Comfrey has been used medicinally for thousands of years to reduce pain and promote healing. Modern peer-reviewed studies are finding that topical comfrey preparations, such as comfrey salve and comfrey cream, are incredibly effective herbal pain relievers.
Common comfrey (Symphytum officianale) and Russian Comfrey (S. uplandicum) are fast-growing leafy plants that are considered invasive in some areas. They spread rapidly, and are incredibly difficult to control because new plants can sprout from even tiny sections of root left in the soil.
They’re popular in permaculture gardening circles because of their ability to pull micro-nutrients from deep in the soil, and the tops are cut and applied in a number of ways as soil amendments.
Whether or not it’s a good idea to plant comfrey in your garden is up for debate, and you’ll need to cut it several times a season to keep it under control. That just means you’ll have plenty of potent medicine to harvest (and a great source of nutrient-rich mulch).
If you don’t have comfrey growing nearby, you can still make comfrey salve with either dried comfrey leaf or comfrey root, both of which can be purchased online. If you’re just hoping to find a ready-made salve and skip the DIY portion, I’d suggest checking on Etsy for small-scale cottage industry salve producers.
Invasive or not, I think it has beautiful flowers (and the bees love comfrey!)
Comfrey’s medicinal benefits are well known, and even if you choose not to grow it for practical reasons, it’s easy enough to purchase dried comfrey leaves or dried roots for herbal remedies (either can be used to make comfrey salve).
I use comfrey salve to treat my chronic low back pain, brought long summer days in the garden and winters hauling a heavy chainsaw around our woodland homestead cutting firewood.
While historically comfrey was taken internally for all manner of issues (including broken bones), it’s now known to be potentially damaging to the liver when consumed, and it’s best avoided. Topically though, comfrey is still in common use for pain relief and minor wounds.
(Always consult your doctor or a clinical herbalist before trying any new herbal remedy, as there’s always the possibility of unintended consequences, allergic reaction, or interactions with other medication. If you’re harvesting wild plant material, make sure you’re 100% confident in your identification and consult multiple sources for your ID. The following is based on my research and experience, but I don’t claim to have any certifications that would qualify me to advise you on your health. Please do your own research and always verify with multiple reputable sources.)
Benefits of Comfrey
Comfrey has been shown to reduce inflammation, reduce pain, and speed skin healing. It contains allantoin, a substance believed to promote healing by stimulating the growth of new cells.
Since it’s potentially toxic taken internally, these days comfrey is only used topically as a herbal salve or cream. Salves are easy to make and require minimal ingredients and equipment.
They’re also simple to use and can store for extended periods (1-2 years) without spoiling or losing potency. Comfrey cream and comfrey ointments also work well, and I’ll cover those later on.
Herbalists commonly recommend comfrey salves for sprains, strains, muscle pain, arthritis, bruises, and fractures.
But what does the science say?
Back Pain
The British Journal of Sports Medicine found that topical comfrey creams were incredibly effective at treating acute back pain. The study found that pain intensity decreased by 95.2% in the comfrey treated group, as opposed to 37.8% in the placebo group.
Most notably, the study found that comfrey is fast-acting, with relief experienced in about an hour!
The study concluded that “comfrey root extract showed a remarkably potent and clinically relevant effect in reducing acute back pain.”
Osteoarthritis
Multiple studies have shown that comfrey salves reduced pain and increased mobility in patients with osteoarthritis.
A study on osteoarthritis of the knee found that pain was reduced by more than 50% with comfrey creams, as opposed to 10-15% with placebo during a 3 week study period. Another similar study confirms these results (but also noted a few cases of a topical skin reaction to comfrey.)
While pain is reduced and mobility increased, yet another study went further and found that though the symptoms are reversed, the actual measurable inflammation and cartilage breakdown within the knee are not improved.
It seems that comfrey may reduce osteoarthritis pain and symptoms, but it’s not actually healing the underlying condition.
Sprains
Comfrey’s pain-relieving effects are helpful in treating the pain associated with joint sprains, and one study found that topical applications of comfrey are as effective as synthetic prescription pain-relieving gels. The study only addressed pain symptoms, however, and didn’t investigate whether comfrey creams helped to heal sprains.
Harvesting comfrey leaves from my garden for a homemade comfrey salve for low back pain.
Precautions for Use
Do not ingest comfrey! Comfrey isn’t for internal use and you should never ingest comfrey in any form. Older herbals recommended consuming comfrey to help with bone healing, but that’s no longer recommended due to the risk of liver poisoning (and death in high enough doses).
Comfrey varies in constituents based on the strain, and it’s possible that the strains of comfrey consumed in medieval Europe were kept specifically for internal use. Those strains are no longer kept (or if they are, their ID and use aren’t certain). These days it’s impossible to know if some strains are safer than others without individual chemical analysis, and even then it’s not worth the risk.
Skin reactions have been reported in a small number of people in the clinical trials I mention, and there’s always the possibility of an allergy. I’d suggest doing a small patch test before using too much for the first time, just to be sure that you don’t have a reaction. That goes for any topical herbal remedy, not just comfrey salve.
Comfrey is for external use only, which is why a comfrey salve is an excellent way to use it.
Making Comfrey Salve
Making a homemade comfrey salve follows the same process as making any other herbal salve. It all starts with making a herbal infused oil.
The infused oil is then thickened with melted beeswax before pouring into containers to harden.
Making an Infused Oil
Infused oils are best made with dried herbs and a bit of patience. The dried herb material won’t cause the oil to go rancid while infusing, as opposed to wet herb material.
Fill a jar about 2/3rds full with dried comfrey leaves or dried comfrey root. Cover with a neutral oil, such as olive oil, and allow the herbs to infuse into the oil for about 4-6 weeks before straining.
If you’re using fresh herbs, or trying to make comfrey salve in less than 4-6 weeks, try the heat infusion method. Start by chopping the fresh herbs to expose more surface area.
Cutting comfrey leaves to make an infused oil, and eventually a comfrey salve.
Place the fresh or dried herbs in a jar, cover with oil and then place the jar into a double boiler. Gently heat the water in a double boiler, warming the oil, but keeping it under 140 degrees. It’s important that the herbs infuse (not deep fry).
A crockpot set to “keep warm” works well for this, but a small pot of water on very low heat also works.
Allow the fresh or dried herbs to infuse in the double boiler for about 24 hours before straining and continuing with the process.
(Note: If using fresh herbs, make sure the jar is open during the infusion process so that moisture can evaporate from the herb material)
Pouring oil over comfrey leaves to make an infused oil.
Making a Herbal Salve
Once you have a comfrey infused oil, it’s simple to thicken it into a herbal salve.
Salve recipes vary, but I like the consistency when I use a 1 to 8 ratio of oil to beeswax (by weight). I weigh out 8 ounces of herb-infused oil, which is about what you end up with if you pack a wide-mouth pint mason jar with comfrey and cover it with oil.
Once it’s strained out, you should have about 8 ounces of oil. Next, weigh out 1 ounce of beeswax. Using easy melting beeswax pistils makes this process easy, but you can also chop some off a large block of beeswax.
Put the oil and beeswax in a heat-safe bowl or double boiler bowl, and gently melt it over a pot of simmering water (basically, in a double boiler). Once melted, pour the salves into jars or salve tins.
I’m using 2-ounce salve tins, which hold ever so slightly more than 2 ounces. I’m able to get 4 tins of comfrey salve from a single batch.
Allow the salves to cool and firm up for a few hours before using them.
Where to Buy Comfrey Salve
Homemade comfrey salve has its benefits…you know what’s in it, how the comfrey was grown (if you grew it) and it can save money compared to buying prepared comfrey salves. That said, the downside is that the dosage can be variable.
Different strains of comfrey have different medicinal potencies. There are a few named varieties that are grown for their high concentrations of healing compounds, and it’s hard to know the potency of comfrey harvested from your yard.
Most studies using topical comfrey applications used a standardized comfrey salve with 35% comfrey extract, while the dosage of homemade comfrey salve is unknown. I looked for comfrey cream and salves with a standardized dosage and I actually couldn’t find any, not a single one! (If you find one, please let me know in the comments).
I did, however, find two commercially available comfrey preparations, one cream, and one salve. I’ll warn you though, they’re expensive, about $10 an ounce…
- Traumaplant Comfrey Cream ~ Made into an easy-to-apply cream in a tube.
- Herb Pharm Salve ~ Not strictly comfrey, but also contains St. John’s Wort, Calendula, Chickweed, Mullein, Plantain, and Rosemary.
For me, I’m less concerned with standardized dosage than I am with results. If my homemade comfrey salve gets the job done, the dosage is just another number.
Comfrey Salve
Comfrey salve is easy to make at home, using homegrown herbs or by purchasing dried comfrey. Studies show that comfrey is an effective herbal pain reliever when applied topically.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup fresh comfrey leaves
- (or 1 cup dried comfrey leaves)
- (or 1 cup dried comfrey roots)
- Olive Oil to Fill (about 10 ounces)
- 1-ounce beeswax
Instructions
- Place comfrey in a pint mason jar and cover with a carrier oil (like olive oil). Be sure to cover the herb material by at least an inch, and stir to remove air bubbles.
- For the fast infusion method, which is required for fresh herbs, place the jar in a double boiler or crockpot with water. Turn it on very low, and gently heat the mixture keeping it under 140 degrees. Allow the herbs to infuse in the warm oil for 24 hours before straining. (Can be used with fresh or dried herbs.)
- For the slower infusion method (only with dried herbs), allow the herbs to infuse at room temperature for 2-6 weeks before straining.
- Measure the strained herb-infused oil. You should have roughly 8 ounces of oil. For every 8 ounces of oil, add 1-ounce beeswax (by weight).
- Place the herb-infused oil and beeswax into a heatproof bowl and warm gently over a double boiler. Stir to combine and once melted, remove from heat.
- Pour the comfrey salve into salve tins or small jars and allow the mixture to cool for a few hours before using.
Notes
If using fresh herbs, you must quick infuse the oil because the water in fresh herbs will cause the oil to go rancid if slowly infused for 4-6 weeks. Drying the herbs first is also an option, which will allow you to use the slow infuse method if you wish. This remedy can be made with comfrey leaves or comfrey root, or a combination of the two.
Herbal salves keep 1-2 years in a cool dark place.
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More Homemade Herbal Remedies
Looking to stock your home apothecary with more than just comfrey salve? Here are a few more of my favorite homemade herbal remedies:
- Arnica Oil and Salve
- Homemade Herbal Shampoo
- Winter Immune Support Tea Blend
- Reishi Tincture
- Echinacea Tincture
- Elderberry Oxymel
- Willow Bark Aspirin
Disclaimer on Homemade Herbal Remedies
I’ve been foraging wild medicines and treating my family with herbal remedies for the past 20 years, but I’m self-taught. Be aware that I am not a clinical herbalist, and this is based on my own research and personal experience using medicinal plants. I do not claim to have the experience that’d qualify me to advise you on your health, and I’m only providing this as a reference to encourage a broader interest in medicinal plants.
Please use this as a jumping-off point, but always do your own research and verify anything you read with multiple sources.
It’s always possible to have an adverse reaction to any medicinal herb, and plenty of people are allergic to even gentle herbs like chamomile. Always consult your doctor or a certified herbalist before trying any new medicinal plant. Often, they can have unintended reactions in combination with other herbs and supplements, and many herbs have side effects even when they are effective for their intended purpose.
If you are seriously interested in herbal medicine, I’d suggest investing in a course in herbal medicine, and I’d recommend any of the online courses put out by the Herbal Academy of New England. Specifically, the introduction to herbal medicine course and the family herbalist group of courses.
They also have a mushroom course, covering both medicinal and edible mushrooms, and a Botany and Wildcrafting Course. I’ve taken both and they’re informative, inspiring, and artfully presented.
Danna Lee Tomchick Carlson
I love this idea.
I only use topicals. No oral meds ever. This is a awesome thing!! I have a sous vide, which would hold that perfect temp!!
I’m excited to try this.
I just have to find organic or as natural comfrey leaves!🌼☘️🍀🖖🌱🐛
Ronnie Maiden
This looks great. I used to have a garden with a lovely comfrey patch, I wish I’d had this recipe then! Just a hint for those that have blocks of beeswax: an old cheese grater is a wonderful thing to use on this when working with such small amounts. Just gratexwhat you need. 😊
Clyde
Ashley: how is the best way to DRY Comfrey Roots & Leaves. could you let me know on my E-Mail. Thanks.
Ashley Adamant
I would use a dehydrator. They wilt and mold very quickly for some reason, and I’ve tried sun drying them and hanging them to dry. The leaves in particular always seem to mold before they dry. Maybe it’s out humid climate, but I’ve had success sun-drying other herbs without issue. It’s something about comfrey leaves that gives me trouble when I try to dehydrate them outside a dehydrator. (Sent this to you via email too, good luck!)
Eileen O'Brien
Can mineral oil be used in place of olive oil?
Ashley Adamant
You can use just about any oil you’d like in this recipe (olive, almond, etc). I actually had to look up what mineral oil is, because I’ve never used it, but apparently it is an oil that is used on skin, so yes, it should be fine in this recipe. I’m not sure about the consistency, so you may have to play around with the amount of bees wax. (For example, if you use coconut oil instead then you use ever so slightly less beeswax for the same consistency since coconut oil is solid at room temperature)
Dee Yaj
+Hello, thank you for a beautiful article. I’m interested in learning practical self reliance and find you. I have a few questions if you can assist:
a) can you give a guide on usage on all parts of the comfrey plant. You’ve touched on the leaves and the roots. What about the stalk and flowers?
b) when is the best time to harvest comfrey? Is there a past time to harvest?
c) can an infusion be too potent?
-for ex..double infusion (not sure if this is a term): first infusion then filtered and using new leaves but using the first round of filtered infused oil again for another 4-6 weeks. Or is this a waste?
d) is there a max oil infusion limit? I know you recommend 4-6 weeks. Is there a time frame that the infusion has reached peek infusion?
e) is infusing wet leaves more potent than dry leaves? Will both methods result in the same color? I’m thinking the wet leaves may be more effective cause you want the green liquids of the leaves, right?
Thank you for your time and patience with my newbie questions. I read mostly all the comments before asking.
Dee
Administrator
I am only familiar with using the roots and the leaves. The best time to harvest roots and leaves is when the plant is not in flower. Some people do double infuse oils but I would recommend getting with a knowledgeable herbalist that can give you more specifics on some of this. The plant will give out the medicine that it has to give and then once that has happened it can’t give any more. You can go beyond the 6 weeks but I don’t know that you will get any more benefit. Using fresh plant material is often a way to get a more potent oil but you want to do a warm infusion for that, otherwise the excess moisture can spoil the oil.
VS
Comfrey is truly magical in my opinion . I have been making balm tubes of it for years . Meadow foam seed oil is excellent to use as well, for it has a long shelf life . Coconut oil is my second choice .
Spring is almost here so I can hardly wait to see our comfrey plants come alive . They are very hardy plants that can survive -30 plus winters.
Thank you for the excellent article on comfrey !
Daniel Fontenot
We have plenty of comfrey in our garden. How could l make a comfrey police to apply to my strained thigh and buttock muscles.
Administrator
Here is a great article from The Herbal Academy on how to make an herbal poultice.
https://theherbalacademy.com/how-to-make-a-poultice-with-herbs/
Rox
Making more, almost out. Family loves it, and yeah, I think it works better than hemp CBD salves for my low back pain. It’s awesome!
Kathy Krallman
Just wondering how long you infuse in crock pot on low?I
I’ve been doing the double boiler. Picked up crock at garage sale.thought I’d use that instead.
Kind Regards
Kathy jo
Administrator
You want to infuse the oil for 24 hours if using a crock pot.
Lolly
Hello! Thanks for the recipe here. Just wanted to ask how much a cup of dried root is in grams? Apparently conversion isn’t standardised so it depends on what is put in the cup. Thanks very much.
Administrator
While it is true that you would normally want to weigh out the root in order to get a more accurate measurement, it is not necessary when making an infused oil. The amounts of herb in an infused oil recipe do not need to be exact. You can even get a container and fill it 2/3 of the way full of your root and then fill the jar with oil.
Kevin
Hey Ashley,
Trying the comfrey salve thing. I dug fresh roots, and so followed the non dried method. My question is the liquid in my pint jar got a bit over 140 in the crock pot so I shut it down for a bit.
Should I just cycle the pot on and off as needed, and is a static temperature crucially important ?
Thanks, kevin
Administrator
It’s not crucial that you keep it at a static temperature so much as you want it to be below 140. Do you have a setting on your crock pot to keep it warm?
Mona Z
Hi i love this but i do have a question since its hard for me to actually find or grow actual comfrey here where i am from in florida. Can this still be potent if I would have Comfrey tncture and use that instead of infused oil, is it do-able and would it have same potent? If so how much of tncture should I use, first time making something with comfrey.
Please and thank you for response.
Admin
I personally would use dried comfrey:https://www.amazon.com/Starwest-Botanicals-Organic-Comfrey-Sifted/dp/B003AYEHGG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?keywords=dried+comfrey&qid=1572562269&sr=8-5&linkCode=sl1&tag=selfrelianc0e-20&linkId=474b7611a8f3d3c03f32dc066dc9ffb1&language=en_US
With tinctures, you need to make sure all the water is cooked out of your salve, otherwise, it’ll mold. I’ve never made this recipe with a tincture, so I’m not really sure how much you should add.
Catharine bird
I make a comfrey calendula cream that my whole family uses. I will use shea butter instead of my neighbour’s beeswax for the vegan friends that I supply. That’s a great article you wrote, and I like the citations you give in your answers!
Shivaun
I have semi dried (in the hot water cupboard) and also did a fresh leaf batch in the hot water cupboard of comfrey infused oil.. what are the chances the fresh leaf infused oil goes rancid? Is this a common thing to happen??
Also, if I want to add calendula oil to it too, would you recommend just doing half and half of each infused oil??
Admin
Yes, fresh plant material may leach water content into the oil causing it to spoil quicker than if you had used dried herbs. It’s not the end of the world, you can still use it, just be aware that it won’t stay potent as long. Yes, you can use half calendula in with your comfrey or whatever ratio you desire.
Krista
My comfrey leaves are so prickly. I just crushed them up to infuse into oil and I can still feel the prickles. Will they end up in the salve and make it itchy? I plan to strain through a cheesecloth.
Thanks
Ashley Adamant
Mine wasn’t prickly at all, and the leaves I used were quite prickly. I didn’t have an issue with it.
Amber
You stated to infuse the dried comfrey and oil for 2-6 weeks. How do you know when it’s ready?
Administrator
It’s actually 4 to 6 weeks. I would only stop the infusion at 4 weeks if you need to use it right away and don’t have time to wait the full 6 weeks. The longer you can infuse it, the better.
Beth
I’ve had my comfrey in a jar with olive oil for seven months. I forgot about it. Is it too late for me to use it?
Administrator
I would just check it. If it smells ok and you don’t see any mold growing, it should be fine. I have done this many times.
Tom Craig
I have made comfrey salve twice with your recipe using the dried leaves 6 week infusion method to make the infused oil. each time I made it , after pouring out the combined beeswax/infused oil into the jar and letting it cool II have noticed that there are 2 distinct layers ,I m assuming that they are the beeswax and the infused oil Ia there a way to avoid this? It seems that you are either getting a layer of beeswax with an infused oil layer underneath or vice versa. Help me understand what is going on here and should I be concerned about it?
Administrator
I have never experienced anything like that before when making a salve. What kind of oil are you using for your infusion? And are you heating the oil and beeswax together to melt the beeswax?
Tom Craig
Following your formula as close as possible. Mixed dried comfrey leaves with olive oil and let infuse slowly over 4-6 weeks. heated infused oil in double burner and melted beeswax completely. Poured in clean jars and let them set. Its not terribly noticeable but if you are looking for it is , it is easy to see. The first batch might have been stronger because there was a distinct greenish layer and a more buff colored one. Seems to work for pain etc but just to be sure i have been digging deep when taking salve out so as to get both layers
Administrator
That is certainly strange. It sounds like you did everything right. I am not sure why it would have done that. You didn’t happen to get water in there by accident?
Robin Coventry
when I made comfrey sauve the olive oil and the and bees wax separated into layers. Is that typical???
Administrator
I have never had that happen before with olive oil and beeswax.
Luke
You mentioned don’t let the oil get over 140 degrees but is this 140 degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius?
Thank you!
Administrator
Sorry about that. That would be 140 degrees Fahrenheit. You definitely don’t want to infuse oils at 140 degrees Celsius. That would be equal to 284 degrees Fahrenheit and remember you’re wanting to gently infuse the herbs in warm oil, not fry them.
Sandi
Thank you so much for this informative page! Is this salve safe to use for pregnant women?
Administrator
No, comfrey is one of the herbs that is not considered safe for use during pregnancy. Anytime you are using an herb, you always want to make sure that you research the contraindications for that herb to see if it is contraindicated for certain conditions or medications that you might be taking or check with your physician.
Sandi
Thank you, I had indeed researched that after my question 😊
Administrator
You’re very welcome. It’s always a good idea to do your own research and get confirmation.
Beckah
I just made this with crockpot infusion of wet leaves for 24 hours, I put some of that on my husband because he is healing broken bones and then I heated and put in the beeswax and it was like magic! It made a smooth nice salve that is not drippy, he can apply at will. Thank you very much!
Administrator
You’re very welcome. So glad you liked the recipe.
Paula Key
My husband and I are planning to make the comfrey salve using our crockpot. We assume that the lid stays off of the crockpot during the 24 hour period of time, is this correct? Using the “keep warm” temperature, will we need to keep track of the temperature using a thermometer? And will it be necessary to add water to the crockpot in the 24 hour period of time? Thank You.
Administrator
Yes, especially if you are using fresh herbs with an open jar. You want any excess moisture to evaporate. It should be ok especially on the keep warm setting but I would definitely check on it occasionally to be sure.
Lynda Tramacchi
Do you have a recipe for comfrey cream rather than salve?
Administrator
Comfrey cream involves the addition of water to the recipe which then requires a preservative of some kind. Jan Berry at The Nerdy Farm Wife has some great information on making creams and lotions.
Steve S.
Thank you for publishing articles about comfrey online. . . . .
— For how many weeks or months can you continue to use comfrey poultices / tincture/ salve on a daily basis, without any negative consequences? . . . . .
— If you recommend “taking a break” from the use of comfrey after a certain period of time, for how many days or weeks should you stop using it? . . . . .
Thanks
Administrator
It looks like there is differing views on this. I have seen where it is recommended for use for up to 3 weeks. Another source says to not use it for more than 10 days in a row and for no more than 4 to 6 weeks total in a calendar year. I would just recommend that you do some research on it and figure out what you’re most comfortable with.
Suzanne
This looks so good! I didn’t know there was so many benefits! What a great thing to make after a hike!
Administrator
So glad you enjoyed the post.
Vanessa
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Administrator
The biggest issue that you will have in the shelf life of a salve is the oil going rancid. As long as you are using fresh oils then your salve should last a long time.
Steve S.
It might help to blend a little Vitamin E into the finished salve, and to store it in a small-as-possible glass jar (minimal air space), with a metal lid (or a plastic lid with a metal/foil lining).
Administrator
Yes, vitamin E is a great antioxidant that can help oils from going rancid too quickly but I personally haven’t seen the need to use it in my salves.
Tom Craig
This is a general commen/question. I have been making the comfrey salve for over a year and I find it works on arthritis and bruises. My question is why is it not considered dangerous because of the transdermal route used for delivery. I was a nurse for close to 37 years and we used to (and they probably still ) use transdermal pain med patches with Morphine, and Fentanyl among others. They need to be processed by the liver, so how does the comfrey avoid the liver thus making it safer because of the transdermal route?
Administrator
I honestly don’t know the answer to this question. I only know that the FDA recommended that all oral comfrey products be removed from the market because of the potential for toxicity on the liver. As far as I am aware this is not an issue with topical application. I don’t know why or how this works differently but there are many herbs that can be used topically that you wouldn’t want to take internally. If you find more information on the process we would love for you to come back and share.
Charlene Sapieha
I would wonder if the FDA states liver potential to protect big pharma, not kidding
Jess
Hello,
I am loving all the information and experience you have in creating this healing salve. I would like to make this for a elderly friend who developed intermittent back pain over the winter that is still troubling him. As he could use it sooner than later I’d like to make it using fresh comfrey. Do you think it would be a stronger concoction if I grated up some of the root with the leaves then did the 24hr warm bath? Is there a way to know if too much moisture has leached into the oil? And last question…how many times a day do you apply it to get relief?
Thank you so kindly for your advice.
Administrator
As long as you have it on the heat, the excess moisture should evaporate out of the oil just fine. Some relief should happen very quickly. There is a study mentioned in the post that states relief was felt within an hour.
Charlene Sapieha
When would you use comfrey salve vs plantain salve? Is it merely availability? Any other differences would be aporeciated
Administrator
Comfrey has been shown to reduce inflammation, reduce pain and speed skin healing. It is commonly used for sprains, strains, muscle pain, arthritis, bruises and fractures. Plantain is often used for things like bites, stings, cuts, scrapes and abrasions. It may also help with pain and swelling as well as kill bacteria and fungi. They do have some similar properties but the difference is more in the types of issues that they address.
Mindy
I dried my comfrey leaves and powerderized them in my blender and don’t know how to use them this way. I added some to lotion and was wondering if that will work or if there’s a better way to use the powder for back pain and arthritis. Thankyou!
Administrator
I would infuse the comfrey into an oil just like the directions show in this post. You can use the oil as is or make it into a salve.
Mindy
So if I infuse my powdered comfrey that will still work? What would be the ratio of powder to the oil? Thankyou!!
Administrator
Yes, you can definitely use a powder. The powder is just a little more difficult to strain out of the oil but it can be done. I would try 1 to 2 tablespoons of powder for about 1/2 cup of oil.
Elizabeth Raptis
Can you use other herb infused oils in combination with the comfrey oil when making salve?
Administrator
Yes, you can definitely do that.
Keira
This looks like it would be really handy to have on hand.
Ouida
Thank you so much for this wonderful article!! After drying my comfry leaves for a while I finally put it in a jar with olive oil today, 1st September. I have just a little over 3 weeks before I have to travel and I see you said 4 – 6 weeks to infuse re potency. Me having only 3 weeks, I wonder if I can after 3 weeks put the jar in water over a low flame (for how long) to draw out more potency before mixing with the beeswax?? Would this help the potency or would it mess up the process of the oil infusing? Thank you for taking the time to read this and thank you for your answer. Bless
Administrator
You could definitely put it on some heat for a faster infusion. Depending on how long you’re traveling, you could also leave it to keep infusing while you’re gone.
Ouida
Thank you so much for your reply. As it turns out I got caught in the Hurricane and so could not leave. I’ve hit the 4 week mark!! I will give it a little extra heat (short burst) before I mix everything! Very excited. I want to add some tea tree oil as well. I’m thinking that would be ok yes?
Thanks Again for taking the time to share your knowledge.
Blessings,
Administrator
Yes, you can certainly add in some essential oils if you like.
Katie
This is a great summary article, however, it’s quite biased towards the “scientific” community’s thoughts on ingesting comfrey. In reality, the dosage you’d need to be harmed by comfrey is unbelievable – 10 cups of tea a day for years. Different types of comfrey also have different levels of PAs, but guess what, honey, oats, grains also have those same PAs. Please considering updating your article with more research. This is a good resource here https://monicawilde.com/is-comfrey-edible/
Administrator
We will check it out. Thanks for sharing.
Marilyn
I made my own comfrey salve two years ago and love it! It’s a simple salve to put on small bruises that kids always seem to get. It doesn’t sting, which is a huge plus for kids. And its really simple to make.
Ashley Adamant
Wonderful!
julie Santaniello-Brox
Great article!!
Here’s a less expensive 1lb bag of dried comfrey I found on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000VEHI6Y/ref=ox_sc_act_image_2?smid=A2ECZQEG0MWSQO&psc=1
Administrator
Just make sure you are purchasing from a reputable grower. Less expensive is not necessarily a good thing when it comes to herbs.
Gaile
I was wanting to make the salve but didn’t have enough dried comfrey. My question is can you use dried comfrey and dried comfrey root together? I have learned so much from you. Thank you.
Administrator
You can use either the leaf or the root or a combination of both is also fine.
Laura
Would wild comfrey have the same effects as the garden varieties? I found quite a few on my walks last year but never harvested. I’ve had a hard time finding info on them.
Administrator
I don’t have a lot of experience with this plant. The wild comfrey is Cynoglossum virginianum and the cultivated comfrey commonly grown on homesteads is Symphytum officinale. These plants are from different families so there is no reason to believe that they would have the same properties. With that said, the wild comfrey was historically used by the Native Americans for medicinal purposes so it’s definitely worth doing some additional research.
Hmh
Can I use just organic coconut oil (and no olive oil) for infusing my dried leaves? Or is there any benefit to mixing the two?
I imagine it is a different melting point for C.O. and I’m planning to put the jar in my crockpot. Do I need to get it up to a certain temperature (but below 140 )to fully infuse from last summers comfrey? I don’t have any beeswax right now but thought I could keep in the fridge if done in 100% coconut as it hardens easily. Thank you for your great recipes and sharing your experience !
Administrator
You could certainly just infuse the comfrey into coconut oil if you wish. There are definitely some different skin benefits for both the olive oil and the beeswax but coconut oil is great too.
Diane
Do you sell it. I live in a tiny place & am old.
Administrator
I’m sorry but we don’t. You can probably find some on Etsy or at your local farmer’s market.
Rachelle
Great article! I suffer from chronic neck and back pain and am always on the hunt for remedies. I’m new to making salves and body butters, and just bought comfrey essential oil. Can I use that, and if so how much? Thank you!
Administrator
I’m sure you can use it but unfortunately I don’t have any experience using the essential oil. The manufacturer of the essential oil may have some more information about the safe usage rate for a salve. You could also try eocalc.com and see if they have any information.
Jennifer Taylor
Wondering how much powder you would use versus leaves to make a salve?
Administrator
Try 1 to 2 tablespoons for a 1/2 cup of oil.
Janet Freya
Can I mixed some dried lemon verbena leaves in with the dried comfrey? I have both plants in my garden. Do you know if lemon verbena’s properties would enhance or support comfrey’s? I’m thinking it would smell great!
Administrator
I don’t have any personal experience regarding the benefits of lemon verbena but it’s worth trying.
Kristine Marie
Thank you so much for this recipe. Not sure if this will be seen but I have a question regarding the temperature minimum. I infused the oil with leaf matter below 140 degrees as instructed. However, beeswax has a melting point of 144-150 so in order to melt the beeswax into the mixture, the temp must rise higher than the max temp recommended. I can’t see that this was mentioned anywhere
Administrator
You want to keep the oil under 140 degrees while the herbs are infusing. Once the oil is done, you will strain the herbs out. You can then mix the oil and the beeswax together and then heat it until the beeswax is melted.
Soilbellefarm
I love making comfrey salve! I started growing the plants from seed many years ago to support my soil so I could grow more nutrient rich food. I then learned of all the other benefits and started making the salve.
Administrator
That’s great. Thanks for sharing.
Caryl Bradley
Thanks but your oil to beeswax ratio is flipped above. You say 8 to 1 oil to wax but your words above say the reverse. Can’t wait for spring comfrey! 🙂
Administrator
Yes it should be 8 parts oil and 1 part beeswax.
Lynda
Hi Ashley,
I need your help. I just made my first batch of comfrey infused castor oil using the heat infusion method. I was careful to not heat it over 140° as to not degrade the medicinal properties. I intended on making a salve with it but the recipe I followed recommended a 4:1 ratio for infused oil to beeswax. It turned out more like a balm. It was too firm, I couldn’t even push my finger tip into it and created too much drag on the skin. I read that it could be melted down again to add a thinner oil to it such as grapeseed oil which is what I had on hand. I set my crock pot on high just to spead up the process a bit to get it up to about 125° or so, intending on turning the it back down to the warming setting but I forgot. It did not heat very long, about 45 mins total starting out with the crock being cold but when I checked the oil temp my heat thermometer it read 170°. I feel pretty awful about it as I am afraid that I have ruined it. How would I be able to tell if I wrecked all my hard work?
Administrator
I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Those temperatures are a guideline and I know lots of herbalists that heat them higher than 140. It may not have as much medicine but it will still be a really good salve.
Carol Lynn Flanagan
Hi I was wondering if you could do the quick crockpot infusion with dried roots or leaves ?? I was given some very small baby comfrey plants so they are not ready to use. Thank you
Administrator
Yes, you can definitely use dried roots and leaves.
Lina
1 milligram of allantoin per gram of comfrey, potentially slightly less with oil infusion/type of process used for drying/infusing.