What Is Comfrey?
Comfrey is a shrub that grows in parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. It can grow up to 5 feet tall. It produces clusters of purple, blue, and white flowers, and it’s famous for its long, slender leaves and black-skinned roots.
The root and leaves of the comfrey plant have been used in traditional medicine in many parts of the world. In Japan, the comfrey plant has been harvested and used as a traditional treatment for over 2,000 years. It was originally called “knitbone” and people used it to treat:
- muscle sprains
- bruises
- burns
- joint inflammation
Europeans have also used comfrey to treat inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis and gout. Some traditional healers have also used it to treat diarrhea and other stomach ailments.
The roots of leaves of the comfrey plant contain chemical substances called allantoin and rosmarinic acid. Allantoin boosts the growth of new skin cells, while rosmarinic acid helps relieve pain and inflammation. Extracts are still made from the roots and leaves and turned into ointments, creams, or salves. These solutions typically have a comfrey content of 5 to 20 percent.
Native Americans considered comfrey a sacred healing plant and drank it as a tea as well as using it topically. The leaves of the comfrey plant are filled with cell-regenerative properties, essential oils, and nutrients that have been known for centuries to speed the healing of broken bones, sprains, and even bruising.
This incredible plant is so healing and has so many benefits, I recommend it to all my clients for various health concerns and the results have been amazing.