OK, recently I bought some Comfrey root tincture. I've used it on some of my wounds, and it's been helpful. However, I read somewhere that Comfrey can be absorbed through the skin, and can cause liver damage. Now, I'm really uneasy. Is there truth to this?

Hi Paul

There is a continuing debate concerning the liver damage potential of comfrey. I believe the root is now classed as a Category C herb in the UK which means that it should only be prescribed by qualified medical herbalists.

I would suggest you go to Paul Bergner's website and read his research papers. Read the discussions about comfrey on any good herbal discussion forum such as Rebecca Hartman's Herbwifery Forum. Good books to read about comfrey include anything by David Hoffman, Penelope Ody, Matthew Wood.

Most herbalists will say that comfrey should not be used with children because they have immature livers and can't make decisions for themselves. For adults, the consensus amongst most people (excluding Henriette Kress) is that people should be given information about comfrey and then be left to make their own decision about whether or not they use it.

Many people use comfrey externally and love it, including myself. Yes it can be absorbed through the skin and should not be used on open wounds without thorough cleansing because it can support regrowth of damaged skin cells and potentially trap uncleared debris inside a wound which could fester.

If you have a potentially damaged liver from use of prescribed or social drugs, then you may wish to consider using alternate herbs such as plantain. Comfrey root does have a greater concentration of potentially liver-damaging compounds than the leaves, but it does produce a wonderfully mucilagenous tincture.

Try to put any warnings about liver damage from comfrey into perspective. If you take legal, prescibed statins to lower cholesterol they will also cause liver damage. If you take anti-depressant or psychotropic drugs, they will also cause damage to heart and liver. Other drugs may cause your teeth to become loose and will stay in your system for 14 years after you stop taking them. It is all relative. You have to obtain the most information you can and then make an informed choice - benefits against risks.

If you are experiencing recurrent wounds on your body, I would strongly suggest you seek advise and care from a medical herbalist local to you who can work with you to maximise your health.

I hope this is helpful.

Best wishes

Sarah

Hi Paul,
This old chestnut about Comfrey being dangerous is most annoying. The original trials that gave rise to this,forcefed rats vast quantities, many times the excess of their own body weight in comfrey, and not surprisingly,there was some evidence to support the theory that confrey could cause damage to the liver.Most things ingested in vast amounts will have some repercussions to one's health.
There is an agreement that medical herbalists do not prescribe comfrey root internally. Whilst I adhere to this in my clinic,on a personal level I have taken it myself and would continue to do so if necessary.

As for using it externally, in my opinion and that of virtually every medical herbalist I know, would agree that it is perfectly safe. The only precaution is as Sarah pointed out, that as it heals so quickly, it is important to ensure that the would is cleand and has no debris in it.

Linda