Sometimes called knitbone or All Heal, comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.) has been used for centuries to support wound and bone healing, and at one time was recommended as a tea to soothe digestive issues. Most often found in moist grasslands, this perennial herb is rich in a bioactive compound called allantoin that plays a role in cell formation and granulation.
In other words, it supports the body in creating new tissue and microscopic blood vessels during the healing process.
It’s often used for:
- Soothing sprains, bruises, swelling, minor shallow-cut skin injuries and burns
- Easing tight muscles
- Boosting softness and shine when used as a hair rinse
- Moisturizing skin, which is why it’s incorporated into many skin serums, creams and salves
In this article I’ll show you how to infuse the therapeutic properties of comfrey into oil, make it into an herbal salve, and we’ll also dive into the controversy around comfrey tea.
As always, I want to mention that none of these statements have been evaluated by the FDA, this article is not medical advice, and it is not meant to diagnose or treat any condition. Please talk with your healthcare provider about any herbal supplements you are considering.
How To Use Comfrey Externally ^
Although ingesting comfrey is not recommended (more on that below), using comfrey externally is considered safe and can be very helpful for supporting the healing process with breaks, sprains, and strains, as well as minor shallow-cut skin injuries and burns. (1) It’s even been shown to ease tight muscles and support a healthy inflammatory process. (2)(3) Comfrey roots are the most powerful, followed by young leaves, with older leaves considered the least powerful.
Of course, you don’t just rub roots or leaves on whatever area you’re trying to address. Most often, the therapeutic compounds in comfrey are infused into a carrier oil and then massaged onto the area. Other times, a plaster of fresh leaves or poultice made from dried leaves is applied.
We’ll dive into how to make comfrey oil, comfrey salve and a comfrey plaster/poultice below, but first here are some safety considerations you should know about external use:
- Some people experience a skin rash reaction from comfrey leaves, so be careful during your first time handling them or using remedies made with comfrey leaves.
- As we’ll dive more deeply into below, comfrey contains several compounds called pyrrolizidine alkaloids, or PAs, which can cause liver damage if taken internally. Chemically speaking PAs have very low solubility in oils, so comfrey oils and salves should be low in PAs. (4) However, my coauthor for this article, registered herbalist Lori Rose, PhD, RH (AHG), and professor at Hill College’s Holistic Wellness Pathway, recommends using it for no more than 4-6 weeks at a time to avoid any potential toxicity issues.
Comfrey Oil: How To Make It & Where To Buy It ^
The most common way of using comfrey externally for connective tissue injuries or small wound healing is through comfrey-infused oils. Below is my super easy and affordable process for making it, but if you don’t want to DIY you can find comfrey oil here. Because the bottles only contain one ounce you’d need four to make the salve recipe below.
Another option would be to just buy two and cut my recipe in half, or buy some comfrey roots/leaves and make it at home for much less. Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredients
- Organic dried comfrey leaves or comfrey roots
- Olive oil (Or another oil that you prefer. Almond and avocado oil are good options, as is jojoba)
Instructions (Slow Method)
This is the traditionally preferred method because it’s thought to preserve the delicate constituents found in comfrey (and other herbs) best. However, sometimes it’s just not practical to wait 4-6 weeks for a batch, so I’ve also included a faster method below.
- Place dried comfrey leaf or root in a clean, dry glass jar.
- Next, pour in the oil – add enough so that the comfrey is covered by about one-half inch of oil. Herbs expand as they soak in liquid, so adding the half inch ensures that they stay covered. Comfrey root will stay at the bottom so it’s easy to tell how much to add, but comfrey leaves float and that can make things a bit more challenging. What I do is use my thumb to mark the top of the dried comfrey in the jar before I add the oil, then add about 1/2 inch above that.
- Cover the jar with a tight fitting lid and give it a good shake.
- Place the jar in a paper bag and store near a warm, sunny window. Some people skip the paper bag, but others believe it helps protect some of the valuable constituents found in comfrey from breaking down due to UV light. Give the jar a good shake when you walk by it every day.
- Once the oil has been infusing for 4-6 weeks, strain out the herbs and pour the oil in a clean, glass jar. Store in a cool, dark cabinet until needed.
Slow Cooker Instructions (Quick Method)
- Follow steps 1-3 from the “Slow Method” section above.
- Cover your jar with cheesecloth (or a paper towel that is cut into a small square) and secure it with a rubber band.
- Place a kitchen towel in the bottom of your slow cooker and place your jar inside. Add enough water to cover about half the jar and set to the lowest setting for 2-24 hours. My slow cooker has a warm setting so I can infuse it at a very low temperature for 24 hours, but for slow cookers that only have a “low” setting instead of a “warm” setting, I recommend only infusing for 2-8 hours. Whether or not you place the lid on the slow cooker is largely determined by how hot it gets and how long you plan to infuse it. If you’re infusing it on low for 2-3 hours the lid will probably be helpful in helping it warm up more quickly and retain heat better, but if you’re infusing for 3-6 hours the lid may cause too much heat to be retained. You can always start with the lid and remove it if you decide to extend the infusing time. If your slow cooker tends to run hot I recommend leaving the lid off.
- Strain out the comfrey leaves/roots using cheesecloth and pour the herbal oil in a clean, glass jar. Store in a cool, dark cabinet until needed.
How To Make Comfrey Salve ^
Equipment
- double boiler or stainless steel bowl and a pot
- 2 ounce tins or small glass jar
Ingredients
- 4 oz. comfrey infused oil (make your own using the recipe above or buy it here)
- ½ oz. beeswax (by weight, or about 2 tablespoons beeswax pastilles)
- 25-50 drops essential oil (optional – frankincense, Roman chamomile, tea tree, and lavender essential oil are good choices)
- ½ tsp vitamin E oil (optional)
Instructions
- Gently heat the beeswax in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler you can use a stainless steel bowl set inside a pot of boiling water.
- When the beeswax is melted, add in the comfrey oil and vitamin E oil (if using). Allow it to warm up for 30-60 seconds, then stir until the beeswax and oil are thoroughly mixed. If you’re adding essential oils, wait until the mixture has cooled just a little and then stir them in.
- Pour your salve into a clean, dry container and allow it to cool – I used three of these 2 ounce tins. Now you’re ready for the next bug attack, bee sting, scrape, etc.
Notes
How to make comfrey poultice ^
If you want to avoid the time and effort involved in making oils and salves, a comfrey poultice can be placed directly on unbroken or unabraded skin.
Here’s a super simple method for making a poultice: Place your dried or fresh herbs in a white cotton sock or muslin bag (or make a bag with cheesecloth), then tie a knot the top. Place the bag in a bowl of hot water and use a large spoon to “knead” it for a minute or so to get the herbs to begin releasing their therapeutic compounds.
Remove the poultice from the water, check the temperature to ensure that it’s warm but not so hot that it will irritate skin, then apply it to the affected area.
Is comfrey tea safe? ^
The short answer: The Botanical Safety Handbook, 2nd Edition, lists comfrey as Class 2a, 2b, and 2c: which means that it is recommended for external use only, and not for use in pregnancy or nursing. Comfrey is not recommended for use with deep wounds or unset bones.
The long answer: Although it’s been traditionally used both externally and internally, recent documentation of serious liver damage from drinking comfrey tea has prompted many herbalists to stop recommending the internal use of comfrey. External use of comfrey is still considered safe, though, so comfrey shouldn’t be thrown out of your herbal toolkit altogether.
The problem with comfrey is that every plant contains varying levels of several kinds of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, or PAs. PAs cause veno-occlusive liver disease in some people, a condition where the breakdown of the PAs release pyrroles that damage the veins in the liver that eventually leads to scarring and clogging (4).
This isn’t based on some petri dish or lab-rat study…these are real people and veno-occlusive liver disease can – and has been – fatal. However, those are individual case reports, and no human clinical trials can be done to test the safety of comfrey due to the potential risks. (5)
Some herbalists argue that the risks have not been properly assessed because there are several kinds of comfrey – common comfrey (S. officianale), prickly comfrey (Symphytum asperum) and Russian comfrey (S. uplandicum) – and it’s unclear which one was consumed in the cases that reported negative effects. Certain cultivars are thought to be lower in PAs than others, but more research is needed to confirm that.
The chances of someone getting liver occlusion from PA ingestion can’t be predicted. Liver occlusion is more likely to occur in people with compromised livers or people with malnourishment, but it can occur in anyone, any age, any time. On the other hand, some people can ingest comfrey and never get an occluded liver.
The entire comfrey family contains PAs, including the common garden companion borage. Roots contain the largest amounts of PAs, and the oldest leaves contain the least. Other medicinal herbs that contain PAs are the lung-remedy coltsfoot immune supporting boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum). The aster, pea, and orchid families also contain PAs (over 6,000 plants).
This debate is compounded by the fact that not all PAs are dangerous. Of the 650+ PAs currently known, non-toxic PAs are found in Echinacea and other medicinal aster family species. Coltsfoot (an antitussive herb) PAs are rumored to be toxic, but many attribute this to mistaken identification of a known toxic look alike, Petasites, and not coltsfoot.
Coltsfoot PAs are mostly the non-toxic kind, but it does have extremely small amounts of the known hepatotoxic PAs. (4) Some herbalists will use coltsfoot long term; some will use it short term; some won’t use it with pregnant women/children; some won’t use it at all.
Alternatives to comfrey tea for internal use ^
Comfrey was historically recommended internally to support healing when there is a dry cough or connective tissue injury (bone and skin). Fortunately, there are alternative herbs for both of these situations that don’t pose the same risk as comfrey.
Mullein leaf and marshmallow root can be taken together as a moistening, restorative, lung-supportive remedy when a dry cough is present. To make a simple tea, pour 1/2 ounce of each into a jar and steep in 1 quart of lukewarm/cold water for 4-8 hours, then strain and drink.
For bone or other connective tissue injuries, consuming foods that provide nutrients for healing can go a long way. Bone broth, ample protein, healthy fats, foods and herbs high in B-vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, bioflavonoids, and minerals can be consumed during an injury, as well as getting adequate sun exposure for Vitamin D along with the benefits of infrared light. Comfrey can be used externally to support healing as well.
More Salve Recipes To Try ^
Calendula Salve – This healing salve is rich in compounds that nourish, hydrate, and support skin healing. I call it my #allthethingsbalm because it can be used as a face moisturizer, chapped lip balm, baby bottom balm, owie salve, burn salve, bug bite balm and more. It’s super easy to make, too!
Plantain Salve – Can you really make a first aid ointment out of a backyard weed and items in your pantry? Yes you can, and chances are your kids will love helping you gather “medicine.” Like many salves, this recipe is good for bee stings, sunburn, poison ivy, eczema flares, diaper rash and more.
Moisturizing Hand Salve – Loads of dishes, gardening, dry weather . . . whatever’s got your hands feeling chapped and dry, this easy hand salve is perfect for dry skin and cuticles. Just melt and pour the ingredients and you’re done!
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Have you used comfrey before? ^
Please tell me about your experience in the comments below!
About the authors: This article was co-authored by Heather Dessinger and Dr. Lori Valentine Rose (PhD). Dr. Rose, PhD is a college biology, nutrition, herbal, and wellness instructor, Certified Nutrition Professional (CNP), Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild, and is Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition. She created, developed, and instructs the Hill College Holistic Wellness Pathway, the most thorough, affordable, degreed wellness program in the country. She loves spreading love and light, and helping others feel awesome on the inside and out so they can live their dreams and make this world more awesome!
Sources for this article:
1. Barna, M et. al. (2007) Wound healing effects of a Symphytum herb extract cream (Symphytum x uplandicum NYMAN: ): results of a randomized, controlled double-blind study
2. Kucera, M et. al. (2005) Topical symphytum herb concentrate cream against myalgia: a randomized controlled double-blind clinical study
3. Grube, B et. al. (2007) Efficacy of a comfrey root (Symphyti offic. radix) extract ointment in the treatment of patients with painful osteoarthritis of the knee: results of a double-blind, randomised, bicenter, placebo-controlled trial
4. Ganora, Lisa. (2009) Herbal Constituents: Foundations of Phytochemistry
5. Comfrey Central. Case Reports of Toxicity with Internal Use of Comfrey
If you purchase Comfrey Infused Oil from the Amazon Link, would you still use 4 oz – the same as the oil you created in the Salve recipe above?
Yes 🙂
Hello Heather.
The studies that led to comfrey being labelled as dangerous were done on pulmonaria, a relative of comfrey.
Significant pa alkaloid content has never been found in comfrey leaf.
It is a typical attempt from the business propagandists to remove a competing product
Thank you for this thorough article on comfrey. I’m going to try the slow cook method and quick method with crock pot for helping a friends recent broken foot. Great tip about tye towel in the pot because I usually just infuse the herb in oil directly in crock pot and fear I burn it. So I’m excited to try this double boiler in glass jars method What do you think of using St. John’s wort infused coconut oil to infuse the comfrey into? I have a lot of that at the moment but out of olive and jojoba is too expensive for this. Also, in making a comfrey plaster, is dried comfrey leaf ok instead of fresh leaf? Could I use the pulp from infusing oils? Or would this be too oily in the cheesecloth? Thank you!
A friend of mine introduced me to Comfrey and gave me a plant about 5 years ago. I have made comfrey salve ever since. When my daughter had a bad break to her arm up near the shoulder she had a deep purple bruise that went all the way to her elbow. I put comfrey salve everywhere I could reach and at the next recheck the Dr was surprised to see how fast the bruising had gone away, and confused as to why the underside was still purple (where I couldn’t reach without hurting her).
My parents also use comfrey salve on their sore joints and say it really helps with arthritic pain. My Mom was so impressed that she got a comfrey plant and makes and gives away comfrey salve to her friends. I use it for minor scrapes and cuts with the kids and for dry skin in the winter months for myself.
Hi,I just want to know if you make all the salve recipes you have on your site. It’s just that all are indicated for bug bites,cuts and scrapes etc. I’ve made the plantain and calendula salves. Is there a completely separate application for this which will warrant making another salve?
Hi Sharifa, there is often a lot of overlap in the uses for different herbal salves. I do make all of them at different times depending on what I’m using them for and what I have on hand, but you can easily get by with just a few of them. One of the main reasons I post all the different recipes is so that you can make what works for you based on the herbs that grow in your area or are available at your local herb shop/natural health food store. 🙂
I used to be able to buy a water-based comfrey gel that was absolutely amazing! I used it on myself and my animals. I was able to buy at wholesale in an 18 pound bucket from a business called the comfrey gal. They ended up going out of business overnight because the man that processed the comfrey base passed away. I would LOVE to be able to get (or make) this again. I even put some in my I when I raised up too quickly and bumped my eye into the corner of a wooden mantle. My eye had gotten blood red immediately and just missed the Iris. Within a week it was back to normal coloring. I’ve watched it heal a nasty cut on my finger from electric hedge clippers. It took swelling down and healed from the inside out beautifully. I had cut halfway through, right to the bone, but I did not go to the hospital or get stitches or anything. You can barely see the scars. I am literally devastated that I cannot get it anymore.
Sandy, if you slice fresh comfrey root and pop it in water a gel comes out almost within a few minutes, I’ve just been sat here with mine. Trying to fish the slippery bits of root out of some water. It might be worth following the hot infuse method with some thinly sliced root….you might end up with a jar of infused oil and some gel in there too.
Hi, I’ve made the plantain and calendula salves. All are indicated for bug bites,cuts and scrapes. So do I need to make this as well or will those two suffice? Does the comfrey salve have a completely different application as well?
Plantain and calendula would be my first choice for bug bites, scrapes, etc. This salve would be my first choice for supporting the body’s natural healing process after a break or sprain.
Hi Heather,
I investigated comfrey tea a few months ago and could have sworn the liver toxicity was from someone testing it on rats by feeding them a pound of comfrey a day, not from humans. I was looking into it as a tea infusion to help demineralization teeth and help with cavities. Thanks for the recipes on salves!
Sarah, I don’t think that the rats were fed a pound of comfrey per day but they were given copious amounts of the alkaloids found in comfrey causing tumors and cancer in ‘tiny’ rats.
When the tests were re-done using the entire plant the results were quite different showing no tumors or cancer.
Bottom line if comfrey is consumed in its whole state and within normal ranges it is OK to take for short periods of time.
(The Little Herbal Encyclopedia” by Jack Ritchason ND (3rd ED))
About twenty years ago my then girlfriend Karla introduced me to the wonderful effects of comfrey.I sliced my finger on a Stanley knife blade whilst fitting a carpet.To stem the blood flow and heal the wound she applied some Natures Aid comfrey oil and wrapped some tissue around my finger.This stopped both the blood flow and the stinging pain induced by the cut.The following morning I could barely see where the injury was.I have extolled the benefits of this magical herb ever since,and when I use it I always thank Karla.
I read the site that refers to the toxicity of comfrey and the last study is indicated at being done in 1992 not ‘recent’ by any stretch of the imagination. Do you know of or have anything more recent that the 1992 study?
I also noticed this and the source listed was written in 2004 saying there was no indication of ingestion causing the issues listed.
I have comfrey in my garden. Can I use fresh comfrey for the oils and salves? How do you dry it? I’ve only made poultice with it.
Fresh comfrey leaves and root contain a good deal of moisture which, in time, can mold in your salve. Take your leaves or thinly sliced root and dry them, either in a dehydrator or by putting them in a very warm place. I hang the leaves inside a paper bag in my attic, the root slices are laid on a screen, covered with cheesecloth, and left in the attic where they dry up really fast.
Please provide a measurement Of comfrey.
I used a similar recipe to make comfrey salve with great results. I broke my wrist several months ago, the main break was plated and screwed, but 2 smaller fractures weren’t. Six weeks post surgery I still had a lot of inflammation and very little movement. Within 30mins of applying the salve the constant ache subsided and the inflammation was greatly reduced by the next day. This made my rehab exercises much easier. My therapist was very surprised.
I look forward to making your other recipes now I have found your site, thank you for sharing.
I have a comfrey plans growing in my garden and I use it for all pains and bruises, cuts and injuries. Few weeks ago my son had his wisdom teeth removed and the wounds were deep and needed stiches. He was told to take strong prescription medications for pain and was told that pain will get worse by 4th day but will get better with in 2-3 weeks. On the 4th day he should start rinses with syringe of the hole to make sure no food gets in there. So when we got home I took some dry comfrey roots and boiled for a couple mins cooled it off and saturated the gauze that was given to him to stop the bleeding and put it behind his cheek. As the numbness started to wear off he started to feel pain but he continued to use comfrey root tea and some ibuprofen and kept renewing his old gauze with new/clean one. By the 2nd day he was much better never needed prescription medications for pain and on 4th day when I decided to help him to flush the hole I didn’t find anything and stiches fell off. On 5th day he was in school like nothing ever happened. I thought it was a miracle. This is only one of the miracle that comfrey did but there were many more.
I first used comfrey about 25 yrs ago on some cracked ribs suffered in a forestry accident. I was living in an old miners cabin at the time and the property had both comfrey and poppies growing in profusion.i left the poppies alone and slapped a series of hot comfrey poultices on the injury . Pain relief arrived within minutes and healing was apparent within a week.
I have also used it also on tendonitus, carpel tunnel and arthritis using the hot poultice method.
I recently discovered a product called Equine Extreme a comfrey methylin based linement for race horses. It is wildly effective but hard to source, also expensive.
Last year i made a comfrey salve with olive oil which worked ok but not as good as the Equine formula or the hot poultice .
Back to the drawing board , i will try the root this year and also the plantain/ comfrey mix as i have reserved an area where plantain grows quite healthily.
I have never taken it internally but made comfrey tea for watering vegtables and other plants.i make it in a 40 gallon drum and throw a sizable harvest of leaves in for a week or too . Its a pretty disgusting mixture in that context , but i mix it with my hands as well as a paddle and the effect of this cold rinse is also immediately noticeable. The brother who is a 40 year veteran long distance trucker noticed an immediate improvement in his hands. Grows great vegtables and plants
A while ago I attended an herb conference and one of the speakers praised the use of comfrey for breaks and wounds.
When I arrive home from the conference, there was a note that my husband had injured himself while using a power tool and was at the local hospital emergency room. I rushed there and the only treatment he’d been given was a tetanus shot, a pain reliever and left soaking the finger in saline, waiting for a doctor to arrive. The doctor arrived about the time I did. The end of the bone was visible. The doctor said there was not ample skin to suture over the end of the finger and recommended he come to his office on Monday and he would remove skin from another location on his body and graft it to the finger.
I made a comfrey solution in which he soaked the finger the rest of the weekend, other than during sleep, when we used a poultice.
So much progress was made over the weekend that we didn’t go to the doctor on Monday. Within two weeks of following the regimen, the skin had grown over the end of his finger. We never went back to the doctor again for the injury.
I would like to make the comfrey oil to make a salve, but I’m wondering how much comfrey to use?? I didn’t see where it said an amount. Did I miss it?? Thanks!
The salve recipe is at the bottom of the post 🙂
I once smashed my thumb with a hammer, hard. I took a comfrey leaf filled my rubber gloves thumb, pulverized the leaf inside, with same hammer, stuck my poor thumb inside and left the glove on till the next morn. When I awoke my thumb was normal, the nail didn’t even turn black and I never lost it. Awesome gift from God.
My friend’s son was trying out for the olympic bobsled team. He smashed his elbow in a wipeout breaking the olecranon. His mother boiled comfrey root, soaked a flannel cloth, covered the injury with the flannel, then plastic wrap every night. The elbow healed fast. The only bruising was near the hand and shoulder. The pain was minimal and was relieved quickly. Physiotherapist was impressed and worked on regaining range of motion. The mother was very impressed at my recommendation.
A friend fell injured his leg muscles. I told him about comfrey. I gave him some powdered root. He mixed it with water, heated it and then put it on top of the painful spasm and then covered it with a wet cloth, then plastic wrap. It helped the pain immediately. He left it on for about 5 days untouched, after which when he took it off he had blisters on the skin. So beware of leaving the herb directly on the skin too long without relief. Always check at least daily, how any injury is doing. The powdered comfrey root was from Bulgaria. This was the first reaction I have ever seen with comfrey in using it for many years.
Do you know if the comfrey from Bulgaria was Symphytum Officinale?
In 1983, when my daughter was 15 months old, she broke her leg. The doctors said she would be laid up for 6 weeks and they would then take another xray to see how it was healing. I decided to give her 1x1000mg of vitaminC, 1x garlic tablet and 1x comfrey tablet per day. After 3 and a half weeks she was energetic enough to the point of me asking them to take an xray. 2 days later they did just that (to keep me quiet, I’m sure) Nevertheless, to their utter amazement, they released her as it had completely healed but not before the Registrar, the dietitian and a number of others had asked me about the comfrey and the treatment I had given her.
I had a bad gash to a finger caused by a knife. The vet suggested a couple of stitches from a Doctor. I tightly bound the finger to stop bleeding and then my wife applied comfrey a few hours later. Over the next three days we changed dressings nightly and the result was the gash healed from the base and left very little scarring. Impressed.
Can I use coconut oil in the quick method? Thanks!
I did and it worked great on my knees.
I have 2 questions. First one, I have a blood clotting disorder, will comfrey mess up my blood clotting tests? Second one, my mom has mold allergies, Would this be safe for her?
Yep!
Can I use fresh leaves from my garden to make the oils with, as I am doing with plantain?
Yes, definitely!
Thanks! Putting it on my to do list for tomorrow. Rain coming in later in the day.
I am planning on storing most of the oil till I need (and have time) to make some salve. Should I put a bit of Vit E oil in as a preservative? If so, how much? I have 8-9 oz of oil. Same with my plantain oil.
TY, Deb
Hi, how long does this keep? 🙂
The Comfrey Salve that I make keeps perfectly in my refrigerator, sometimes for over a year, without seeming to loose any of its potency.
Loved reading all the miracle stories about comfrey in the comments! I can’t wait to plant a patch of it (and try to control it!) on my property this year!
Could you please give us a recipe for comfrey toothpaste? The small company that I order comfrey remineralizing toothpaste from appears to have gone out of business during this Covid crisis. My only recourse appears to be to make my own comfrey toothpaste.
Thank you for this great recipe! Do you have any recommendations on what to use the strained comfrey leaves for? I don’t want to throw them out.
Thanks
Please read up on current scientific evidence on the use of comfrey as a tea internally. The roots are to be used with caution but the leaves do not contain the harmful alkaloids you are referring to here.
I have used comfrey for years and I grow it. I did not know it was a good fertilizer so I am going to try it. I think I will also make some salve but I have been using the green leaves on sprains, arthritis, gout and any kind of injury and it works great.
Thanks for telling me about it in the garden as I am going to try it.
Thanks
Sharon
Really enjoy reading your recipes and ideas
If you are using leaves the tea is quite safe and very beneficial. The alkaloids are mostly in the roots. It’s astringent as well as moistening-a rare combo. Making it useful for GI issues like ulcerative colitis. As well as many other issues where tissue regeneration is needed.
Don’t discount it as a tea. I drink it at least once a week. Be mindful of your own body and potential complications.
First, I wish to thank you for all you do in an effort to educate and help others. My first experience using comfrey salve was on a horse wound. The cell rejuvenation that took place was incredible. That is a story in itself. I just have to say that in the end, the serious wound was difficult to find. I have been using comfrey for over 20 years making salve for both people and some animals. Comfrey is the best healing herb I have ever dealt with to reduce inflammation! I use fresh comfrey leaves and dip in boiling water for just a few seconds to help soften them. Then I wrap the leaves around the swollen wound area, leave on for about 12 hours and then remove. I have done this on horses and people and after the first application at least 75% of inflammation is removed. Re-wrap if necessary for another 12 hours and in most cases the majority of inflammation is gone. Once inflammation is reduced, pain is reduced. Comfrey is an awesome healer!
Comfrey balm is very good. I’m just making it, Heather, thanks for the recipe.
Thank you for this salve recipe Heather I may give it a try. I planted comfrey about 8 years ago with the number one attraction being that the leaves make great mulch and as they break down they have nutrients for the soil similar to poultry waste. Secondary was the attraction to the health benefits. I was grateful to have poultices made and on hand when last August my husband fell from the top of a 10′ ladder when a 30′ limb wacked him off. He was admitted to the hospital with a brain bleed and fractured C7. We were very fortunate that the brain bleed stopped on it’s own the first night. I applied the comfrey poultices to the fracture and at his follow up visit the doctor could not believe how well and fast the fracture had healed.
I have used comfrey for year but in a completely different process, we blend up all parts of the plant with everclear and use it as a poultice. Looking at the ways you have listed am interested in trying a not so messy way. My question is would it be advantageous to juice it then put pulp and juice back together for the infusion and then strain? Or does it lose properties that way? We had a bumper crop this year and have only cut 2 plants back so far and have over 50 lbs and I wasn’t relishing the chore of processing the other 6 plants in such an arduous way. So interested in your thoughts. Thanks so much for the great information and other process recipies!
Hello Heather. I have comfrey ready to make a salve, but it has powdery mildew on it. The leaves are dried already though, so do you know if there’s a way to remove the mildew once its dried. And if not, is it safe to use the leaves to make the salve?
Thanks for your help. Cheers, Bronwyn
I personally would not use it. 🙁
I have comfrey growing and have made poultices from the live leaves. How would I make comfrey oil with fresh leaves or would you suggest I dry them prior to making the comfrey oil?
I recommend drying them first.