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Comfrey is an herbal supplement used for conditions such as bronchitis, bruises (topical use), cancer, cough (persistent), fractures (topical use), peptic ulcer, rheumatism, skin ulcers (topical use), sprains (topical use), wound healing (topical use), gastritis, ulcers, excessive menstrual flow, and to gargle for gum.
What can you do with comfrey root?
Comfrey roots and leaves contain allantoin, a substance that helps new skin cells grow, along with other substances that reduce inflammation and keep skin healthy. Comfrey ointments have been used to heal bruises as well as pulled muscles and ligaments, fractures, sprains, strains, and osteoarthritis.
How do you use comfrey for healing?
To make a comfrey compress, you start by first steeping the comfrey leaves in hot water to make a “tea”. Take two large handfuls of dried comfrey leaf and place them into a large, heat-proof bowl. Pour 2 quarts of nearly boiling water over the comfrey leaves, cover with a plate and let steep for 15 minutes.
How do you eat comfrey root?
Historically, some people have eaten comfrey leaves as a vegetable. Traditional healers have also used oral preparations of comfrey to treat stomach issues, such as ulcers, colitis, and diarrhea. You can also drink dried comfrey root and leaves as tea.
Is comfrey an anti-inflammatory?
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) acts as an anti-inflammatory to promote healing of bruises, sprains, and open wounds when applied topically. The roots and leaves of this plant contain the protein allantoin, which stimulates cell proliferation and promote wound and bone healings.
Does comfrey heal broken bones?
Comfrey may not be an obvious choice, but it has always been such a kind plant to the garden that it should come as no surprise that is kind to the body, too. Once known as knitbone, Symphytum officinale has a long history of wound healing, particularly broken bones, torn muscles, sprains and aches.
Does comfrey really work?
Early research shows that applying comfrey ointment to the affected area for up to 2 weeks improves mobility, decreases pain, and reduces tenderness and swelling of sprains. The effect of comfrey ointment in relieving pain and reducing swelling seems to be comparable to the effects of diclofenac gel.
Can comfrey be taken internally?
Comfrey is not recommended for internal use because of the liver damage caused by its pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Patients with hypersensitivity or allergic reactions to the plant should also avoid external use.
What is comfrey good for in the garden?
Use as a mulch. Chop up comfrey leaves with grass cuttings, and place a 5cm layer on the surface of the soil around all plants. This will slowly rot down to provide nutrients, and act as a mulch to keep in moisture and help control weeds. As they break down, the plant roots will access the potassium-rich fertiliser.
Is comfrey safe for skin?
In a nutshell Overall, comfrey is beneficial to all skin types; it helps to moisturise and soothe dry irritated skin, promotes rapid skin-cell growth, contributes to skin renewal, protects against bacteria and other microorganisms, reduces inflammation and helps to keep skin healthy.
How do you make comfrey root tea?
Instructions Add 1 teaspoon of dried comfrey leaves to a teapot or infuser. Heat 1 cup of water to just shy of boiling. Pour water over the tea leaves. Allow steeping for at least 10 minutes. Strain the tea and use appropriately (only consume if approved by your doctor).
Which comfrey is medicinal?
For over 2,000 years, comfrey root and other parts of the herb have been used to treat a variety of ailments. The plant (Symphytum officinale L) belongs to the family Boraginacea and has been valued in traditional medicine for its anti-inflammatory, analgesic and astringent properties.
Is comfrey good for wrinkles?
Comfrey is considered to be an essential anti-aging ingredient, because it contains both allantoin and rosmarinic acid. Allantoin promotes the growth of new skin cells and rosmarinic acid acts as a painkiller and reduces inflammation. Comfrey softens skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Does comfrey contain vitamin B12?
Comfrey is also rich in many nutrients including protein, antioxidant vitamins, and vitamin B12 (Rode, 2002).
How do you cook with comfrey?
Comfrey can be prepared as a starter (they make quite good fritters), soup, or as a side dish. (My mom makes a delicious comfrey marog -a traditional African side dish made with leafy greens, onions and tomatoes.) You can also add it to other veggies and to stews. It also makes a nutritious addition to veggie juices.
What part of comfrey is edible?
It isn’t eaten a lot, as it has a slightly hairy, rough texture as the leaves age, but the young leaves and buds are very tender and delicious in recipes such as Comfrey Leaf Lemonade Fritters. The leaves are used a lot as a herbal tea.
Does comfrey help with pain?
Comfrey cream is typically used as a topical herbal remedy for painful muscle and joint conditions. These can include low back pain, osteoarthritis, and sprains. 2 It’s also used in alternative medicine for the following problems: Bruises.
Is comfrey anti bacterial?
The studies on comfrey extracts reported that this plant could be used in the management of pests and diseases [21]. In addition to the antifungal activity of comfrey, its antibacterial activity against the bacteria causing bovine mastitis has also been reported [22].
