Can comfrey be taken internally?

Comfrey is not recommended for internal use because of the liver damage caused by its pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Patients with hypersensitivity or allergic reactions to the plant should also avoid external use.

What part of comfrey is edible?

leaves
It isn’t eaten a lot, as it has a slightly hairy, rough texture as the leaves age, but the young leaves and buds are very tender and delicious in recipes such as Comfrey Leaf Lemonade Fritters. The leaves are used a lot as a herbal tea.

What are the side effects of comfrey?

Common side effects of comfrey include:

• abdominal distension.
• abdominal pain.
• loss of appetite.
• lack of energy.
• liver enlargement.
• decreased urine output.
• obstruction of small veins in the liver (veno-occlusive disease)

Can comfrey make you sick?

When taken by mouth: Comfrey is LIKELY UNSAFE for anyone when taken by mouth. It contains chemicals (pyrrolizidine alkaloids, PAs) that can cause liver damage, lung damage, and cancer.

What does comfrey taste like?

Comfrey has a pleasant but mild cucumber-like taste, much like borage. Young comfrey leaves are quite good to eat. They’re slightly hairy and have a mucilaginous texture. Older leaves are covered with a lot of coarse hairs and taste very bitter.

Can you eat comfrey?

Historically, some people have eaten comfrey leaves as a vegetable. You can also drink dried comfrey root and leaves as tea. Today, eating or taking any form of comfrey by mouth isn’t recommended. It’s considered unsafe, due to the pyrrolizidine alkaloids that comfrey contains.

Is comfrey poisonous?

Comfrey has toxic substances that can cause severe liver damage and even death. You should never take comfrey by mouth. The toxic substances in comfrey can be absorbed by the skin. Even creams and ointments should be used for only a short time, and only under a doctor’s supervision.

Can you eat comfrey plant?

Today, eating or taking any form of comfrey by mouth isn’t recommended. It’s considered unsafe, due to the pyrrolizidine alkaloids that comfrey contains. These are dangerous chemicals that can cause cancer, severe liver damage, and even death when you consume them.

Can you eat comfrey leaves?

Can comfrey leaves cause liver cancer?

In particular, everybody’s body is different & reactions, can & indeed have, occurred. In particular, the main research that is often cited is from 1978 when rats were fed comfrey leaves (8-33\% of their diet) for a durational period, which resulted in liver tumours developing in all cases (96\% turned out to be benign by the way) (2).

What happens if you eat comfrey seeds?

The risks of eating comfrey. Today, eating or taking any form of comfrey by mouth isn’t recommended. It’s considered unsafe, due to the pyrrolizidine alkaloids that comfrey contains. These are dangerous chemicals that can cause cancer, severe liver damage, and even death when you consume them.

What are comfrey leaves?

Comfrey leaves – Symphytum officinale – has been used for thousands of years as a food & medicine, some of its common names include ‘ knitbone ‘ because of its internal & external application for broken bones.

What is comfrey oil good for?

It has also been used to treat bronchial problems, broken bones, sprains, arthritis, gastric and varicose ulcers, severe burns, acne and other skin conditions, According to the Food and Drug Administration, it’s not safe to ingest comfrey in any form.