Comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.) is a perennial plant that belongs to the Boraginaceae family.

It reaches a height of 90 centimeters, large and hairy leaves, purple or white flowers.

Active components of the root of the Comfrey  are the compound of amino (allantoine), phenolic acids (rosemary acid, salicylic and caffeic), mucillosis polysaccarids and glicopeptids. Rosemary acid and root-isolated glicopeptids have been shown to have anti-inflammatory activity. In particular, rosemary acid inhibits the synthesis of prostaglandins and glycopeptids, at a dependent dose, inhibit the release of prostaglandins (1).

The root is used to treat inflammation of the skin and leg ulcers. It is not used internally because of its content of pyrolizidic alkaloids which demonstrates hepatotoxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic properties in rats (2).

Comfrey more studies

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy. Symphyti radix. 2nd ed. Supplement. New York: Thieme; 2009. ESCOP Monographs; pp. 249–54.

(2) Schulz V, Hänsel R, Blumenthal M, Tyler VE. Rational phytotherapy. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag; 2004. pp. 335–47.