Comfrey: The Uniter

Comfrey, or the Symphytum genus, are a group of plants known around the world to be excellent healers of the physical body. The most common species that are used in herbal medicine are S. officinale and S. x uplandicum. 

Comfrey is a beautiful plant, with large rough-haired leaves that can grow to over a foot long. The stalk often stretches out 1-2 meters in length and will generally lay over under its own weight. It grows small flowers that can be, depending on the species, white, yellow, or blue/purple.

Seeing this plant is rather awe-inspiring. She can grow to be quite massive and a lot of plant material can be harvested easily. When working with Comfrey, the entire plant can be used medicinally. Typically this plant is only worked with topically because of the presence of a class of toxins known as Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). These are converted to pyrrole in the liver which can cause destruction of the tissues of the liver, lungs, heart, spleen, and kidneys. The levels of these toxins vary from plant to plant, species to species, and are more concentrated in the roots than the leaves. Some herbalists choose to use the leaves internally and some use Comfrey only externally.

Throughout history, Comfrey has shown exquisite capability for reducing inflammation, treating pain, healing wounds, sprains, fractures (which is how it got the name Knitbone), and more. The leaves and roots of this plant are cooling, moistening and mucilaginous, and tonifying to the tissues.  It has been used internally and externally in this capacity for many centuries. Topical applications include poultices, oil infusions, salves, decoctions, tinctures, etc. Internal consumption is generally through a strong leaf infusion. Comfrey is an incredible ally and not something to avoid or be afraid of because of its content of PAs. Each herbalist and consumer needs to make their own decision on whether to use it internally or not.

Comfrey teaches us that its okay to rest when we feel heavy. She works with our physical pain, but also our emotional wounds. She helps us to rejoin the pieces of our selves so that we can regain our power as a united whole. She reminds us that our internal and external realities are reflections of one another and that we must honor and nurture both in order to gain harmony and clarity.

References:

http://medherb.com/Materia_Medica/Symphytum_-_Hepatotoxicity_of_pyrrolizidine_alkaloids_.htm

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3491633/

“Determination of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in Commercial Comfrey Products,” Betts et al., 1993