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How a Great Herb Got a Bad Rap: Benefits of Comfrey
The World Health Organization estimates that 80% of people around the world use herbal medicine (Null & Gale, 2018). In fact, most of us turn to herbal options before opting for conventional drugs.
Despite these trends, herbal and alternative healing options are quickly reported on when someone has an adverse effect. Comfrey, Symphytum officinale, is one of these herbs, despite its great benefits to our health.
The name comfrey comes from the Latin word “confirma,” which means to heal or to unite. It can be used as an anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, demulcent, emollient, diuretic, expectorant, laxative, and tonic (Petersen, 2014).
To find out what these terms mean, look at these articles: A and B Useful Terms in CAM; C thru E Terms in CAM; F thru M Terms in CAM; and N thru Z Terms in CAM.
It also can cause harm when it is over-consumed or over-used and should thus be used with caution. Believe it or not, this is the case with most things we consume. Take alcohol for example. It is readily available, but if we over-consume it, it can have dire negative consequences on our health. That is why proper use is cautioned for alcohol and other such substances.
Natural medicines are not given the same treatment. In fact, natural medicines are often…
