Herb Facts: Comfrey

Herb Facts: Comfrey

This herb, called Comfrey, is not a widely known herb in modern times. The main reason for this is because there are certain compounds (pyrrolizidine alkaloids) found in the base of the plant that can affect the liver, nervous system, as well as cause cancer, or so it is said. 

However, these risks associated with Comfrey are from oral consumption of the plant itself. 

You might be wondering why I am talking about an herb that could have potentially devastating effects on a person or animal. Well, Comfrey isn't all that bad! Comfrey can be processed to have good compounds extracted from it for topical uses, such as the treatment of wounds, inflammation, sprains, burns, ect... These compounds are called Allantoin, and Rosmarinic acid. The Allantoin within Comfrey aids in helping skin cells regrow (helpful for cuts and burns), and the Rosmarinic acid aids in inflammation relief (helpful for bruises, sprains). 

How Could You find Comfrey?

The most common forms of Comfrey that can be found on the market today would be in the forms of creams, salves, and ointments. I know from personal experience that Comfrey cream helps cuts and bruises go away significantly faster, as well as relieving the pain (again, the Rosmarinic acid) and inflammation. 

Appearance: 

Comfrey is a shrub/bush-like plant, that can grow up to five feet tall, and makes small, bell-shaped, purple flowers. Honey bees and Hummingbirds especially like the flowers of Comfrey. Let's just say that I have attracted way more Hummingbirds with Comfrey than I have with "Hummingbird plants." 

How do I use Comfrey? 

While I do not go to the trouble to extract Allantoin and Rosmarinic acid from my Comfrey patch, I do feed it to my chickens (and now ducks:). There were some studies listed in Andy Lee's book, "Chicken Tractor," that said Comfrey leaves over 6-8 inches in length contained too much of the dangerous compounds found in Comfrey. However, in my 4 years of feeding Comfrey to my chickens, I haven't had any die from cancer or liver failure (that I could tell; I also haven't lost very many chickens anyway.) I also have not had any cases of nervous-system failure either. While I have not studied whether different varieties of Comfrey have more of the "dangerous compounds" versus other varieties, my success with grazing chickens on Comfrey (of various sizes) has proven the studies wrong, as far as I can tell. 

Potentially soil and climate conditions could play a role in the levels of the compounds, but that has not been included in my sphere of research at the moment. 

But, one thing that I do know is that chickens absolutely love Comfrey!

Feeding time at HHF!