Comfrey - Symphytum officinale

Family: Borage family (Boraginaceae)
Common names: comfrey, soldier root, bone-kit
Short description: Height 30 - 100 cm
Flowers: flowers yellowish white, purple or reddish-violet, flowers nodding 1- 2 cm long
Leaves: sticky, shaggy leaves descend on the stalk
Roots: rootstock
Habitat: Shore, roadsides, wet meadows, ditches, alluvial forests, on humid to wet soils rich in nutrients and bases. Especially distributed in the lower elevations
Collection time: The root of the comfrey is best collected from February to March. The leaves can be collected the whole time but the later the less shabby they become.
Use: From the roots can be made a good tincture. For this you clean parts of the roots and cut them into small pieces and put them in a screw jar. Then pour the roots over with at least 40% alcohol and let it stand for four to six weeks. Now you can filter this tincture and can make envelopes or make creams.
The leaves may also be collected and used for cooking for "wild" recipes.

Attention: However, you should not take the leaves internal too often. Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can damage the liver. In external applications there is no danger of damaging the liver. Nevertheless, tinctures and comfrey creams should not be used for more than six weeks.

The comfrey root has many positive features on the musculoskeletal system and is helpful in accidental injuries. For bruising, bruising, sprains and even bone fractures, the active ingredient has been proven to prevent the tissues from becoming inflamed.
Ingredients of the comfrey include allantoin, rosmarinic acid and mucilage.