growth. But only the allantoin in connection with the mucous substances of the comfrey can contribute to the regeneration of the tissue. The tannins in comfrey have an antimicrobial effect. Fresh or dried leaves and roots of the comfrey are used externally for injuries to the musculoskeletal system, strains, sprainBruises, bruises, broken bones (fracture), rheumatism (Rheumatoid arthritis), arthrosis, Gout nodules, Periosteum inflammation, bruising (hematoma), scar pain and cuts.

A high-dose special extract of comfrey root is that Kytta ointment® from the pharmacy. Comfrey has a pain reliever as a compress.

Dosage forms

Comfrey is most often used as a ready-made preparation, for example in the form of

Anoint
gel
tincture

Comfrey may only be used externally!

In the pharmacy you can get ready-made preparations in the form of gels, creams and ointments. The healing power of the special extract from the comfrey root has been proven to shorten the duration of the symptoms. One product is the Kytta ointment. A daily dose of 100 µg pyrrolizidine alcoids must not be exceeded. The duration of use in one year should be a maximum of four to six weeks. Please always ask your doctor before treatment !! Liver damage can occur if the dose is too high.

Side effect / interaction

According to the latest findings, the pyrrolizidine alkaloids in comfrey have shown that they have carcinogenic effects (cancer-causing !!!), i.e. preparations made from comfrey roots or leaves must not be used internally, as they promote the development of cancer. Comfrey extracts from the pharmacy should not be used externally for longer than four to six weeks, as a precaution, comfrey extracts should not be applied to open wounds, which can lead to abscess formation. No side effects were found when applied externally to healthy skin. There is still no scientific knowledge about the use of comfrey extracts during pregnancy and breastfeeding.