What Is Comfrey Root?

History

• Comfrey is a member of the borage family and has been cultivated as a healing herb for over 2,000 years. It is a native plant to Europe and Asia, but is now grown in most countries, including the United States.

Identification

• Comfrey begins growing in April and flowers in late May. Its stem grows to a height of around 3 feet and its leaves can grow as long as 12 inches. The flowers are bell-shaped and can be purple, white, yellow or red. The roots are expansive, oblong and fleshy, and are black on the outside and pale inside.

Uses

• Comfrey root contains allantoin and is used as a poultice in folk medicine to heal wounds, rashes, burns, broken bones, sprains and swelling.

How Comfrey Root Works

• It is believed that the allantoin contained in comfrey root breaks down red blood cells and possibly increases white blood cells to aid in the healing of wounds.

Warning

• In the past, comfrey root tea was consumed for internal ailments such as bronchial disease, arthritis and ulcers. However, internal use is no longer safe due to the fact that comfrey root contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which have been linked to liver cancer.