Guidelines for using comfrey Externallly / Topically and internally
Guidelines for using comfrey
External / Topical Use of comfrey
EXTERNAL use of comfrey root or leaves is
NON- toxic
Based on the HMPC "Public statement on the use of herbal
medicinal products containing toxic, unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs)"(EMA/HMPC/572844/2009).
The acceptable daily intake is maximum 0.007 μg/kg/day
for cutaneous preparations. Assessment report on Symphytum officinale L., radix
EMA/HMPC/572844/2009 Page 27/27 Generally for adults the calculation is done
with a body weight of 50 kg. Therefore the daily dosage would be: 0.007
μg/kg/day x 50 kg body weight = 0.35 μg/person/day for short- time use only
(maximum 2 weeks). The use is restricted to intact skin.
However, combining DMSO with comfrey for external use is equivalent to taking it
internally - since DMSO allows comfrey
to penetrate skin through to the bloodstream.
Applying comfrey to broken skin allows comfrey PAs to enter
blood stream
Using comfrey internally(i.e consuming it)
Consume comfrey for a maximum of 4 weeks;
Use Common rather than Russian
comfrey, and leaves not roots
(leaves contain less PAs). Prefer comfrey source with a lower uPA
(unsaturated PA) content
DAILY dose limit of 3- 5 ml liquid extract
or 3- 5 g comfrey tea (in
divided doses). ~1 tsp. (1.5g) dried comfrey leaves makes 1 cup of tea.
- Comfrey tea drinkers could be
ingesting up to 5 mg of PAs per day (i.e. 0.083 mg/ kg body weight /day).
Ingested toxic dose for humans is ~ 0.1- 10 mg PAs/kg body weight per day. In fatal cases, total comfrey ingestion estimated 6- 167 mg/kg
of body weight) and non- fatal cases
of hepatic venoocclusive disease at 2- 27 mg/kg
Speijers and Egmond, as cited in Deshpande
2002b [81], p. 368)
Utilize a concurrent liver/kidney pyrrole-effect
detoxifier
• Licorice extract - Alkaline Glycerite (alkaloids not water- soluble in alkaline
environment) /Glycyrrhizin - Rat study found that taking glycyrrhiza for 3 days prior to injection of
powerful UPA retrorsine greatly
prevents pyrrole damage to liver
Lin 1999
• Sulfur.
Glutathione is a powerful "in- house" antioxidant citical to detoxifying pyrrole
in the liver, and glutathione's key-limiting ingredient is sulfur , particularly
found in N acetylcysteine (500- 2000mg daily on empty stomach), alpha lipoic acid
(300- 600mg 1- 3 x daily, also lowers blood sugar), MSM (1- 5g daily), glucosamine
sulfate (1500 mg /day divided doses).
Good food sources of sulfur include egg yolks, cabbage,
broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, collards, asparagus, onions, and
garlic.
• Possibly taurine and heparin
The SALE of comfrey products for INTERNAL use is illegal in
the U.S. and Canada - but it is legal to purchase and
grow your own comfrey in the U.S.