A collection of stuff I gathered about comfrey on the web:
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Comfrey: Tomorrow's food, today's medicine
by Ingri Cassel
The comfrey plant, Symphytum officinale, is a member of the borage family and has been called knitbone, bruise-wort, wound wort, healing herb and slippery root. Although comfrey is a medicinal plant, it is also grown to feed animals since it is considered the fastest builder of vegetable protein. In fact, the amount of vegetable protein obtained from every acre of comfrey can be nearly twenty times that obtained from soybeans.
Comfrey is an excellent source of vitamins A and C as well as being one of the few plants that can extract B-12 from the soil. It is also high in calcium, potassium, manganese, iron, zinc and magnesium. It contains 18 amino acids and is a good source of hysine, an amino acid usually lacking in vegan vegetarian diets. Due to comfrey's superior nutritional profile, some researchers have considered comfrey to be an answer in feeding starving nations.
Henry Doubleday
English farmer Henry Doubleday (1813-1902) originally became interested in comfrey after he read an article in the Royal Agricultural Society's 1871 Journal. He had read the word “mucilaginous” and thought comfrey could be used in the manufacture of glue, possibly replacing gum arabic. He obtained some comfrey roots from St. Petersburg in Russia and began propagating them. These roots happened to be a hybrid, symphytum peregrinum. It is assumed that this form of comfrey is a cross between the European comfrey, symphytum officinale, and comfrey from the Caucasus mountains, symphytum asperrium. This strain of comfrey is believed by many to be superior nutritionally and therapeutically to the traditional European variety.
After numerous successful applications of comfrey while raising livestock, both as food and medicine, Doubleday founded the Henry Doubleday Research Association in England. Lawrence D. Hills later became its director having worked extensively with comfrey since 1948. He is frequently credited as the impetus behind the research into comfrey being used for both food and medicine.
Politics of comfrey
Although comfrey root is highly esteemed as a vulnerary (healer of wounds), it has come under fire in recent years because it contains a group of alkaloids (pyrollizidine) that are considered hepatoxic (harmful to the liver.) We have yet to see a study proving a direct association between the limited medicinal ingestion of comfrey root and the development of liver disease. Despite the lack of independent studies proving that limited ingestion of comfrey root damages the liver, comfrey has been banned for sale in many countries including Canada, Australia and Japan. In the U.S., comfrey root and leaf is banned for use internally. The FDA and the American Herbal Products Association warns that comfrey is for external use only and should not be applied to an open wound.
Comfrey the healer
Historically, comfrey was mostly used externally until the early 1800s. During this time, herbalists began using an infusion of the root internally for bronchitis and rheumatism.
Since then, many people have successfully used both the leaf and root of comfrey internally for a variety of complaints; our family included.
Today we know that the use of comfrey assists in the development of strong bones and healthy skin. It also promotes the secretion of pepsin and is a general aid to digestion.
It is one of the finest healers of the respiratory system and can be used both internally and externally for the healing of fractures, wounds, sores and ulcers. It has been used with great success to check hemorrhage, whether from the stomach, lungs, bowels or uterus. It appears to have a beneficial effect on all parts of the body, and is frequently used as an overall tonic.
Testimonials
Following are some quotes from articles I have collected that testify to the remarkable and miraculous healing properties of comfrey.
“Comfrey root has incredible healing power. It has basically helped everything that was hurt or bleeding on my three small children, myself, husband, dog and assorted friends. It has a rare action of being a catalyst that stimulates all cells in the area to reproduce quickly. What really impressed me was how the pain subsided. And now I'm amazed to see that it heals messy scrapes under dirt, lifting debris off with the scab in a few days with no inflammation or infection!
The root is a power house of healing energy that, when applied to a wound, makes blood coagulate which stops bleeding.. I'll never forget when Joshua was two years old, he dropped a heavy toy on his toenail, splitting it right down the middle. I just kept sprinkling comfrey root powder over the mini-gusher of blood until only drips persisted within minutes of the accident. His sobs of pain subsided almost as quickly and one hour later, after a nap, he was proud of himself, hobbling around on his heel! The next day, at a pool party, the scab floated off exposing pink skin. His toenail grew in over the following two weeks.
Taken as a tea sweetened with honey it stopped my internal hemorrhaging after the home-birth of our third child. Our birthing assistant Betsy was concerned about my heavy bleeding, but it decreased to a normal flow after two cups of the tea.
Betsy's ulcers never bothered her again after swallowing several pills made of the root. Years of medication didn't measure up to the quickness of comfrey roots' healing powers.
Sinus problems and bad head colds respond quite favorably to several cups of hot comfrey root tea. Sore throats melt away after a few cups. It has even soothed my stomach and gas cramps that had been known to bend me over. Headaches and menstrual discomforts cease to be a bother after a cup or two.”
~Excerpted from the article, “Blood Make You Faint? Comfrey Root Powder Heals All of Life's Hard Knocks” by Judy Vallely, Health Freedom News, Vol. 6, #11, p. 40
“One interesting story is that of a registered nurse in Provo, Utah. Her 14-year-old boy broke his arm, so she rushed him to the Dugway Proving Grounds Hospital to be taken care of, as they are ex-army people. When the doctor x-rayed the arm, he told them the bone was clean broken, so clean that he would have to put the boy into a brace for a few days until knitting started, and then into a cast. He put on the brace and told them to come back in five days. The nurse told us she was anxious to get home and use the information she had learned in the lectures on comfrey. The arm was bare so on arriving home she put comfrey poultices and fomentations around the arm, and as she said, she gave him comfrey tea, comfrey green drink, comfrey tablets and capsules, and put comfrey into salads and steamed comfrey as a vegetable -- in fact, she got comfrey into him every way she could think of.
In five days she took him back to Dugway to get the cast on and when the doctor came out of the dark room with the new x-ray he said, 'What have you done to this boy?' the nurse said, 'What do you mean doctor' his answering retort was, 'Don't be coy with me. You're a registered nurse and this boy's arm is completely healed and the bone knit together without a hairline crack -- it is perfect in five days- what did you use?' So she told him. Here was a boy healed of a broken bone in five days, x-rays before and after for proof (the fastest bone healing we know of).”
~excerpted from the article “Comfrey -- Heaven's Gift to Man” by Dr. John R. Christopher, M.H., The Herbalist, Volume 1, Number 5, 1976.
Another story from the same article:
“A lady managing a china shop in Provo, Utah, came to us a few years ago, asking if a friend of hers could be helped. She said one-and-a-half vertebras had deteriorated completely in her back, and the vertebrae below and above were so weak that fusing could not be done.
She could not sit up or walk, but just lay there waiting for the spine to continue deteriorating until she died. We told the lady that her friend could be helped if she would follow our instructions. The back was to be kept with fomentations and/or poultices of comfrey on it, and she was put onto the mucusless diet and lots of fresh raw juice and many cups of comfrey tea each day, slippery elm gruel and a nerve palliative tea combination.
In six months, the one and one-half vertebrae grew back in the same form as before (the good Lord left plans and specifications) in the form of cartilage so the woman could sit and walk again. In another six months, the cartilage turned into bone and she had a perfect back from neck through tailbone with no more trouble. The physician took x-rays of the back with vertebrae gone and later again with them back in place, built like new by the body.”
There are so many fabulous comfrey stories they could literally fill a 500-page book. We hope this column has inspired you to make sure you have it growing in your backyard. If not, reserve a place in your yard for it and consult with your community master gardeners about obtaining a few fresh roots.
If you are inspired to learn more about comfrey and John Christopher's programs for healing, send $5 to The Idaho Observer and we will send you several reprinted articles on comfrey along with Dr. Christopher's Three-Day Cleansing Program, Mucusless Diet and Herbal Combinations. Our very first Back to Basics column covered the healing powers of this plant in August 1999. After a discussion with my sister last week, she inspired me to revisit comfrey once again in this column. She had gone over to her former residence, now a rental, to harvest some of the comfrey growing there. Her tenant had no idea that he had such a valuable plant growing in his backyard. He appeared stunned and amazed when she told him why she was gathering the leaves along with a few roots and how she was planning to using it.
It appears that we have lost much valuable history regarding the proven therapeutic value of this plant and countless others. This month's column is an attempt to recover some of that history.
"MDs are those who think we have an excess of organs and a deficiency of drugs." ~Donna Carillo
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* Contemporary herbalists view comfrey as an ambivalent and controversial herb that may offer therapeutic benefits but can cause liver toxicity.
One of the country names for comfrey was ‘knitbone’, a reminder of its traditional use in healing bone fractures. Modern science confirms that comfrey can influence the course of bone ailments.[1][2][3][4]
The herb contains allantoin, a cell proliferant that speeds up the natural replacement of body cells. Comfrey was used in an attempt to treat a wide variety of ailments ranging from bronchial problems, broken bones, sprains, arthritis, gastric and varicose ulcers, severe burns, acne and other skin conditions. It was reputed to have bone and teeth building properties in children, and have value in treating "many female disorders". Constituents of comfrey also include mucilage, steroidal saponins, tannins, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, inulin, and proteins.
Internal usage of comfrey should be avoided because it contains hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). Use of comfrey can, because of these PAs, lead to veno-occlusive disease (VOD). VOD can in turn lead to liver failure, and comfrey, taken in extreme amounts, has been implicated in at least one death.[5] In 2001, the United States Food and Drug Administration issued a warning against internal usage of herbal products containing comfrey.[6] There are ways to remove the pyrrolizidine alkaloids from comfrey, and some herbal product manufacturers have begun doing so (although the products will still be labelled “for external use only”).
Most recently, in a placebo controlled study comfrey was found to decrease back pain when used topically. However, it is not clear if these results reached statistical significance.
* Symphytum officinale ointment is also useful in wounds that reach the periosteum and the bone surface, and in these two inflammation, periostitis and osteitis, as well as in contusions of the eyeball.
Uses the aqueous solution of 1 part T.M. to 5 parts water.
The leaves of Symphytum officinale contains allantoin, which is a stimulant to the growth of tissues.
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symphytum is one of the gems of remedies in medicne chest for fractures and ligament tear two of my patient who had suffered from ligament tear advised surgery recovered with symphytum 30 bd
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- Common Name - Comfrey, Healing Herb.
- Preparation - One part of the fresh root gathered just before blooming is macerated in two parts by weight of alcohol.
- The Homeopathic Examiner of August contains a paper entitled "Connection of Homeopathy with Surgery", by Croserio, translated by P.P. Wells, M.D.
- It is there stated that "injuries of the bones are healed most promptly by Symphytum offinale 30 internally once a day.
- The remedy accelerates the consolidation of fractures surprisingly".
- The translator adds a note as follows : "I have had repeated opportunities of verifying this declaration of Croserio.
- A boy, fourteen years old, broke the bones of the forearm at the junction of the lower and middle thirds, two years ago.
- He had twice repeated the fracture by slight falls.
- The ends of the fragments are now slightly movable on each other and the arm is weak and admits of little use.
- Three doses of Symphytum effected a perfect cure.
- The lad became more robust, and has since had better general health than ever before.
- A boy, eight years old, fractured the humerus near the junction of the condyles and shaft.
- Arnica 30 immediately arrested the spasmodic jerks of the muscles of the injured arm.
- This remedy was continued for the first three days, when the traumatic fever had entirely subsided.
- He then had Symphyt. 3, gtt. I., in half a tumbler of water, a teaspoonful every morning and evening.
- The splints were removed the ninth day and the bone was found consolidated.
- The cure was entirely without pain.
- How much earlier than this the fragments ceased to be movable is not known.
- Well may the author say it heals broken bones surprisingly.
- Let it be remembered that the discovery of this specific is but one of the many rich fruits of Hahnemannism.
- (The following appeared in the Homeopathic World , 1890 , under the signature F.H. B.)
- In none of the Homeopathic treatises that i possess do i find any mention of the above remedy.
- I am surprised at this, for i believe it to be a very valuable one in certain cases.
- Its common name of knitbone seems to point to popular experience of one of its uses; but i believe its knitting, or uniting powers extends to muscular and other tissues of the body, as well as to the bones.
Source: ANSHUTZ.E.P New old and forgotten remedies
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Symphytum is a homoeopathic medicine made from root and leaves of the plant called Comfrey or Symphytum Officinale and is usually used homeopathically in a highly diluted form. The impressive wound-healing properties of Symphytum are due to the presence of allantoin. Allantoin is known to stimulate cell proliferation and so augments wound-healing both inside and out. Allantoin is known to stimulate osteoblasts, the bone building cells.
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Osteoporosis and Symphytum
Osteoporosis literally means porous bones. It is a slow, progressive disease characterized by a gradual loss of calcium from bones until they become very porous and weak. Normally, bones are composed of a shell of compact or solid bone surrounding connecting plates and rods of bone (spongy bone) within which lie the bone marrow.
Two types of cell regulate the growth of bone: osteoclasts and osteoblasts. The osteoclasts function to dissolve older bone and leave tiny unfilled spaces behind. The osteoblasts then move into these spaces and produce new bone. After menopause or after middle age when the level of hormones go down ,the new bone forming cells also cease to function normally. Thus in osteoporosis, the amount of both compact and spongy bone is reduced. Thinning of the outer layer of compact bone greatly reduces its strength and increases the likelihood of fracture. Symphytum is of great help in osteoporosis as it increases the activity of osteoblasts which are ‘new bone’ forming cells. Thus helps in recovering from osteoporosis in the most natural way. It can also be of great help in fractures resulting due to osteoporosis. Other Homoeo-medicines such as Calcarea Carb, Calcarea phos are also of great help in treating osteoporosis by assimilating the various nutrients in the body.
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Fractures and Symphytum
When a bone fractures, osteoblasts need to go into an overdrive around the fracture site, to lay down more collagen fibers and minerals on top to strengthen them. Symphytum acts as a catalyst in this situation. It increases the activity of new bone forming cells (osteoblasts) in the area of fracture. Symphytum is to be used only once the broken bone has been brought to its original position. Symphytum is indicated in cases where the healing of fracture is delayed e.g. in old people, osteoporosis etc .It is also recommended for pain in old fractures.
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Abstract
The effectiveness and tolerability of the topicalSymphytum product Traumaplant® (Harras Pharma Curarina, München, Germany) (10% active ingredient of a 2.5:1 aqueous-ethanolic pressed concentrate of freshly harvested, cultivated comfrey herb [Symphytum uplandicum Nyman], corresponding to 25 g of fresh herb per 100 g of cream) in the treatment of patients with myalgia (n=104) were tested against a 1% reference product (corresponding to 2.5 g of fresh comfrey herb in 100 g of cream; n=111). The primary efficacy parameter in this double-blind, reference-controlled, randomized, multicenter study of 215 patients with pain in the lower and upper back was pain in motion, assessed with the aid of a visual analogue scale. Secondary efficacy parameters included pain at rest, pain on palpation, and functional impairment. With high concentrations of the treatment product, amelioration of pain on active motion (P > 5×10-9), pain at rest (P > .001), and pain on palpation (P=5×10-5) was significantly more pronounced than that attained with the reference product and was clinically highly relevant. A number needed to treat of 3.2 was calculated from the study results. Global efficacy was significantly better (P = 1 × 10-8) and onset of effects was faster (P = 4 × 10-7) with the high-concentration product. Tolerability of the highly concentrated study product was good to excellent in all patients. Study results confirm the known anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of topicalSymphytum cream. As a new finding, applicability in certain forms of back pain can be concluded.
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Abstract
In a controlled, double-blind, randomized multicentre study, the efficacy and safety of the topical comfrey product Traumaplant® (10% active ingredient of a 2.5:1 aqueous ethanolic pressed juice of freshly harvested, cultivated comfrey herb [Symphytum × uplandicum Nyman], corresponding to 25 g of fresh herb per 100 g of cream; n = 104) was tested against a 1% product (corresponding to 2.5 g of fresh comfrey herb in 100 g of cream; n = 99) in 203 patients with acute ankle distortion. With the high concentration, decrease of the scores for pain on active motion, pain at rest and functional impairment was highly significant and clinically relevant on days T3–4 as well as T7 (p < 0.001). Amelioration of swellings as compared to reference was also significant on day 3–4 (p < 0.01). Efficacy was judged good to excellent in 85.6% of cases with verum and in 65.7% of cases with reference on day 3–4. Overall tolerability was excellent.
[Therapeutic characteristance and tolerance of topical comfrey preparations. Results of an observational study of patients].
[Article in German]
Koll R, Klingenburg S.
Merck Selbstmedikation GmbH, Darmstadt.
Abstract
AIM: To analyze the anti-inflammatory and analgetic properties of the topical comfrey, preparations Kytta-Salbe f, Kytta-Plasma f and Kytta-Balsam f applied to bruises, sprains and distortions and painful conditions of the muscles and joints.
METHOD: A prospective open multicentric observational study complying with paragraph 67(6) of the AMG and involving 162 general practitioners. During the two-week period of observation, the patients received an average of one to three applications of the comfrey preparation per day. All 492 questionnaires were evaluated. Efficacy and tolerability were assessed by both physician and patient.
RESULTS: Pain at rest and on movement, as also tenderness, improved in the overall observation group by an average of 45-47%. The duration of morning joint stiffness decreased from 20 minutes initially to 3 minutes. During the course of treatment with comfrey, more than two-thirds of the patients were able to reduce or even discontinue their intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and other specific concomitant medication. In most of the cases, both effectiveness and tolerability were assessed to be excellent or good.
CONCLUSION: The results of the study confirm the effectiveness and tolerability of the topical comfrey preparation investigated in the treatment of bruises, sprains and distortions as well as painful conditions affecting muscles and joints.
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.
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Grube B, Grünwald J, Krug L, Staiger C.
Merck Selbstmedikation GmbH, Rösslerstrasse 96, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany.
Abstract
This randomised, double-blind, bicenter, placebo-controlled clinical trial investigated the effect of a daily application of 6g Kytta-Salbe f (3 x 2 g) over a 3 week period with patients suffering from painful osteoarthritis of the knee. The two hundred and twenty patients examined consisted of 153 women and 67 men of an average age of 57.9 years. On average, the complaints relating to osteoarthritis of the knee had persisted for 6.5 years. Two hundred and twenty patients were included in the Full Analysis Set (FAS) and safety collective, 186 (84.5%) in the Valid Case Analysis Set (VCAS) collective. In the course of the trial, the visual analog scale (VAS) total score (primary target value) in the verum group dropped by 51.6 mm (54.7%) and in the placebo group by 10.1 mm (10.7%). The average difference between the groups of 41.5 mm (95% confidence interval=34.8 to 48.2 mm) or 44.0% is significant (p<0.001). The significance is confirmed through the evaluation of the diary, the VCAS evaluation and the separate assessment of the two centres. This also applies to the separate assessment of the VAS total score following pain at rest and on movement. The WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities) total score (secondary target value) also improved similar to the VAS total score. At the end of the trial, a reduction by 60.4 mm (58.0%) was recorded for the verum group and a reduction of 14.7 mm (14.1%) for the placebo group. The average group difference of 45.7 mm (95% confidence interval=37.1 to 54.3 mm) or 43.9% is significant (p<0.001). The difference between the treatment groups increased systematically and significantly, in parallel with the duration of the treatment. Thus, the superiority of the treatment with Kytta-Salbe f over that with the placebo is proven, even by means of the multi-factorial multivariate analysis for repetitive measurements. In respect of the explorative secondary target values SF-36 (quality of life), angle measurement (mobility of the knee), CGI (clinical global impression) and global assessment of efficacy by the physician and the patient, a significant superiority (p<0.001 each) of the verum group over the placebo group was also proven. The results suggest that the comfrey root extract ointment is well suited for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. Pain is reduced, mobility of the knee improved and quality of life increased.
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Efficacy and safety of comfrey root extract ointment in the treatment of acute upper or lower back pain: results of a double-blind, randomised, placebo controlled, multicentre trial.
Giannetti BM, Staiger C, Bulitta M, Predel HG.
CRM Pharmaberatung GmbH, Rheinbach, Germany.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The objective was to show the superiority of comfrey root extract ointment to placebo ointment in patients with acute upper or lower back pain.
DESIGN: The study was conducted as a double-blind, multicentre, randomised clinical trial with parallel group design over a period of 5 days (SD 1). The patients (n = 120, mean age 36.9 years) were treated with verum or placebo ointment three times a day, 4 g ointment per application. The trial included four visits.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary efficacy variable was the area under the curve (AUC) of the visual analogue scale (VAS) on active standardised movement values at visits 1 to 4. The secondary efficacy variables were back pain at rest using assessment by the patient on VAS, pressure algometry (pain-time curve; AUC over 5 days), global assessment of efficacy by the patient and the investigator, consumption of analgesic medication and functional impairment measured using the Oswestry disability index.
RESULTS: There was a significant treatment difference between comfrey extract and placebo regarding the primary variable. In the course of the trial the pain intensity on active standardised movement decreased on average (median) approximately 95.2% in the verum group and 37.8% in the placebo group.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this clinical trial were clear-cut and consistent across all primary and secondary efficacy variables. Comfrey root extract showed a remarkably potent and clinically relevant effect in reducing acute back pain. For the first time a fast-acting effect of the ointment (1 h) was also witnessed.
[Therapeutic characteristance and tolerance of topical comfrey preparations. Results of an observational study of patients].
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Koll R, Klingenburg S.
Merck Selbstmedikation GmbH, Darmstadt.
Abstract
AIM: To analyze the anti-inflammatory and analgetic properties of the topical comfrey, preparations Kytta-Salbe f, Kytta-Plasma f and Kytta-Balsam f applied to bruises, sprains and distortions and painful conditions of the muscles and joints.
METHOD: A prospective open multicentric observational study complying with paragraph 67(6) of the AMG and involving 162 general practitioners. During the two-week period of observation, the patients received an average of one to three applications of the comfrey preparation per day. All 492 questionnaires were evaluated. Efficacy and tolerability were assessed by both physician and patient.
RESULTS: Pain at rest and on movement, as also tenderness, improved in the overall observation group by an average of 45-47%. The duration of morning joint stiffness decreased from 20 minutes initially to 3 minutes. During the course of treatment with comfrey, more than two-thirds of the patients were able to reduce or even discontinue their intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and other specific concomitant medication. In most of the cases, both effectiveness and tolerability were assessed to be excellent or good.
CONCLUSION: The results of the study confirm the effectiveness and tolerability of the topical comfrey preparation investigated in the treatment of bruises, sprains and distortions as well as painful conditions affecting muscles and joints.
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(NaturalNews) If you've got a cavity, maybe you want to try regrowing your own teeth before heading for a filling. Our bodies are constantly renewing themselves and although it isn't commonly known, we can regrow our teeth too. In fact, regrowing our teeth is highly preferable to having them filled because most fillings these days either contain mercury (a known toxin that damages the brain and nervous system) or are estrogenic (white fillings release estrogen and contribute to hormonal problems.)
Besides, regrowing your teeth is simple. You'll just need two things: comfrey root and organic eggshells. Eggshells are used because they contain 27 minerals and loads of calcium, so they contain the ideal building materials to regrow your teeth. In fact, the composition of eggshells is very similar to the composition of our teeth and bones. Comfrey root is used because it accelerates bone, teeth and tissue growth. In fact, another name for comfrey root is knitbone, primarily because of its ability to knit - or regrow - bone together so quickly.
When you're regrowing your teeth, aim to eat one organic eggshell each day. Blending your shells into fresh fruit smoothies is a great way to consume them because blending breaks them into tiny particles that are easily consumed. Smoothies with bananas are ideal because the banana will keep the shell particles suspended instead of allowing them to sink to the bottom of your glass. After cracking the egg, just boil your shells in water for five minutes to kill any pathogens before use.
While you're re-mineralizing and adding plenty of calcium to your body with eggshells, you'll also want to use comfrey root on your teeth and gums. Either fresh or dried comfrey root will do the trick, but if it's dried, boil the root lightly for ten minutes to rehydrate it. Then, blend a square inch of the root with a few tablespoons of water to make a liquid - and swish the liquid in your mouth and between your teeth for about 20 minutes. When you're finished, just spit it out.
Using comfrey in this manner is best done once a day, and you'll likely see progress within a few weeks. Many cavities can be completely regrown within a month or two with regular use. The best part is: you can heal your teeth without leaving toxic metals or hormone disruptors in your mouth for the rest of your life.
As a note, comfrey root can be a little hard on your liver so if you have liver problems, you'll want to avoid using comfrey. After your teeth have regrown, you'll also want to end the use of comfrey so as not to over do it.
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Comfrey Symphytum officinale (Borage Family)
This herb is a favorite first aid remedy. It contains a compound called allantoin, which when applied to the skin accelerates the healing of tissue and the closing of wounds.
When fresh leaves or roots are applied to a wound it causes it to contract and close quicker and inhibits the opportunity for infection while minimizing scarring.
Comfrey Leaf
Comfrey leaf has a long history of use to promote the healing of bones and wounds, as well as internal use to treat a wide variety of ailments from arthritis to ulcers. Its use in Chinese traditional medicine spans over 2000 years.
Recently, reports of the toxic effects of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in comfrey have led some herbalists to be wary of using it internally. PAs in extremely large doses or over long periods of time may cause potentially fatal damage to the liver. Many leading herbalists and traditional healers question the warnings, pointing to laboratory tests that show only minute levels of PAs in random samples of comfrey preparations.One of the most common uses of comfrey leaf is in an ointment or a poultice applied to sprains, broken bones and other wounds, where it promotes rapid healing of both skin lesions and bone breaks.
Comfrey leaf constituents include tannins, rosmarinic acid, allantoin, steroidal saponins, mucilage, inulin, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, Gum, Carotene, Glycosides, Sugars, Beta-sitosterol, Triterpenoids, Vitamin B-12, Protein, Zinc.
Comfrey leaf is used in herbal pastes, ointments, tinctures, decoctions, poultices and in cosmetics.
It is a popular addition to herbal salves and ointments, which can be used for bruises, sprains, eczema, swellings and burns.
Research seems to bear out the claims for the healing properties of comfrey leaf. In one major European study, an ointment based on comfrey root proved more effective at relieving both pain and swelling in 142 patients with sprained ankles. In another study with over 300 participants showed that comfrey leaf treatments of varying types (ointments, salves, compresses and other topical applications), were very effective in treating eczema, dermatitis, viral skin infections and ulcers of the lower leg. More recent research in the United States has shown that allantoin, one of comfreys main constituents, breaks down red blood cells, which could account for its ability to help heal bruises and contusions.With regards to the warnings that comfrey can cause cancer and liver disease, most herbal practitioners point out that those results were from studies that isolated the pyrrolizidine alkaloids and fed or injected them into animal subjects in doses far higher than any typical usage of comfrey leaf, and that comfrey leaf has been regularly ingested by thousands of people around the world without reported ill effects.
Comfrey root is used to relieve pain from blunt injuries, promote healing of broken bones, sprains and bruises, reduce swelling and edema, and encourage the rapid and healthy regrowth of skin and tissue cells. Because comfrey may contain PAs, which have caused cancer and liver damage in animal studies, and because the root contains it in higher concentration than the leaves, internal use is not suggested.
A strong infusion of the leaves and/or roots can be used as a skin wash to relieve irritation and promote healing.
CAUTION: There is some debate on the safety of internal consumption of this herb - mostly the root, due to the fact that it contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids which have been linked to liver cancer.
Many herbalists use the leaves internally, chopped fresh in salads or dried and added to herbal infusions, for the high mineral content.
Still, many herbalists recommend that comfrey preparations should not be taken internally because of the possibility of liver disease and damage. Comfrey should also not be used by pregnant or nursing women.
Use caution or avoid internal consumption if you have liver damage.
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Comfrey: Tomorrow's food, today's medicine
by Ingri Cassel
The comfrey plant, Symphytum officinale, is a member of the borage family and has been called knitbone, bruise-wort, wound wort, healing herb and slippery root. Although comfrey is a medicinal plant, it is also grown to feed animals since it is considered the fastest builder of vegetable protein. In fact, the amount of vegetable protein obtained from every acre of comfrey can be nearly twenty times that obtained from soybeans.
Comfrey is an excellent source of vitamins A and C as well as being one of the few plants that can extract B-12 from the soil. It is also high in calcium, potassium, manganese, iron, zinc and magnesium. It contains 18 amino acids and is a good source of hysine, an amino acid usually lacking in vegan vegetarian diets. Due to comfrey's superior nutritional profile, some researchers have considered comfrey to be an answer in feeding starving nations.
Henry Doubleday
English farmer Henry Doubleday (1813-1902) originally became interested in comfrey after he read an article in the Royal Agricultural Society's 1871 Journal. He had read the word “mucilaginous” and thought comfrey could be used in the manufacture of glue, possibly replacing gum arabic. He obtained some comfrey roots from St. Petersburg in Russia and began propagating them. These roots happened to be a hybrid, symphytum peregrinum. It is assumed that this form of comfrey is a cross between the European comfrey, symphytum officinale, and comfrey from the Caucasus mountains, symphytum asperrium. This strain of comfrey is believed by many to be superior nutritionally and therapeutically to the traditional European variety.
After numerous successful applications of comfrey while raising livestock, both as food and medicine, Doubleday founded the Henry Doubleday Research Association in England. Lawrence D. Hills later became its director having worked extensively with comfrey since 1948. He is frequently credited as the impetus behind the research into comfrey being used for both food and medicine.
Politics of comfrey
Although comfrey root is highly esteemed as a vulnerary (healer of wounds), it has come under fire in recent years because it contains a group of alkaloids (pyrollizidine) that are considered hepatoxic (harmful to the liver.) We have yet to see a study proving a direct association between the limited medicinal ingestion of comfrey root and the development of liver disease. Despite the lack of independent studies proving that limited ingestion of comfrey root damages the liver, comfrey has been banned for sale in many countries including Canada, Australia and Japan. In the U.S., comfrey root and leaf is banned for use internally. The FDA and the American Herbal Products Association warns that comfrey is for external use only and should not be applied to an open wound.
Comfrey the healer
Historically, comfrey was mostly used externally until the early 1800s. During this time, herbalists began using an infusion of the root internally for bronchitis and rheumatism.
Since then, many people have successfully used both the leaf and root of comfrey internally for a variety of complaints; our family included.
Today we know that the use of comfrey assists in the development of strong bones and healthy skin. It also promotes the secretion of pepsin and is a general aid to digestion.
It is one of the finest healers of the respiratory system and can be used both internally and externally for the healing of fractures, wounds, sores and ulcers. It has been used with great success to check hemorrhage, whether from the stomach, lungs, bowels or uterus. It appears to have a beneficial effect on all parts of the body, and is frequently used as an overall tonic.
Testimonials
Following are some quotes from articles I have collected that testify to the remarkable and miraculous healing properties of comfrey.
“Comfrey root has incredible healing power. It has basically helped everything that was hurt or bleeding on my three small children, myself, husband, dog and assorted friends. It has a rare action of being a catalyst that stimulates all cells in the area to reproduce quickly. What really impressed me was how the pain subsided. And now I'm amazed to see that it heals messy scrapes under dirt, lifting debris off with the scab in a few days with no inflammation or infection!
The root is a power house of healing energy that, when applied to a wound, makes blood coagulate which stops bleeding.. I'll never forget when Joshua was two years old, he dropped a heavy toy on his toenail, splitting it right down the middle. I just kept sprinkling comfrey root powder over the mini-gusher of blood until only drips persisted within minutes of the accident. His sobs of pain subsided almost as quickly and one hour later, after a nap, he was proud of himself, hobbling around on his heel! The next day, at a pool party, the scab floated off exposing pink skin. His toenail grew in over the following two weeks.
Taken as a tea sweetened with honey it stopped my internal hemorrhaging after the home-birth of our third child. Our birthing assistant Betsy was concerned about my heavy bleeding, but it decreased to a normal flow after two cups of the tea.
Betsy's ulcers never bothered her again after swallowing several pills made of the root. Years of medication didn't measure up to the quickness of comfrey roots' healing powers.
Sinus problems and bad head colds respond quite favorably to several cups of hot comfrey root tea. Sore throats melt away after a few cups. It has even soothed my stomach and gas cramps that had been known to bend me over. Headaches and menstrual discomforts cease to be a bother after a cup or two.”
~Excerpted from the article, “Blood Make You Faint? Comfrey Root Powder Heals All of Life's Hard Knocks” by Judy Vallely, Health Freedom News, Vol. 6, #11, p. 40
“One interesting story is that of a registered nurse in Provo, Utah. Her 14-year-old boy broke his arm, so she rushed him to the Dugway Proving Grounds Hospital to be taken care of, as they are ex-army people. When the doctor x-rayed the arm, he told them the bone was clean broken, so clean that he would have to put the boy into a brace for a few days until knitting started, and then into a cast. He put on the brace and told them to come back in five days. The nurse told us she was anxious to get home and use the information she had learned in the lectures on comfrey. The arm was bare so on arriving home she put comfrey poultices and fomentations around the arm, and as she said, she gave him comfrey tea, comfrey green drink, comfrey tablets and capsules, and put comfrey into salads and steamed comfrey as a vegetable -- in fact, she got comfrey into him every way she could think of.
In five days she took him back to Dugway to get the cast on and when the doctor came out of the dark room with the new x-ray he said, 'What have you done to this boy?' the nurse said, 'What do you mean doctor' his answering retort was, 'Don't be coy with me. You're a registered nurse and this boy's arm is completely healed and the bone knit together without a hairline crack -- it is perfect in five days- what did you use?' So she told him. Here was a boy healed of a broken bone in five days, x-rays before and after for proof (the fastest bone healing we know of).”
~excerpted from the article “Comfrey -- Heaven's Gift to Man” by Dr. John R. Christopher, M.H., The Herbalist, Volume 1, Number 5, 1976.
Another story from the same article:
“A lady managing a china shop in Provo, Utah, came to us a few years ago, asking if a friend of hers could be helped. She said one-and-a-half vertebras had deteriorated completely in her back, and the vertebrae below and above were so weak that fusing could not be done.
She could not sit up or walk, but just lay there waiting for the spine to continue deteriorating until she died. We told the lady that her friend could be helped if she would follow our instructions. The back was to be kept with fomentations and/or poultices of comfrey on it, and she was put onto the mucusless diet and lots of fresh raw juice and many cups of comfrey tea each day, slippery elm gruel and a nerve palliative tea combination.
In six months, the one and one-half vertebrae grew back in the same form as before (the good Lord left plans and specifications) in the form of cartilage so the woman could sit and walk again. In another six months, the cartilage turned into bone and she had a perfect back from neck through tailbone with no more trouble. The physician took x-rays of the back with vertebrae gone and later again with them back in place, built like new by the body.”
There are so many fabulous comfrey stories they could literally fill a 500-page book. We hope this column has inspired you to make sure you have it growing in your backyard. If not, reserve a place in your yard for it and consult with your community master gardeners about obtaining a few fresh roots.
If you are inspired to learn more about comfrey and John Christopher's programs for healing, send $5 to The Idaho Observer and we will send you several reprinted articles on comfrey along with Dr. Christopher's Three-Day Cleansing Program, Mucusless Diet and Herbal Combinations. Our very first Back to Basics column covered the healing powers of this plant in August 1999. After a discussion with my sister last week, she inspired me to revisit comfrey once again in this column. She had gone over to her former residence, now a rental, to harvest some of the comfrey growing there. Her tenant had no idea that he had such a valuable plant growing in his backyard. He appeared stunned and amazed when she told him why she was gathering the leaves along with a few roots and how she was planning to using it.
It appears that we have lost much valuable history regarding the proven therapeutic value of this plant and countless others. This month's column is an attempt to recover some of that history.
"MDs are those who think we have an excess of organs and a deficiency of drugs." ~Donna Carillo
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* Contemporary herbalists view comfrey as an ambivalent and controversial herb that may offer therapeutic benefits but can cause liver toxicity.
One of the country names for comfrey was ‘knitbone’, a reminder of its traditional use in healing bone fractures. Modern science confirms that comfrey can influence the course of bone ailments.[1][2][3][4]
The herb contains allantoin, a cell proliferant that speeds up the natural replacement of body cells. Comfrey was used in an attempt to treat a wide variety of ailments ranging from bronchial problems, broken bones, sprains, arthritis, gastric and varicose ulcers, severe burns, acne and other skin conditions. It was reputed to have bone and teeth building properties in children, and have value in treating "many female disorders". Constituents of comfrey also include mucilage, steroidal saponins, tannins, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, inulin, and proteins.
Internal usage of comfrey should be avoided because it contains hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). Use of comfrey can, because of these PAs, lead to veno-occlusive disease (VOD). VOD can in turn lead to liver failure, and comfrey, taken in extreme amounts, has been implicated in at least one death.[5] In 2001, the United States Food and Drug Administration issued a warning against internal usage of herbal products containing comfrey.[6] There are ways to remove the pyrrolizidine alkaloids from comfrey, and some herbal product manufacturers have begun doing so (although the products will still be labelled “for external use only”).
Most recently, in a placebo controlled study comfrey was found to decrease back pain when used topically. However, it is not clear if these results reached statistical significance.
* Symphytum officinale ointment is also useful in wounds that reach the periosteum and the bone surface, and in these two inflammation, periostitis and osteitis, as well as in contusions of the eyeball.
Uses the aqueous solution of 1 part T.M. to 5 parts water.
The leaves of Symphytum officinale contains allantoin, which is a stimulant to the growth of tissues.
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symphytum is one of the gems of remedies in medicne chest for fractures and ligament tear two of my patient who had suffered from ligament tear advised surgery recovered with symphytum 30 bd
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- Common Name - Comfrey, Healing Herb.
- Preparation - One part of the fresh root gathered just before blooming is macerated in two parts by weight of alcohol.
- The Homeopathic Examiner of August contains a paper entitled "Connection of Homeopathy with Surgery", by Croserio, translated by P.P. Wells, M.D.
- It is there stated that "injuries of the bones are healed most promptly by Symphytum offinale 30 internally once a day.
- The remedy accelerates the consolidation of fractures surprisingly".
- The translator adds a note as follows : "I have had repeated opportunities of verifying this declaration of Croserio.
- A boy, fourteen years old, broke the bones of the forearm at the junction of the lower and middle thirds, two years ago.
- He had twice repeated the fracture by slight falls.
- The ends of the fragments are now slightly movable on each other and the arm is weak and admits of little use.
- Three doses of Symphytum effected a perfect cure.
- The lad became more robust, and has since had better general health than ever before.
- A boy, eight years old, fractured the humerus near the junction of the condyles and shaft.
- Arnica 30 immediately arrested the spasmodic jerks of the muscles of the injured arm.
- This remedy was continued for the first three days, when the traumatic fever had entirely subsided.
- He then had Symphyt. 3, gtt. I., in half a tumbler of water, a teaspoonful every morning and evening.
- The splints were removed the ninth day and the bone was found consolidated.
- The cure was entirely without pain.
- How much earlier than this the fragments ceased to be movable is not known.
- Well may the author say it heals broken bones surprisingly.
- Let it be remembered that the discovery of this specific is but one of the many rich fruits of Hahnemannism.
- (The following appeared in the Homeopathic World , 1890 , under the signature F.H. B.)
- In none of the Homeopathic treatises that i possess do i find any mention of the above remedy.
- I am surprised at this, for i believe it to be a very valuable one in certain cases.
- Its common name of knitbone seems to point to popular experience of one of its uses; but i believe its knitting, or uniting powers extends to muscular and other tissues of the body, as well as to the bones.
Source: ANSHUTZ.E.P New old and forgotten remedies
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Symphytum is a homoeopathic medicine made from root and leaves of the plant called Comfrey or Symphytum Officinale and is usually used homeopathically in a highly diluted form. The impressive wound-healing properties of Symphytum are due to the presence of allantoin. Allantoin is known to stimulate cell proliferation and so augments wound-healing both inside and out. Allantoin is known to stimulate osteoblasts, the bone building cells.
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Osteoporosis and Symphytum
Osteoporosis literally means porous bones. It is a slow, progressive disease characterized by a gradual loss of calcium from bones until they become very porous and weak. Normally, bones are composed of a shell of compact or solid bone surrounding connecting plates and rods of bone (spongy bone) within which lie the bone marrow.
Two types of cell regulate the growth of bone: osteoclasts and osteoblasts. The osteoclasts function to dissolve older bone and leave tiny unfilled spaces behind. The osteoblasts then move into these spaces and produce new bone. After menopause or after middle age when the level of hormones go down ,the new bone forming cells also cease to function normally. Thus in osteoporosis, the amount of both compact and spongy bone is reduced. Thinning of the outer layer of compact bone greatly reduces its strength and increases the likelihood of fracture. Symphytum is of great help in osteoporosis as it increases the activity of osteoblasts which are ‘new bone’ forming cells. Thus helps in recovering from osteoporosis in the most natural way. It can also be of great help in fractures resulting due to osteoporosis. Other Homoeo-medicines such as Calcarea Carb, Calcarea phos are also of great help in treating osteoporosis by assimilating the various nutrients in the body.
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Fractures and Symphytum
When a bone fractures, osteoblasts need to go into an overdrive around the fracture site, to lay down more collagen fibers and minerals on top to strengthen them. Symphytum acts as a catalyst in this situation. It increases the activity of new bone forming cells (osteoblasts) in the area of fracture. Symphytum is to be used only once the broken bone has been brought to its original position. Symphytum is indicated in cases where the healing of fracture is delayed e.g. in old people, osteoporosis etc .It is also recommended for pain in old fractures.
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Abstract
The effectiveness and tolerability of the topicalSymphytum product Traumaplant® (Harras Pharma Curarina, München, Germany) (10% active ingredient of a 2.5:1 aqueous-ethanolic pressed concentrate of freshly harvested, cultivated comfrey herb [Symphytum uplandicum Nyman], corresponding to 25 g of fresh herb per 100 g of cream) in the treatment of patients with myalgia (n=104) were tested against a 1% reference product (corresponding to 2.5 g of fresh comfrey herb in 100 g of cream; n=111). The primary efficacy parameter in this double-blind, reference-controlled, randomized, multicenter study of 215 patients with pain in the lower and upper back was pain in motion, assessed with the aid of a visual analogue scale. Secondary efficacy parameters included pain at rest, pain on palpation, and functional impairment. With high concentrations of the treatment product, amelioration of pain on active motion (P > 5×10-9), pain at rest (P > .001), and pain on palpation (P=5×10-5) was significantly more pronounced than that attained with the reference product and was clinically highly relevant. A number needed to treat of 3.2 was calculated from the study results. Global efficacy was significantly better (P = 1 × 10-8) and onset of effects was faster (P = 4 × 10-7) with the high-concentration product. Tolerability of the highly concentrated study product was good to excellent in all patients. Study results confirm the known anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of topicalSymphytum cream. As a new finding, applicability in certain forms of back pain can be concluded.
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Abstract
In a controlled, double-blind, randomized multicentre study, the efficacy and safety of the topical comfrey product Traumaplant® (10% active ingredient of a 2.5:1 aqueous ethanolic pressed juice of freshly harvested, cultivated comfrey herb [Symphytum × uplandicum Nyman], corresponding to 25 g of fresh herb per 100 g of cream; n = 104) was tested against a 1% product (corresponding to 2.5 g of fresh comfrey herb in 100 g of cream; n = 99) in 203 patients with acute ankle distortion. With the high concentration, decrease of the scores for pain on active motion, pain at rest and functional impairment was highly significant and clinically relevant on days T3–4 as well as T7 (p < 0.001). Amelioration of swellings as compared to reference was also significant on day 3–4 (p < 0.01). Efficacy was judged good to excellent in 85.6% of cases with verum and in 65.7% of cases with reference on day 3–4. Overall tolerability was excellent.
[Therapeutic characteristance and tolerance of topical comfrey preparations. Results of an observational study of patients].
[Article in German]
Koll R, Klingenburg S.
Merck Selbstmedikation GmbH, Darmstadt.
Abstract
AIM: To analyze the anti-inflammatory and analgetic properties of the topical comfrey, preparations Kytta-Salbe f, Kytta-Plasma f and Kytta-Balsam f applied to bruises, sprains and distortions and painful conditions of the muscles and joints.
METHOD: A prospective open multicentric observational study complying with paragraph 67(6) of the AMG and involving 162 general practitioners. During the two-week period of observation, the patients received an average of one to three applications of the comfrey preparation per day. All 492 questionnaires were evaluated. Efficacy and tolerability were assessed by both physician and patient.
RESULTS: Pain at rest and on movement, as also tenderness, improved in the overall observation group by an average of 45-47%. The duration of morning joint stiffness decreased from 20 minutes initially to 3 minutes. During the course of treatment with comfrey, more than two-thirds of the patients were able to reduce or even discontinue their intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and other specific concomitant medication. In most of the cases, both effectiveness and tolerability were assessed to be excellent or good.
CONCLUSION: The results of the study confirm the effectiveness and tolerability of the topical comfrey preparation investigated in the treatment of bruises, sprains and distortions as well as painful conditions affecting muscles and joints.
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.
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Grube B, Grünwald J, Krug L, Staiger C.
Merck Selbstmedikation GmbH, Rösslerstrasse 96, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany.
Abstract
This randomised, double-blind, bicenter, placebo-controlled clinical trial investigated the effect of a daily application of 6g Kytta-Salbe f (3 x 2 g) over a 3 week period with patients suffering from painful osteoarthritis of the knee. The two hundred and twenty patients examined consisted of 153 women and 67 men of an average age of 57.9 years. On average, the complaints relating to osteoarthritis of the knee had persisted for 6.5 years. Two hundred and twenty patients were included in the Full Analysis Set (FAS) and safety collective, 186 (84.5%) in the Valid Case Analysis Set (VCAS) collective. In the course of the trial, the visual analog scale (VAS) total score (primary target value) in the verum group dropped by 51.6 mm (54.7%) and in the placebo group by 10.1 mm (10.7%). The average difference between the groups of 41.5 mm (95% confidence interval=34.8 to 48.2 mm) or 44.0% is significant (p<0.001). The significance is confirmed through the evaluation of the diary, the VCAS evaluation and the separate assessment of the two centres. This also applies to the separate assessment of the VAS total score following pain at rest and on movement. The WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities) total score (secondary target value) also improved similar to the VAS total score. At the end of the trial, a reduction by 60.4 mm (58.0%) was recorded for the verum group and a reduction of 14.7 mm (14.1%) for the placebo group. The average group difference of 45.7 mm (95% confidence interval=37.1 to 54.3 mm) or 43.9% is significant (p<0.001). The difference between the treatment groups increased systematically and significantly, in parallel with the duration of the treatment. Thus, the superiority of the treatment with Kytta-Salbe f over that with the placebo is proven, even by means of the multi-factorial multivariate analysis for repetitive measurements. In respect of the explorative secondary target values SF-36 (quality of life), angle measurement (mobility of the knee), CGI (clinical global impression) and global assessment of efficacy by the physician and the patient, a significant superiority (p<0.001 each) of the verum group over the placebo group was also proven. The results suggest that the comfrey root extract ointment is well suited for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. Pain is reduced, mobility of the knee improved and quality of life increased.
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Efficacy and safety of comfrey root extract ointment in the treatment of acute upper or lower back pain: results of a double-blind, randomised, placebo controlled, multicentre trial.
Giannetti BM, Staiger C, Bulitta M, Predel HG.
CRM Pharmaberatung GmbH, Rheinbach, Germany.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The objective was to show the superiority of comfrey root extract ointment to placebo ointment in patients with acute upper or lower back pain.
DESIGN: The study was conducted as a double-blind, multicentre, randomised clinical trial with parallel group design over a period of 5 days (SD 1). The patients (n = 120, mean age 36.9 years) were treated with verum or placebo ointment three times a day, 4 g ointment per application. The trial included four visits.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary efficacy variable was the area under the curve (AUC) of the visual analogue scale (VAS) on active standardised movement values at visits 1 to 4. The secondary efficacy variables were back pain at rest using assessment by the patient on VAS, pressure algometry (pain-time curve; AUC over 5 days), global assessment of efficacy by the patient and the investigator, consumption of analgesic medication and functional impairment measured using the Oswestry disability index.
RESULTS: There was a significant treatment difference between comfrey extract and placebo regarding the primary variable. In the course of the trial the pain intensity on active standardised movement decreased on average (median) approximately 95.2% in the verum group and 37.8% in the placebo group.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this clinical trial were clear-cut and consistent across all primary and secondary efficacy variables. Comfrey root extract showed a remarkably potent and clinically relevant effect in reducing acute back pain. For the first time a fast-acting effect of the ointment (1 h) was also witnessed.
[Therapeutic characteristance and tolerance of topical comfrey preparations. Results of an observational study of patients].
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Koll R, Klingenburg S.
Merck Selbstmedikation GmbH, Darmstadt.
Abstract
AIM: To analyze the anti-inflammatory and analgetic properties of the topical comfrey, preparations Kytta-Salbe f, Kytta-Plasma f and Kytta-Balsam f applied to bruises, sprains and distortions and painful conditions of the muscles and joints.
METHOD: A prospective open multicentric observational study complying with paragraph 67(6) of the AMG and involving 162 general practitioners. During the two-week period of observation, the patients received an average of one to three applications of the comfrey preparation per day. All 492 questionnaires were evaluated. Efficacy and tolerability were assessed by both physician and patient.
RESULTS: Pain at rest and on movement, as also tenderness, improved in the overall observation group by an average of 45-47%. The duration of morning joint stiffness decreased from 20 minutes initially to 3 minutes. During the course of treatment with comfrey, more than two-thirds of the patients were able to reduce or even discontinue their intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and other specific concomitant medication. In most of the cases, both effectiveness and tolerability were assessed to be excellent or good.
CONCLUSION: The results of the study confirm the effectiveness and tolerability of the topical comfrey preparation investigated in the treatment of bruises, sprains and distortions as well as painful conditions affecting muscles and joints.
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(NaturalNews) If you've got a cavity, maybe you want to try regrowing your own teeth before heading for a filling. Our bodies are constantly renewing themselves and although it isn't commonly known, we can regrow our teeth too. In fact, regrowing our teeth is highly preferable to having them filled because most fillings these days either contain mercury (a known toxin that damages the brain and nervous system) or are estrogenic (white fillings release estrogen and contribute to hormonal problems.)
Besides, regrowing your teeth is simple. You'll just need two things: comfrey root and organic eggshells. Eggshells are used because they contain 27 minerals and loads of calcium, so they contain the ideal building materials to regrow your teeth. In fact, the composition of eggshells is very similar to the composition of our teeth and bones. Comfrey root is used because it accelerates bone, teeth and tissue growth. In fact, another name for comfrey root is knitbone, primarily because of its ability to knit - or regrow - bone together so quickly.
When you're regrowing your teeth, aim to eat one organic eggshell each day. Blending your shells into fresh fruit smoothies is a great way to consume them because blending breaks them into tiny particles that are easily consumed. Smoothies with bananas are ideal because the banana will keep the shell particles suspended instead of allowing them to sink to the bottom of your glass. After cracking the egg, just boil your shells in water for five minutes to kill any pathogens before use.
While you're re-mineralizing and adding plenty of calcium to your body with eggshells, you'll also want to use comfrey root on your teeth and gums. Either fresh or dried comfrey root will do the trick, but if it's dried, boil the root lightly for ten minutes to rehydrate it. Then, blend a square inch of the root with a few tablespoons of water to make a liquid - and swish the liquid in your mouth and between your teeth for about 20 minutes. When you're finished, just spit it out.
Using comfrey in this manner is best done once a day, and you'll likely see progress within a few weeks. Many cavities can be completely regrown within a month or two with regular use. The best part is: you can heal your teeth without leaving toxic metals or hormone disruptors in your mouth for the rest of your life.
As a note, comfrey root can be a little hard on your liver so if you have liver problems, you'll want to avoid using comfrey. After your teeth have regrown, you'll also want to end the use of comfrey so as not to over do it.
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Comfrey Symphytum officinale (Borage Family)
This herb is a favorite first aid remedy. It contains a compound called allantoin, which when applied to the skin accelerates the healing of tissue and the closing of wounds.
When fresh leaves or roots are applied to a wound it causes it to contract and close quicker and inhibits the opportunity for infection while minimizing scarring.
Comfrey Leaf
Comfrey leaf has a long history of use to promote the healing of bones and wounds, as well as internal use to treat a wide variety of ailments from arthritis to ulcers. Its use in Chinese traditional medicine spans over 2000 years.
Recently, reports of the toxic effects of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in comfrey have led some herbalists to be wary of using it internally. PAs in extremely large doses or over long periods of time may cause potentially fatal damage to the liver. Many leading herbalists and traditional healers question the warnings, pointing to laboratory tests that show only minute levels of PAs in random samples of comfrey preparations.One of the most common uses of comfrey leaf is in an ointment or a poultice applied to sprains, broken bones and other wounds, where it promotes rapid healing of both skin lesions and bone breaks.
Comfrey leaf constituents include tannins, rosmarinic acid, allantoin, steroidal saponins, mucilage, inulin, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, Gum, Carotene, Glycosides, Sugars, Beta-sitosterol, Triterpenoids, Vitamin B-12, Protein, Zinc.
Comfrey leaf is used in herbal pastes, ointments, tinctures, decoctions, poultices and in cosmetics.
It is a popular addition to herbal salves and ointments, which can be used for bruises, sprains, eczema, swellings and burns.
Research seems to bear out the claims for the healing properties of comfrey leaf. In one major European study, an ointment based on comfrey root proved more effective at relieving both pain and swelling in 142 patients with sprained ankles. In another study with over 300 participants showed that comfrey leaf treatments of varying types (ointments, salves, compresses and other topical applications), were very effective in treating eczema, dermatitis, viral skin infections and ulcers of the lower leg. More recent research in the United States has shown that allantoin, one of comfreys main constituents, breaks down red blood cells, which could account for its ability to help heal bruises and contusions.With regards to the warnings that comfrey can cause cancer and liver disease, most herbal practitioners point out that those results were from studies that isolated the pyrrolizidine alkaloids and fed or injected them into animal subjects in doses far higher than any typical usage of comfrey leaf, and that comfrey leaf has been regularly ingested by thousands of people around the world without reported ill effects.
Comfrey root is used to relieve pain from blunt injuries, promote healing of broken bones, sprains and bruises, reduce swelling and edema, and encourage the rapid and healthy regrowth of skin and tissue cells. Because comfrey may contain PAs, which have caused cancer and liver damage in animal studies, and because the root contains it in higher concentration than the leaves, internal use is not suggested.
A strong infusion of the leaves and/or roots can be used as a skin wash to relieve irritation and promote healing.
CAUTION: There is some debate on the safety of internal consumption of this herb - mostly the root, due to the fact that it contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids which have been linked to liver cancer.
Many herbalists use the leaves internally, chopped fresh in salads or dried and added to herbal infusions, for the high mineral content.
Still, many herbalists recommend that comfrey preparations should not be taken internally because of the possibility of liver disease and damage. Comfrey should also not be used by pregnant or nursing women.
Use caution or avoid internal consumption if you have liver damage.
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