Comfrey Information

LATIN NAME

Symphytum officinale

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Praised for centuries by herbalists throughout the world, who still use it to treat 
disorders ranging from cuts to cancer, comfrey nevertheless is rejected by many 
practitioners in the United States as too dangerous for any type of internal use. 
Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can cause liver damage when consumed in 
large amounts. The active agent in comfrey is allantoin, which fosters the growth of new
cells. Although the dried roots and leaves are used for medicinal purposes, the comfrey 
root contains up to twice as much allantoin as the other parts. While its internal use 
remains questionable, comfrey can be used safely on external injuries such as cuts and 
other wounds.



TARGET AILMENTS

Wounds, cuts, insect bites, bruises, ulcers and inflammations. (Applied externally.) 

PREPARATIONS

Over the counter:

Available in tincture, capsules and in bulk.

At home:

Tea: 1 cup boiling water poured onto 1 to 3 tsp. dried flowers or leaves and steeped for
10 minutes. Consumed as hot as possible. 

Compress: A pad soaked in a coltsfoot infusion for several minutes, wrung out, and then applied to the affected area. 

Combinations: For coughs, coltsfoot is often combined with white horehound and mullein; 
for bronchitis, coltsfoot is mixed with garlic or echinacea.



SPECIAL INFORMATION

WARNING: The American Herb Products Association has placed comfrey on its restricted 
list and suggests that this herb be used for external ailments only