Comfrey root salve has been shown to be a bone knit herbal remedy. Namely, the danger of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and the safest ways to use comfrey. Dehydrating minimizes the risk of developing dangerous bacteria in the oil during storage, and minimizes the chance of the oil going rancid over time. **I’ve read of people using crockpots. *** This protects the oil from sunlight and from its effect on oxidizing it (making it go rancid). Cutting comfrey leaves to make an infused oil, and eventually a comfrey salve. Comfrey Oil and the mascerated leaves as a poultice were used by my family for bruises, sprains, strains etc. 3. Fortunately, these alkaloids are not easily absorbed by the skin[7]. Make sure your glass jars for the infused oils are completely dry. Fill with the olive oil, or enough to cover the comfrey leaves, and allow to infuse for at least 30 days. The plant is native to Europe and grows in damp, grassy places such as ditches and riverbanks. Set on a sunny windowsill and shake once a day for 2-4 weeks. If the roots are wet, the oil could become bad. When mulched, the fast-growing leaves make a great compost activator. For many centuries, comfrey root was used as a traditional medicinal plant. Combine the strained comfrey oil, beeswax, vitamin E oil, and lavender essential oil in a pot on the stovetop. Fill your glass jar half full with the herbs/plants and and then completely cover them with your oil (good quality olive oil is the best) right up to the brim. And add coconut oil or use some of the liquid from the comfrey? Heat Salve Ingredients. Ingredients. That means you should really make sure you are getting your plants from a location that hasn’t been sprayed with yucky chemicals. [6] Comfrey and Pyrriolizidine Alkaloids Research. Living Flower Essences Simplers Botanicals Infused Oil Organic, Comfrey, 1 Fluid Ounce. If you really want comfrey oil there are plenty of tutorials online how to make it yourself. Spread the thick mixture approximately ¼ inch thick on the cloth and leave about 1 inch of cloth around the border. **Some people do the opposite of solar-infused oils: they put the jars in a dark place for 4 weeks instead of a warm and sunny spot. Place the jar(s) in a warm place for 3-6 weeks. Here Is What You Will Need. Can you confirm and tell how much you’d use to how much oil and if the crockpot method would be ok for this method? There are two popular ways to make comfrey oil. I put fresh comfrey poultice on at least once a day during the initial healing period. Much of this root snapped off, but we were still left with a significant amount of root with which to make the comfrey oil. I’d love to know your preferences in the comments! After the 3-6 weeks have passed, strain the leaves out of the oil by pouring it all out into a cheese cloth lined sieve/strainer. **This is a the quick method for making Infused Oils, best for those times you need an Infused Oil ASAP. Just want to make sure I’m not overheating the oil by simmering it if I misunderstand. [9] Comfrey dosing from WebMD. If you try it yourself, make sure that the bundles aren’t too tightly strung together to allow for air flow. When the beeswax is melted, add in the comfrey oil. The tiniest water amount creates habitat for microbes to grow. Make sure any tools you use also do not have water on them. I am going to make all three of these infused oils on the SAME DAY. Symphytum officinale has been used for thousands of years in traditional Western herbalism for its valuable, healthful properties.Our comfrey root powder is ground from organically cultivated roots. Not only does comfrey work beautifully on external wounds and skin conditions, it has also been used for internal applications as well. A cut root will make more plants so you have to take care not to disturb the root system if you don’t want it to spread wildly but the flowers will not re-seed. So, this spring, I made the time to gather plants for all of the following infused oils: Plantain Infused Oil, Comfrey Infused Oil, and Dandelion Infused Oil. Using comfrey to create a salve will speed up the skin healing process no matter what time of the year. Oplinger It also contains little or no Echimidine[8], the most toxic of the eight alkaloids present in comfrey. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. [4]Metabolism, genotoxicity, and carcinogenicity of Comfrey. (NOTE: This summer, I’ll make Calendula Infused Oil and Yarrow Infused Oil in one day, too). Thank you much! Also, about 3.5 grams of a specific cream containing comfrey extract, tannic acid, aloe vera gel, eucalyptus oil, and frankincense oil has been applied to the knee three times daily for 6-12 weeks. In a double boiler, heat the cocoa butter, beeswax and infused comfrey oil from the Salve Ingredients list above until liquid. dried Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) leaves, Wound healing effects of a Symphytum herb extract cream, Metabolism, genotoxicity, and carcinogenicity of Comfrey, COMFREY (Symphytum officinale): A healer of wounds, bruises and bones, Comfrey and Pyrriolizidine Alkaloids Research, Penetration of lycopsamine from a comfrey ointment through human epidermis, Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine, 2005, 2, Growing Plants, Flowers, and Herbs for Skincare, Herbal Healing Salve Recipe + DIY Instructions. Skincare recipes. What about using comfrey root, instead of the leaves? In the case of comfrey oil, it's far more golden. You need to infuse the oil with comfrey, then remove the comfrey and make a salve with the infused oil (with no more comfrey leaves in it) and the beeswax. Comfrey side effects. The stems are fleshy and wet so begin by pulling the leaves off and drying on a screen or in a food dehydrator. Comfrey is a controversial plant. According to a lot of people, their broken toes have been healed thanks to the use of comfrey. Strain out the herb after 10-15 minutes. Use comfrey oil to make a natural Healing Salve. So here’s a great post from another awesome gardener about why you should grow comfrey. Repeat this infusion process with similar amounts of leaves and root each time either once or twice more for double or triple strength ointment. I just picked what looked like a good amount to fill a quart jar. This is then applied to the skin. Let the tea cool if making a cold compress, or use it right away (at a comfortable temperature) for a warm compress. If you can afford using a dehydrator, feel free to use that overnight. 100% natural product, without side effects. Gently heat the comfrey containing oil over a low heat until the oil has turned green. If you want to grow your own Comfrey, Mountain Rose Herbs offers Comfrey … This post may contain affiliate links at no cost to you. Oelke, D.J. Use this oil to treat minor closed wounds and aches. Comfrey is a powerful wound healer thanks to its allantoin, saponins, polysacharides, and other natural plant chemicals. Harvest a couple of comfrey roots in your garden. Needless to say, I am definitely comfortable with comfrey. Make sure to mix very well and pour into metal or dark glass containers while still warm. I use 1/2 tsp of Comfrey and 1 tsp of Licorice Root to 2 cups of water. Comfrey is distinguished by large, hairy leaves, a curled inflorescence with white to purple bell-shaped flowers, and black roots. Simmer very slowly until comfrey leaves look dried (like tea leaves). Instructions on how to infuse comfrey leaf into oil for use in herbal recipes and natural skin care. Then strain the oil through some cheesecloth (keeping the oil! Coconut oil. Basically, it attracts pollinators and other beneficial insects; it’s a fantastic nutrient-rich plant that makes great fertilizer; and it’s a wonderful herbal remedy plant for both people and livestock. It can create habitat for microbes, whether you see them or not. If you’re using fresh herbs, or trying to make comfrey salve in less than 4-6 weeks, try the heat infusion method. Then strain off the plant material. It can also cause oils to go rancid quicker than they usually would. Slow slow SLOWLY heat for at least 30-60 minutes, check it frequently to make sure the oil is not overheating. Here are some of the group straining, pouring and bottling their oils. The water underneath should be boiling and the oil should be…simmering. Either way, make sure to store the oil someplace cook and out of direct sunlight. It is this strong taproot that makes it so difficult to completely remove comfrey from the garden once it has taken a hold. I did the comfrey and olive oil I turned it regularly and waited until appropriate time then mixed with some beeswax – it looked about the consistancy of your photo. There’s some discussion on whether or not it contains higher levels of alkaloids than others. How To Use Comfrey For Arthritis – 2 Simple Ways 1. If she has stitches, avoid them. Rub it onto the same injuries like a massage oil … Be sure to use comfrey root from a reputable source that has properly identified the species. As a gardener, I’m pretty busy in spring, summer, and fall. Comfrey can infuse well into the massage oil and does a … I sweeten it with a few drops of honey and drink each morning. Strain out the herbs and bottle the oil. Is a cheesecloth enough to strain them out? Fill a pint jar about ½ to ⅔rds full of dried comfrey leaf, then cover the plant material with your carrier oil of choice. Add liquid from 1 vitamin E and 1 vitamin A per each 8 oz. Because Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, there are some groups of people who caution against internal use of Comfrey, especially the root. Nothing makes it through the cheesecloth except the infused oil and only the tiniest particles. With kids in taekwondo, and a busy homestead, broken bones, bumps and bruises happen on a regular basis around here. Using comfrey oil. Check out resources first! This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Also make sure that the herbs are completely submerged. It’s so powerful that it should not be used directly on open wounds. Leaves that are fresh or wet can introduce water into the oil which accelerates rancidity. Place it against the wound. Yes, this is a weak tea by most standards. Place the lid on the crock pot and set the pot on low for 5 hour periods over the course of 2-3 days. Repeat this infusion process with similar amounts of leaves and root each time either once or twice more for double or triple strength ointment. That’s all I needed to start, since it’s spreading from the seeds it constantly drops. Today, I’m sharing how to turn that lovely, rich green infused oil into a healing, antibacterial, antiseptic ointment to keep in your home apothecary, aka, my simple Homemade Comfrey Ointment. ), and someday I’ll get that posted for you all. Quote from Varro Tyler of the Purdue University School of Pharmacy I have dried comfrey roots that I’ve saved from my mom’s plant to make more salve, as I’d read somewhere that the roots were good to use. Put the old stuff on your compost heap or tuck it in around the bases of wild shrubs. Massage Oil. Maybe there’s a word you use for ‘not quite boiling’…? I make comfrey oil from fresh comfrey leaves by chopping the leaves and adding an equal amount of canola oil or olive oil. For example, comfrey oil is a key ingredient in my bruise cream with arnica & bilberry. You say, “Place the herbs and olive oil in a double boiler and bring very slowly to a low simmer.” Do you mean bring the water in the double-boiler to a low simmer or the olive oil with the herbs in it?? Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.. I’m not familiar with ‘comfrey oil’ but I suggest you apply it a couple of times a day. 58 ($11.58/Fl Oz) FREE Shipping. It’s best to use new green leaves before the plant begins putting out too many flowers. [2] WebMD Comfrey, [3] Comfrey. Comfrey-infused oil: 1.5 C. olive oil Pick some of the leaves off your plant. It’s one for those special circumstances when your skin needs some deep therapy and healing. Dry them by stringing them up on thread like bunting, or in a food dehydrator. You can also use your crock pot to infuse dehydrated comfrey root in oil. Comfrey roots, cutted, dry or dried Vegetable oil The comfrey roots should be dried or fresh but dry at the outside. The dosing advice from WebMD is to use comfrey oil (extract) three times daily for up to three weeks[9] depending on complaint. Comfrey root has many natural healing properties, and mixed with other natural herbs, comfrey can create a very potent cold remedy. Leaves should be young and lush and it's best to pick them before the plant flowers. It especially works well for wounds that are poorly healing. I recently tried air-drying comfrey in bunches as an experiment. Although not all side effects are known, comfrey is thought to be possibly safe … Strain the root out of the water but don't throw the water out, it is part of your tea. These versions just need to make sure the heat is LOW. [5] COMFREY (Symphytum officinale): A healer of wounds, bruises and bones, Cambridge Naturals, Steph Zabel Herbalist, Ethnobotanist Comfrey side effects. It’s also the same variety used in the study on wound healing. Quite a lot of folks that defend its safely too[5]. Jedlinszki N, Balázs B, Csányi E, Csupor D. More Buying Choices $8.45 (3 new offers) 8 Fl.oz Premium Liquid Gold Comfrey Herbal Oil Pure & Organic Skin Hair Nails Health. The reason I use it? Many gardeners have it growing somewhere whether it’s a relic of a past garden or used to make plant feed. After 4-6 weeks, strain the oil through some cheesecloth (keeping the oil! The basic rule here is that the lower the heat and the longer the simmering can happen, the better and medicinally-stronger the oil will be. Doll3, K.A. Start by chopping the fresh herbs to expose more surface area. Booyah. (2cups chopped leaves to 2 cups oil). 4.5 out of 5 stars 46. After the tincture is made, then you can whip up the fabulous joint and muscle cream! Never take the oil internally. I make comfrey oil from fresh comfrey leaves by chopping the leaves and adding an equal amount of canola oil or olive oil. Also having thoughts to do it with some. Use comfrey oil neat on the skin or as an ingredient to make healing salves. You can also use the oil to make a salve that will rub in and stay on a lot better. However, it’s also because there is a chance for mold issues with fresh herbs/plants with the infused oil process. [8] Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine, 2005, 2nd edition. If it begins to smell bad, it might have gone rancid, and it’s time to throw it away and make a new batch (but really, I’m sure you will use it up before the year is done!). It may help with cavities, bleeding or receding gums, and tooth sensitivity. Comfrey has also been used for treating external wounds on the skin – cuts, sprains, burns and so much more. Place the mashed ball of hot leaves inside a piece of cheesecloth or a sturdy paper towel and tie the ends together with a rubber band to make a little packet. Though there are multiple health benefits of comfrey oil, the potential ones include: 1. Now add 30 to 35g of beeswax (needed to get the ointment texture). This is the method that I used for my Sore Muscle Salve. Nan Mei, Lei Guo, Peter P. Fu, James C. Fuscoe, Yang Luan, and Tao Chen. Hope that helps! Life is so busy, and sometimes these things get pushed farther and farther down the chore list. Fill your glass jar half full with the herbs/plants and and then completely cover them with your oil (good quality olive oil is the best) right up to the brim. The comfrey stalk contains allentoin - allentoin is healing to the skin. If your stovetop gets too hot, it might destroy the medicinal properties of the plant, so please remember to keep it on low! What’s wrong with the leaves after the plant flowers? Go ahead and break up the leaves by hand. Just like other medicinal plants, comfrey should be understood and respected before using it. To make this recipe, first, you must prepare the comfrey root tincture. Heat the oven up to 200 degrees then turn it off. REMINERALIZING: RTB's comfrey oil pulling formula is slowly infused with organic, mature comfrey leaves, resulting in a simple but potent herbal oil pulling remedy. You use comfrey oil direct on the skin or mixed with other ingredients to make this Healing Salve. Comfrey can even be used to activate compost and condition the soil in your garden. Hi just wanted to ask a question hopefully get some help. This is a folk-method of making comfrey-infused oil and its strength will vary depending on a number of factors. Strain out the herb after 10-15 minutes. ), and make sure to wring that cheesecloth good and tight to get every last precious drop of your medicinal oil. This can steep for 28 days. Learn More. Although you can purchase dried comfrey leaves from many cosmetic and herbal suppliers it’s easy to grow. Although I’m sharing how to make comfrey oil it’s important to understand the discussion around it. How to Prevent Weeds from Stealing Your Gardening Joy. **Make sure to label your jars with the name and when you made it (otherwise you will end up like me: finding dusty jars of liquid and no idea what it is!). RTB's comfrey toothpaste formula is includes an array of especially therapeutic herbs, including comfrey root. Susan Weed shows how to make comfrey infused oil for making salves and ointments. Place the dehydrated comfrey root in a glass pint jar, cover with olive oil and tightly cap. I know, it sounds too good to be true… but it’s not! Out of the 50 seeds in the packet, I managed to successfully grow 2 comfrey plants. Comfrey oil has been proved as an effective remedy in the treatment of bug bites, especially spider bites.Due to its chemical compounds, the oil … [1]Wound healing effects of a Symphytum herb extract cream (Symphytum x uplandicum NYMAN: ): results of a randomized, controlled double-blind study. and “cook” the leaves and herbs for … As for blue and brown bottles, a cheap alternative is clear glass, but wrap the glass completely in aluminum foil and tape the seam. comfrey is a wonderful perennial herb that we use as a fertilizer and medicinal medicine. It is one of the best herbs for treating torn ligaments, strains, and bruises. Also, about 3.5 grams of a specific cream containing comfrey extract, tannic acid, aloe vera gel, eucalyptus oil, and frankincense oil has been applied to the knee three times daily for 6-12 weeks. Comfrey helps speed the healing for many things, including: broken bones, poison ivy, scrapes, damaged joints, muscle pains, etc. Heat the oil mixture over very low heat until the beeswax melts. Common Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) may be lower in alkaloids so could be safer to use in herbal preparations. It blocks the light. Put the root into 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Every winter, however, I FINALLY have time to make herbal remedies to prepare for the coming year. comfrey is a great topical medicinal herb that heals cuts and wounds quickly. You should pop the jars in brown paper bags if you decide to put them on a window sill***. There are a couple of ways to do this: I use a small crockpot (that I picked up at a thrift store for $2.00!) You certainly don’t want to get your jars mixed up, plus, it helps you know when the oil might be expired. … Add liquid from 1 vitamin E and 1 vitamin A per each 8 oz. Maybe not as classic as buying brown or blue bottles, but definitely cheaper! However, studies using rats have shown that it can be dangerous when taken internally[4]. Put your Comfrey oil in a roasting pan or a pot. Comfrey Root Vs. Comfrey Leaves. The liquid is now your infused Comfrey oil. The slower method involves packing a glass jar with comfrey leaves and then pouring oil over them. (If you don’t have a double boiler you can use a stainless steel bowl set inside a pot of boiling water.) Put on the lowest setting for 12-24 hours. From linear regression time to complete healing was determined to be 2.97 days faster with verum than with the reference (4.08 vs. 7.05 days). Thanks Tanya for posting this x, Your email address will not be published. Healing Comfrey Salve Recipe. In my case it worked fine but did take an extra couple of days. This site uses cookies to give you the best possible experience. You don’t want bacteria and other microorganisms inside wounds since they can cause abscesses[2]. Use a spoon or butter knife to gently stir the plants to make sure there are no air pockets. Simply fill a jar 2/3 full with the leaves, cover completely with oil, tamping down to eliminate air bubbles. First, make the comfrey root tincture by combining the dried comfrey root and alcohol in a sterilized, dry, glass pint jar. This can steep for 28 days. 2. 2017 Feb;83:1-4. doi: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2016.11.015. Make sure you don’t put it onto an open/healing wound though. HI, I have a question about the double-boiler stove-top infusion method. Only 3 left in stock - order soon. Courtesy of http://www.herbshealing.com. Turn down heat to a low simmer. Use about a quarter sized amount each time. To make this using the cold infusion method, put all the herbs in a 16 ounce glass jar, cover with olive oil, cap and shake. **Keep your Infused Oil in a cool, dark place. Although comfrey is a wonderful skin healer, it also has a long history of use for internal injuries. You can purchase comfrey oil as an infusion with olive oil. Choose organically grown comfrey when possible. I used to regard it almost as a pest, but since learning how to put it to good use I've grown quite fond of it. I’ll make sure to include those recipe links in this post when I have them finished, but in the meantime, here’s a list of great salves/recipes that use Comfrey Infused Oil: **This is the old-fashioned way of making Infused Oils. Glass jars for the infused oil process no matter what time of the water should... About 2/3rds full with dried comfrey root tincture shake them when I remember do... Maybe not as classic as buying brown or blue bottles, but really close to that.... The tincture is made, then you can use whole comfrey leaves from oil stir. Internally, in high doses, and/or long periods of olive oil and the someplace... 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Specialist dark jars come in brown paper bags if you see a small spot mold... Places such as ditches and riverbanks you used pan or a pot of making comfrey-infused oil and its strength vary... Leaves make a comfrey infused oil for making infused oils and I ’ ll also find it Russian! Cover completely with oil and beeswax in a roasting pan or a on! May be lower in alkaloids so could be safer to use that.! For posting this x, your email address will not be used on... To Europe and grows in damp, grassy places such as ditches and riverbanks there. If you are getting your plants from a location that hasn ’ t been sprayed with yucky chemicals this growing. Spread the thick mixture approximately ¼ inch thick on the cloth and leave about 1 inch of around!