COMFREY CREAM

The comfrey (Symphytum) Beinwell does not bear its name for nothing, because its good healing effect on injuries in the leg area has been known since ancient times. However, comfrey can also help with other wound conditions that are not necessarily limited to the legs. Despite its healing properties, there are a few things to keep in mind when using it.

Wanted Poster for Comfrey

Plant genus : Comfrey (Symphytum) 
Plant family : Boraginaceae Common 
names : Comfrey, Beeroot, Glotroot, Hasenbrot, Hasenlaub, Himmelsbrot, Hinigblum, Komfrei, Pie herb, Milkwort, Harmful root, Schmalwurz, Comfrey, Soldier's Wort, Baconwort, Wallwurz, Wottel, Wundallheil , wound damage 
Occurrence : Africa, Asia, Europe 
Plant parts used : leaves, roots Medically 
relevant species : Common comfrey (Symphytum officinale)

Areas of application :

wound treatment
skin diseases
bone fractures and lesions
Bone and Joint Diseases
muscle pain and joint pain
rheumatic diseases
vascular diseases
respiratory diseases
inflammation
indigestion

Worth knowing : When it comes to the name of comfrey in association with its healing properties, you first have to know that the word “leg” was also used in Old German to designate “bone”. The addition “well” in turn is derived from the old German “wallen”. The starting point for the naming of the medicinal herb was the property of comfrey to positively influence the formation of new bone mass (e.g. after a fracture). The scientific name of comfrey, Symphytum, which comes from ancient Greek, also refers to this mode of action, as the term translates as “grow together”.

“For all wounds / tears and fractures / outside and inside a very healing root […]. Every surgeon / should aim for his Wallwurttz / it is very healing and convenient for all wounds / broken legs and injuries. ” (Lonicerus – natural scientist, doctor and botanist)

Herbal portrait

Comfrey is a herbaceous and deciduous plant that can grow up to a meter high in good site conditions. Its bristly stem is lined with large, lanceolate leaf blades, which – as is usual for borage plants – have a rough leaf surface. Depending on the species, the lanceolate leaves are more or less coarsely serrated on the edge. The underside of the leaf has fine hairs and is traversed by a strong leaf vein pattern.

During its flowering period from May to October, comfrey also bears ornamental bell-shaped flowers, which can shine in numerous colors from white and yellow to pink and blue-violet and make Symphytum not only suitable as a medicinal herb but also as a decorative ornamental plant. Common comfrey (Symphytum officinale), which is used primarily for medicinal purposes, usually has purple-violet flowers, although there are also variants with yellowish-white flowers.
Comfrey can be found above all in damp, nutrient-rich and loamy locations in a sunny to partially shaded position

shore locations,
swampy-damp ditches,
bog meadows
and wet roadsides

have particularly taken a liking to the herb. It is therefore hardly surprising that the most important subspecies of comfrey is called swamp comfrey (Symphytum officinale subsp. ulginosum). In addition, Symphytum is considered an indicator of nitrogen in the soil, which the plant is extremely happy to absorb due to its hunger for nutrients. For herb gardeners or gardeners in general, this plant trait is very beneficial as comfrey can be used wonderfully to normalize soil pH levels in this regard.

Comfrey: effect

The areas of application for comfrey today range from wound treatment and the care of broken bones to specific diseases of the vessels, muscles, bones and joints. Symphytum is officially approved as a medicinal plant for the treatment of the following complaints:

General wound treatment such as treatment of poorly healing wounds, broken bones, treatment of scars, bruises, contusions, cuts, abrasions or puncture wounds,
Vascular disorders such as circulatory disorders , varicose veins , phlebitis or arteriosclerosis ,
Skin problems such as chronic inflammatory skin diseases, ulcers, itching or inflammation of the periosteum,
Muscle and joint complaints such as sore muscles , muscle tears, muscle strains, rheumatism, tendonitis, bursitis, dislocations, sprains or arthrosis.

Unofficially, however, comfrey is used for many more health conditions, which is mainly due to the long history of using the herb in folk medicine. Symphytum is one of the oldest medicinal herbs in Europe and was used medicinally more than 2000 years ago. The famous Greek doctor and scholar Dioscorides used the plant to treat ulcers, broken bones and other wounds and injuries.

In the Middle Ages, comfrey became a traditional herb for treating wounds in Germany, too. Hildegard von Bingen, who recommended comfrey extract in combination with honey and calendula extracts for the treatment of varicose veins and ulcers, is regarded as a pioneer in its use.

ingredients and effects

Aside from its pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which rule out comfrey for internal use, the medicinal herb is packed with relatively useful and healing-promoting ingredients. In particular, these have an accelerating effect on wound healing processes.

allantoin

According to a survey by the Institute of Health Sciences at New York University, comfrey is one of the most commonly used herbs to treat fractures, burns , varicose veins, and muscle and tendon disorders. Athletes in particular use comfrey ointment almost as a standard when it comes to typical sports injuries such as strains, sprains, torn tendons, sore muscles or fractures. The active ingredient allantoin is of essential importance for the good healing effect of comfrey in such complaints. This is a vegetable substance that is very similar to human urea (urea).

People who suffer from chronic skin diseases such as psoriasis or neurodermatitis are very familiar with the term ‘urea’, because urea is an important component of numerous skin ointments with a highly effective effect on dermal diseases. The same also applies to allantoin, which is known for this

to soothe the skin
to support cell structure
stimulate cell formation
and accelerate cell regeneration.

The plant substance is used both in the field of cosmetics (e.g. in skin creams, sunscreens and aftershave) and for the production of medical wound healing ointments. The best example of this is the famous comfrey ointment itself, which was considered the best ointment to heal wounds well into the 20th century. And special ointments for the treatment of skin irritations often contain allantoin as an ingredient.

The cell-regenerating properties of allantoin are also important for the healing of bone fractures. Here it is always important that the fracture fragments grow back together as quickly as possible, which can only be guaranteed if sufficient new bone tissue is formed in a timely manner before the fracture (so-called callus formation). Otherwise adhesions could occur, which extremely impair the shape as well as the functionality of the affected bone. The positive influence of allantoin on cell regeneration is also useful here. Overall, the urea-like substance helps with the following symptoms:

skin injuries,
injury-related pain,
broken bones,
joint inflammation,
Muscle or tendon injuries

choline

When it comes to the circulation-enhancing properties of comfrey, the ingredient choline is of particular importance. On the one hand, the substance has a vitamin-like character and is therefore often mixed into food supplements and animal feed. On the other hand, choline is also of medical interest. For example, it is used as an ingredient in medicines to treat liver damage. Choline’s blood flow-enhancing properties on liver tissue play an extremely important role here. And these properties are also advantageous in wound healing, but they can be done that way

reduce the leakage of tissue fluid,
improve blood flow to wound tissue
and accelerate the breakdown of bruises.

tannins

The fact that comfrey has a real wound-healing effect has been confirmed several times in various studies, including a Brazilian study that was able to demonstrate Symphytum’s anti-inflammatory properties in addition to its ability to promote wound healing. The scientists responsible applied comfrey extract to cells damaged by inflammation. The result showed that the inflammation rate of these cells fell by up to 46 percent, whereas the regeneration rate of the tested connective tissue cells was even up to 240 percent after 28 days. A healing effect that the comfrey receives significantly through an abundance of vegetable tannins, so-called tannins. Rosmarinic acid in particular is very abundant in the medicinal herb. Basically, all tanning agents have one

antioxidant,
antiviral,
antibacterial,
antifungal,
anti-inflammatory
and soothing effect.

For this reason, they are also traditionally used to tan leather in order to rid it of harmful germs before further processing. In medicine, tannins are more used to reduce inflammation and treat infections. This makes them ideal as part of a medicinal plant used to treat wounds.

The good protection of tannins against germs is based on their property of narrowing the skin pores and dermal blood vessels. In this way, the skin tissue thickens and becomes impermeable to possible infectious agents. The risk of wound infection is thus significantly reduced or eliminated completely. In addition, the astringent action of comfrey tannins also inhibits wound secretion, which stops bleeding and reduces bruising. Overall, tannins in the Symphytum promote the following healing effects:

wound disinfection,
prevention of gangrene,
reduction of wound bleeding,
reduction of hematoma,
Strengthening of the skin barrier against germs.

By the way: The astringent effect of tannins is also interesting for patients with varicose veins. These are caused by bulging veins that are protruding through the skin. If the skin and vessels contract, the unsightly varicose veins can be alleviated very well.

silica

Speaking of varicose veins: Another active ingredient in comfrey that also helps against this vein condition is silicic acid. These are acid extracts of the semi-metal silicon, which is used in medicine to treat all kinds of health problems, including:

Arthrosis,
connective tissue weakness,
vascular diseases,
skin inflammation,
skin folds,
blemishes,
muscle discomfort,
scar treatment,
and rheumatism.

Especially in the vascular area, silicic acid can help both the arteries and the veins. In the body, silicon is a natural component of the connective tissue in the vessel walls and keeps them elastic. Vascular diseases such as varicose veins (varicose veins) and vascular calcification (arteriosclerosis), which cause the vascular connective tissue to relax, benefit from additional silicon doses, which make the vascular walls more elastic again. In addition, silicic acid also lowers blood pressure, which brings additional relief in vascular diseases. Regularly rubbing troubled blood vessels with comfrey has its advantages. On the way to the vessels, the silicic acid contained in the medicinal herb also strengthens the skin tissue.

Silicic acid’s ability to regenerate joints, skin, bones and muscles makes comfrey an important emergency herb for athletes too. Whether muscle strains, sprains, tendonitis, bone or joint lesions – as an essential component of the body’s own tissue structures, silicon actively helps to awaken the regenerative powers of affected body parts. The anti-inflammatory and stimulating effect of the silicic acid also intensifies the healing effect of comfrey on injuries and broken bones. While the inflammatory chemical successfully binds inflammatory secretions and stimulates the production of antibodies for immune defense, it stimulates the bones by forming the bone matrix and can thus accelerate fracture healing. The secret here lies in the special property of silicic acid to improve the storage of the mineral calcium, which is essential for bone formation. Overall, the silica can be one

vascular and connective tissue tightening,
tissue regenerating,
bone and joint strengthening

certify the effect that makes comfrey not only a good wound herb, but also a medicinal plant insider tip for skin problems and vascular disorders.

mucilage

Since broken bones and injuries also commonly cause pain, the soothing mucilage in comfrey is an added bonus. They are a special type of multiple sugars that take on a slimy consistency when water is added, allowing them to perfectly unfold their pain-relieving effect when applied to the skin. Thanks to their viscous nature, the mucous substances wrap themselves around the wound like a protective film and then take effect

calming,
soothing,
decongestant,
anti-inflammatory,
immune boosting
and even detoxifying.

In the event of an injury, the latter property also helps to remove toxins from the wound area or to keep them away from the wound, which prevents blood poisoning (sepsis).

The detoxifying effect of the plant’s own mucilage predestines comfrey for other possible uses in the skin area. For example, insect bites and local symptoms of poisoning can be treated with it, or animal bites that are susceptible to infection and poisoning can be treated. In addition, the detoxification effect of the mucilage ensures a clearer skin, which is particularly interesting for people suffering from acne , blackheads or similar skin imperfections.

application and dosage

As already mentioned, Symphytum is only suitable for external use because of its pyrrolizidine alkaloids. In addition to the leaves of comfrey, which already contain a wealth of medically relevant ingredients, the beet-shaped roots of comfrey are also important for medical treatment. The rootstock, which is up to 50 cm long, can be easily recognized by its purple-brown color and, like the herb of the plant, is first dried before it can be used for medicinal purposes.

After drying, comfrey leaf and root herbs can be processed into oil extracts or tinctures, which in turn can serve as the basis for healing ointments. Alternatively, it is also possible to apply the comfrey herbs directly to the affected areas of the body, for example in the form of a poultice or herbal pulp.

comfrey tincture

Comfrey tinctures are particularly good for very serious ailments as they contain a high concentration of active ingredients. However, it should be noted that the tincture may only be applied to closed wound and skin surfaces in order to avoid poisoning by pyrrolizidine alkaloids. It is therefore advisable to use the comfrey tincture more for problem areas located under the skin, such as:

varicose veins,
phlebitis,
Arteriosclerosis,
Rheumatism,
muscle and joint problems,
Broken bones without an open wound.

An exception to these treatment areas is the use of alcohol-based comfrey extract for wound disinfection. In combination with the plant’s own active ingredients, the alcohol can both sterilize the wound and accelerate wound healing. However, you should be very careful here and apply the tincture well dosed and only around the wound area.