Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) · Herb Profile

At a glance

Botanical name: Symphytum officinale
Family: Boraginaceae
Part used: Root, Leaf
Taste: Sweet, mucilaginous, slightly astringent
Temperature: Cool
Moisture: Moist

On temperature, Gerard (1633), Culpeper (1653) and Salmon (1710) all read it as cold, and the modern value was unclear, so the app follows them and reads Cool. On moisture, the old sources disagree: Gerard (1633) reads it as moist, Salmon (1710) reads it as dry. The modern value was unclear and the two counted sources are tied one to one, so the tie falls to the older of them, Gerard, and the app reads Moist.

Safety at a glance

In pregnancy

Contraindicated internally; topical use generally avoided (PA absorption concern)

While breastfeeding

Topical use during breastfeeding on intact skin of mother only; never on breast area; internal use contraindicated.

For children

Topical use in older children on intact skin only; never internally

Cautions

INTERNAL USE OF LEAF/ROOT IS CONTRAINDICATED due to hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids. TOPICAL use only for most purposes. Do not apply topically to deep unwashed wounds (risk of sealing in infection). Limit topical use to intact skin or surface wounds and to ≤6 weeks/year.

General contraindications

Internal use contraindicated; open deep wounds; pregnancy (even topical precaution); PA-sensitive liver disease

Stewardship

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is easy to cultivate; aggressive perennial. Stewardship: the PA story of comfrey — international shift from internal staple to topical-only — is a case study of how science reshapes traditional use.

In the traditional record

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) — the genus name from the Greek symphyo ("to unite" or "grow together") and the common name "knitbone" both reflect its ancient and persistent reputation for healing wounds, fractures, and broken bones; documented by Dioscorides, Hildegard von Bingen, and Culpeper across Greek, Christian monastic, and English herbal traditions.

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Educational use

The Apothecary is educational and does not constitute medical advice. Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or managing a diagnosed condition.

On our sources

These entries draw on public-domain materia medica, most of it published before 1900, alongside a smaller number of modern reference works. Energetic qualities such as warming, cooling, drying and moistening are a traditional framework for describing how a plant behaves in the body, not a laboratory measurement. Where a period source states one, we cite it. Where none does, and for many North American herbs none exists, the value reflects modern herbal consensus rather than a historical text. When we cannot support a caution with real evidence, we say nothing rather than guess.