Comfrey is a perennial member of the
borage family that is native to
Europe and southwestern Asia and naturalized elsewhere. Since the herb
was introduced by European immigrants in the 1600s, it has become a
naturalized resident of woodland settings throughout much of North
America.
Also known as Quaker comfrey, slippery root and knitbone, comfrey has
been cultivated since 400 BC as poultice material to address
inflammation associated with rashes, bruises and sprains. At one time,
the young leaves and stems were harvested as a salad herb and vegetable
or to produce teas. However, although the allantoin content of the
leaves is soothing to skin and is used in the cosmetics industry to
manufacture a variety of personal care products, the presence of more
than half a dozen pyrrolizidine alkaloids make the internal use of this
herb unadvisable.
