''Symphytum'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of flowering plants in the borage family,
Boraginaceae
Boraginaceae, the borage or forget-me-not family, includes about 2,000 species of shrubs, trees and herbs in 146, to 156 genera with a worldwide distribution.
The APG IV system from 2016 classifies the Boraginaceae as single family of the or ...
, known by the common name comfrey (pronounced ). There are 59 recognized species.
[WFO (2022): Symphytum L. Published on the Internet; http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-4000037231. Accessed on: 14 Dec 2022] Some species and
hybrids, particularly ''
S. officinale'', ''
Symphytum grandiflorum'', and
''S.'' × ''uplandicum'', are used in
gardening and
herbal medicine. They are not to be confused with ''
Andersonglossum virginianum
''Andersonglossum virginianum'', known as southern wild comfrey, is a flowering plant in the borage family native to North America. It is also sometimes called blue houndstongue.
Formerly placed in the genus ''Cynoglossum'', it was transferred ...
'', known as wild comfrey, another member of the borage family.
Species
Species include:
*''
Symphytum asperum'' – prickly comfrey, rough comfrey
*''
Symphytum bulbosum'' – bulbous comfrey
*''
Symphytum brachycalyx'' - Palestine comfrey
*''
Symphytum caucasicum
''Symphytum caucasicum'', the beinwell, blue comfrey, or Caucasian comfrey, is an ornamental plant of genus ''Symphytum'' in the family Boraginaceae, which is native to the Caucasus.
References
*
External links
*''Symphytum caucasicum''
...
'' – Caucasian comfrey
*''
Symphytum grandiflorum'' – creeping comfrey
*''
Symphytum ibericum'' – Iberian comfrey
*''
Symphytum officinale
''Symphytum officinale'' is a perennial flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae. Along with thirty four other species of ''Symphytum'', it is known as comfrey. To differentiate it from other members of the genus ''Symphytum'', this species is ...
'' – comfrey
*''
Symphytum orientale'' – white comfrey
*''
Symphytum tauricum'' – Crimean comfrey
*''
Symphytum tuberosum'' – tuberous comfrey
*''Symphytum'' × ''uplandicum'' (''S. asperum'' × ''S. officinale'', synonym: ''S. peregrinum'') – Russian comfrey, healing herb, blackwort, bruisewort, wallwort, gum plant
Cultivation
The Russian comfrey 'Bocking 14' cultivar was developed during the 1950s by
Lawrence D. Hills, the founder of the
Henry Doubleday Research Association
Garden Organic, formerly known as the Henry Doubleday Research Association (HDRA), is a UK organic growing charity dedicated to researching and promoting organic gardening, farming and food. The charity maintains the Heritage Seed Library to pr ...
(the
organic gardening organization itself named after
Henry Doubleday, who first introduced Russian comfrey into Britain in the nineteenth century) following trials at
Bocking, Essex.
Propagation
Bocking 14 is sterile, and therefore will not set seed (one of its advantages over other cultivars as it will not spread out of control); thus, it is propagated from
root cutting
A plant cutting is a piece of a plant that is used in horticulture for vegetative (asexual) propagation. A piece of the stem or root of the source plant is placed in a suitable medium such as moist soil. If the conditions are suitable, the plant ...
s. The gardener can produce "offsets" from mature, strongly growing plants by driving a spade horizontally through the leaf clumps about below the soil surface. This removes the crown, which can then be split into pieces. The original plant will quickly recover, and each piece can be replanted with the growing points just below the soil surface, and will quickly grow into new plants. Offsets can also be purchased by mail order from specialist nurseries in order to initially build up a stock of plants.
Phytochemistry, folk medicine, and toxicity
Folk medicine
Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...
names for comfrey include knitbone, boneset, and the derivation of its Latin name ''Symphytum'' (from the Greek ''symphis'', meaning growing together of bones, and ''phyton'', a plant), referring to its ancient uses. Similarly, the common French name is ''consoude'', meaning to weld together. The tradition in different cultures and languages suggest a common belief in its usefulness for mending bones.
Comfrey contains mixed
phytochemicals in varying amounts, including
allantoin
Allantoin is a chemical compound with formula C4H6N4O3. It is also called 5-ureidohydantoin or glyoxyldiureide. It is a diureide of glyoxylic acid. Allantoin is a major metabolic intermediate in most organisms including animals, plants and bacter ...
,
mucilage
Mucilage is a thick, gluey substance produced by nearly all plants and some microorganisms. These microorganisms include protists which use it for their locomotion. The direction of their movement is always opposite to that of the secretion of m ...
,
saponins,
tannin
Tannins (or tannoids) are a class of astringent, polyphenolic biomolecules that bind to and precipitate proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids.
The term ''tannin'' (from Anglo-Norman ''tanner'' ...
s,
pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and
inulin
Inulins are a group of naturally occurring polysaccharides produced by many types of plants, industrially most often extracted from chicory. The inulins belong to a class of dietary fibers known as fructans. Inulin is used by some plants as a m ...
, among others.
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are responsible for comfreys production of hepatotoxicity.
Liver toxicity is associated with consuming this plant or its
extracts.
In modern
herbalism
Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern reme ...
, comfrey is most commonly used
topically
A topical medication is a medication that is applied to a particular place on or in the body. Most often topical medication means application to body surfaces such as the skin or mucous membranes to treat ailments via a large range of classes ...
.
In 2001, the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
Food and Drug Administration
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respon ...
issued a ban of comfrey products marketed for internal use, and a warning label for those intended for external use. Comfrey is particularly contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation, in infants, and in people with liver, kidney, or
vascular
The blood vessels are the components of the circulatory system that transport blood throughout the human body. These vessels transport blood cells, nutrients, and oxygen to the tissues of the body. They also take waste and carbon dioxide away f ...
diseases.
References
External links
*
Healthline
{{Taxonbar, from=Q161566
Boraginaceae genera
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus