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What is common comfrey good for?
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 make out of comfrey?
There are many ways to use the comfrey plant
- As a compost activator.
- To improve compacted soil.
- Steep comfrey leaves to make a liquid fertilizer.
- Use comfrey leaves as green manure and mulch.
- Medicinal topical remedies.
- Use in creams and infused oils.
Is comfrey good for humans?
Today, eating or taking any form of comfrey by mouth isn’t recommended. It’s considered unsafe, due to the pyrrolizidine alkaloids that comfrey contains. These are dangerous chemicals that can cause cancer, severe liver damage, and even death when you consume them.
How do you use comfrey medicinal?
To use comfrey externally, it may be made into a strong tea and used as a wash or it can be dried and used in an ointment or salve. If used fresh, the bruised, fresh leaf is applied directly to the skin, and the cleansed, crushed root can be applied to a minor wound if desired.
Is comfrey safe for skin?
The FDA has recommended that all oral comfrey products be removed from the market. When applied to the skin: When applied to unbroken skin in small amounts for less than 10 days, comfrey is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people. It’s important to remember that the poisonous chemicals in comfrey can pass through the skin.
Is comfrey toxic to dogs?
The Merck Veterinary Manual lists comfrey as an especially risky herb because of its pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which have been linked to liver damage. The alkaloids are actually produced by the herb to fend off bugs, but the insecticide can be harmful to a dog.
Is comfrey bad for liver?
Comfrey contains has toxic substances called pyrrolizidine alkaloids that damage the liver, sometimes fatally. Comfrey is no longer sold in the U.S., except in creams or ointments, but even used this way the alkaloids can build up in the body.
What animal eats comfrey?
Livestock Feed. You wouldn’t think animals would not like to eat comfrey because of the tiny hairs on comfrey leaves, but sheep, pigs and chickens don’t mind. Even rabbits and cattle will eat comfrey when it’s wilted or dried as hay, according to the University of Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station.
What do you use Comfrey For?
Comfrey’s original name, knitbone, derives from the external use of poultices of its leaves and roots to heal burns, sprains, swelling, and bruises. In Western Europe, comfrey has been used topically for treating inflammatory disorders such as arthritis, gout, and thrombophlebitis, and internally for treating diarrhea.
Where to find comfrey?
The comfrey plant is found in abundance in Europe and regions of Asia, which have a temperate climate. It is commonly found in England, along the riverbanks, ditches and watery places, in general. A well-known plant of the Forget-me-not tribe, the plant stands erect, and is hairy all over.
Is comfrey toxic?
Yes, comfrey ( Symphytum officinale ) is a poisonous plant with a high toxicity. It should only be used externally as a vulnerary. Being a toxic plant, comfrey can not be ingested (Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are the toxic principles of comfrey). U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA.) prohibits its internal use.
Is comfrey an annual?
Comfrey ( Symphytum officinale) is a perennial flower that grows in clumps naturally along riverbanks and in grasslands. It also can be a nice addition to a wildflower garden and for container plantings. The plant grows slightly taller than it is wide.