Could Comfrey be the original herbal superhero?
Well, Henry Doubleday thought it was. He was a lovely Irishman a little ahead of his time. The story goes, that back in the early 1900’s he came across the magical herb called Comfrey and was blown away by the effects it had on his health, as a fertiliser, and also how it managed to pull nutrients from deep in the earth to its roots creating nutrient-rich soil around it, making it an ideal companion plant. He even noticed the positive effect that it had on the health of his livestock.
Due to this, he started bringing it into the UK and planting large crops, in the hope to feed and heal people, livestock and the surrounding soil. He was its biggest advocate to date and had equally large dreams and ambitions. I am not quite sure where and how the story ended, however as comfrey isn’t half as popular as it could be. I would assume that he passed away before being able to see all of his dream come to life.
This modest herb without any big name behind it, without a big company, big budget or a marketing team, has disappeared, as pharma turned to medicines that were promoted and patented by companies with plenty of money for research.
Only a small amount of research into comfrey has been done in the past, as the plant does contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, however, the way in which the research was done and its outcomes depend on whose research you look at.
There have more recently also been studies done by a larger pharmaceutical company, and the outcomes of resolving pain and speeding up injuries were positive. As the report states: Comfrey preparations are a valuable therapy option for the treatment of painful muscle and joint complaints.
Comfrey’s various Superpowers:
Yet, Comfrey remains with us, modest in its nature, there for those of us who care enough to find out and work with it in our endeavours. Abiding its time where it will one day be able to rip off the binds and the cloak of invisibility to once more show how much of a superhero it could, can and perhaps at some point in time, it will still save the world and universe a large. A few of its super-powers:
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Its main component is Allantoin which regenerates cell tissue, helping to speed up our body’s ability to self-heal wounds, injuries, fractures, broken bones and sprains. This is also said to be the key element that led some to declare comfrey the elixir of life. (Note, this is also the main reason why I use it in my Wayfarers Magic Comfrey Ointment)
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It is rich in vitamins, A, B1, B2, E & C especially good for vegetarians as it even has B12, which is a rare vitamin to find in plants, it even has nutrients such as pantothenic acid (B5), calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, sulphur, iron, Selenium, protein and phosphorus – beneficial for humans, plants and animals.
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It has an innate ability to pull nutrients from deep in the earth to its roots, and therefore to the topsoil around it, making it an incredibly valuable companion plant for other herbs, fruit trees and vegetables.
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Due to its richness in nitrogen and potassium, it makes a nutrient-rich fertilizer, especially in today’s climate where soil nutrients are in decline, due to over-planting and lack of crop rotation.
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Farmers that have fed the leaves to livestock have reported a large increase in their health and in the case of cows, increased production of milk.
Now Comfrey is a humble plant, it just gets on with what it does best, which is to grow and grow, and then grow some more. While I might think Comfrey is a pretty super herb, and completely agree with Henry Doubleday and wished he’d lived to see his dream come true. I hope for Comfrey that one day it will truly be recognised for its valuable contribution to our soils and earth, to our healing and to our lives.
Notes:
For more information on the full components of comfrey, please check our Dr Christophers site: ‘allantoin (leaf) 13,000ppm; (root) 6,000-8,000 ppm-the biological activities are anti-dandruff, anti-inflammatory, anti-peptic, anti-psoriatic, anti-ulcer, immuno-stimulant, keratolytic, sunscreen, suppurative, vulnerary. Symphytum is the number one plant species with the highest amount of allantoin’.
http://www.herballegacy.com/ThesisChemical.html
