Comfrey was used by the Greeks and Romans for wound healing, respiratory ailments, to stop pleating, and as a poultice to mend broken bones. A seventeenth-century English herbalist, Nicholas Culpeper, believed that comfrey could help with all wounds, both internal and external. This herb was used by the Cherokee tribe for many ailments.

Today, comfrey is one of the most valuable herbs known to man. It has been used successfully for centuries for its abilities to heal wounds and knit bones. The natural hormone it possesses feeds the pituitary and helps to strengthen the skeletal system. This herb also contributes to the balance between calcium and phosphorus by promoting strong bones and healthy skin.

The comfrey plant is a perennial herb that has black, turnip-like roots and large, hairy leaves. The plant bears small bell-shaped white, cream, purple, or pink flowers. Comfrey is native to Europe, where it grows in damp, grassy places. It is widespread throughout the British Isles on river banks and ditches. This herb has been recognized for a long time by both organic gardeners and herbalists for its immense usefulness and versatility.

Comfrey is responsible for helping to promote the secretion of pepsin. This herb is also a general aid for digestion. Generally speaking, this herb has a beneficial effect on all parts of the body. One of the finest healers of respiratory ailments, comfrey can be used internally and externally for wounds, sores, and ulcers. This herb has been used with great success for treating hemorrhages, whether they are in the stomach, lungs, bowels, kidneys, or piles.

Recommended for just about any part of the body that may be injured, comfrey promotes rapid healing. This herb contains allantoin, which is responsible for helping to stimulate new cell growth and increase cell production. This herb also helps to reduce inflammation, which may also assist in healing. Additionally, comfrey is a great source of lysine, an amino acid which is usually lacking in diets that do not contain any animal protein. A health care practitioner should be consulted before taking comfrey internally, as there is a possibility of liver damage.

The leaves and root of the comfrey plant can be used to provide alterative, anticatarrhal, antitussive, astringent, bitter, demulcent, emollient, expectorant, febrifuge, mucilant, nutritive, and vulnerary properties. The primary nutrients found in comfrey include eighteen amino acids, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, protein, vitamins A and C, and zinc. Primarily, comfrey provides extremely beneficial effects in dealing with anemia, arthritis, blood impurities, broken bones, boils, bruises, burns, emphysema, fractures, lung disorders, sprains, and swelling.

Additionally, this herb also produces terrific effects when treating allergies and hay fever, asthma, insect bites, bleeding, bronchitis, bursitis, cancer, colds, colitis, coughs, intestinal cramps, leg cramps, diarrhea, eczema, fatigue, gangrene, gastric disorders, gout, infection, kidney stones, pain, pleurisy, pneumonia, respiratory problems, and sinusitis. One should avoid taking comfrey internally due to the fact that it contains hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

For more information on the many beneficial effects provided by comfrey, please contact a representative from your local health food store.

Author Bio: Look for Comfery and other great herbs at your local or internet vitamin store. http://vitanetonline.com/

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: Comfrey, Herbs, Soothing Herbs, Gout, Pain, Fatigue