Comfrey Uses

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is one of those herbs that if you have it, you’ll have alot of it; it is very easy to grow and reproduces rapidly.  It is one herb that is still going strong now after the frost. Studies have found that comfrey contains an alkaloid which is toxic to the liver. Most plants however contain both toxins and beneficial chemicals that balance each other out. I’d advice not taking comfrey orally on a daily basis, but occasionally when the need arises I’ve drank comfrey tea.

What can you do with comfrey?

Skin Care:

Make an oil infusion of the leaves or root. Comfrey stimulates cell growth and can help renew skin cells. Comfrey contains allantoin, a chemical that helps skin grow.  You might find this ingredient on the label of a high quality face cream. An infused oil of comfrey is nice in a bath/body oil too.

For Pain:

Comfrey works well for pain relief and an infused oil can be incorporated into a balm used for that purpose. We use it in our Joint Jam. Compresses of comfrey are also good for back pain.

Wounds:

Because it stimulates cell growth it is excellent for treating wounds on the skin as well as sprains and broken bones. Use comfrey on wounds as a poultice or an infusion. Comfrey also decreases inflammation. Use comfrey teas or infusions in the bath. Teas of comfrey are also drank to increase bone growth after a break.

In the Garden

The large leaves of comfrey are great for use as mulch, but comfrey’s most important role is in the compost heap. Its high mineral and nitrogen content will benefit compost. You can also make a tea from comfrey for the garden. If you have comfrey growing at this time of year, be sure to harvest and put it in the compost.

Animals

Comfrey is rich in both minerals and protein and makes a good livestock feed. Because of its abundance I’ve given it to my chickens, goats and horses. It’s recommended to at least let it wilt slightly before feeding it to animals so the prickly hairs do not bother them. If you have grazing animals it is great to cut your comfrey for them at this time of year when grass is not abundant for grazing.

This blog is part of a Blog Hop by Possum Creek Herb Farm in Tennessee. Stop by their blog to find other herb posts:
http://possumcreekherbfarm.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-love-of-herbsblog-hop.html

Allantoin in Cosmetics

Allantoin is one of my favorite herb derived cosmetic ingredients. Its chemical name is 5-ureide-hydantoin. It is used in both cosmetics and drug preparations because of its ability to boost wound healing. Studies have found allantoin has wound healing, anti-irritating, hydrating, keratolytic, analgesic, cell proliferative and epithelial stimulating effects.  Its beneficial effect on wound healing seems to primarily be inhibiting the inflammatory response.  Allantoin enhances desquamation of dead upper layers of skin meaning that it promotes exfoliation and thus improves the smoothness of skin.

Allantoin is found in herbs including comfrey, plantain, yam, borage, tea, horse chestnut, uva ursi, and sour cherry stems. It is also found in animals (plants, animals and humans have very similar biochemistry. In fact, at one time blowfly larvae were used to treat severe wounds because of its high content of allantoin.  Comfrey powder was used during WWI to treat wounds.

Allantoin is formed from uric acid which occurs from breakdown of purine.  I love when my current reading takes me back to college biochem classes; ah, yes, purine salvage pathway. Purines include adenine and guanine which make up nucleic acids (DNA and RNA).  The body is very conservative and purines from the breakdown of nucleic acids or foods are typically salvaged to be reused in new nucleotides.  Just in case you are interested in purine metabolic pathways here is a short youtube video I found as a refresher: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIJVb_HXUQk. 

When purines do breakdown (instead of being salvaged) they form uric acid which in most organisms is converted to allantoin by the enzyme uricase. Humans however, do not have this enzyme and so do not make allantoin, or at least not significant amounts. Allantoin will however, accumulate in times of oxidative stress and is a marker for that. Perhaps the fact that humans do not have the uricase enzyme that breaks down uric acid is the reason humans get gout; a disease caused by accumulation of uric acid in the joints.

But back to allantoins role in skin care. Allantoin is a white, odorless powder that is safe and non-allergenic. Its properties make it appropriate for aging skin, acne skin, scars, psoriasis, eczema, diaper rash as well as just dry, chapped skin. Because its an anti-irritant it is also suitable for very sensitive skin. It is typically used at concentrations from 0.1%  to 2% but sometimes higher for pharmaceutical preparations.

How does Colorado Aromatics use allantoin? In three of our balms we use allantoin containing herbs; comfrey in our Joint Jam for its analgesic effect, plantain in our Knuckle Balm for its wound healing effect and comfrey again in our Sole Pleasure foot butter for its softening and keratolytic effect. In our higher end products we use pure allantoin in our Springtide Antiaging Cream for its skin regeneration properties and antiaging properties and in our Oasis Spray Lotion for its anti-irritant properties. We also use it in our body powder to decrease itching and to sooth rashes.

Whats in the Still?

I haven't distilled as much as I've wanted to this summer. My newly planted herbs just haven't grown big enough to have the amounts needed for distilling. This is disappointing because I have bought a new still. I have been able to combine some of my herbs with those of gracious friends and neighbors though to be able to have enough.

I have been able to distill comfrey, catnip, lemon balm, blue spruce, and chocolate mint. Catnip distillate I use as a base for making my bug repellent spray. Comfrey is a herb that heals epithelial cells so it is good for any skin care product. Comfrey distillate has worked well for me sprayed on a burn in the kitchen. I will also try using it for muscle aches and tendonitis that I seem to get alot of from l weed pulling. Blue spruce I spray on my face for a boost of energy. Lemon balm is great for many skin care applications including burns, rashes and irritations. Its aroma is light, lemony and uplifting. Cookbook author and culinary herbalist, Susan Belsinger, gave me this recipe for Goodnight milk:
To one cup of warm milk add 1 tsp of lemon balm distillate and 1 tsp of maple syrup. The soothing properties of this milk will surely bring about a good night's sleep.

Distillates contain the parts of the plant that vaporize at a temperature at or below that of water. This includes microscopic droplets of essential oils that dissolve as well as organic plant acids. Distillates or hydrosols as they are often called are good for use directly on the skin, especially the face as a toner. Mix with a little glycerol and they become a great toner/moisturizer. If you want to keep a distillate around for awhile though it needs a preservative. Otherwise, keep it in the refrigerator and spray it on your face for a cooling refreshment during the hot days of summer. You can still get several types of distillates from Sagescript including comfrey, lemon balm, blue spruce and catnip.