Herbs for Pets & People: Comfrey
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- By Dr. Jill Tack
- Posted in Can you use comfrey on cats and dogs?, is comfrey safe for pets?, What is comfrey?
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Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is used for skin ailments, digestive disorders, and bone fractures. It is often used in skin salves to help alleviate skin ulcerations, abrasions, lacerations, and insect bites.
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is used for skin ailments, digestive disorders, and bone fractures. It is often used in skin salves to help alleviate skin ulcerations, abrasions, lacerations, and insect bites.
How to Use Comfrey:
A poultice or infusion of comfrey leaves can be applied directly to bruises, fractures, sprains, and other closed-tissue injuries. Comfrey should not be used on deep open wounds because of its quick healing commands. However, for minor wounds, it implores qualities such as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, astringent, and expectorant, making it also good for duodenal ulcers. The root and leaves are astringent, mucilaginous, and contain allantoin, which can be used internally as an expectorant and demulcent.
This plant is a proliferative grower and if even a small amount of root is in the soil, the plant will continue to grow and return in your garden. Comfrey is considered safe in moderation, but people or animals with liver ailments may do best by using it only topically. This plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, mainly found in its roots, which can be toxic to the liver tissues.
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