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Herbs & Supplements
Wallwort
Scientific Name: Comfrey
Other Names: Ass Ear, Black Root, Blackwort, Bruisewort, Common Comfrey, Consolidae Radix, Consound, Gum Plant, Healing Herb, Knitback, Knitbone, Salsify, Slippery Root, Symphytum Radix, Symphytum officinale
When should I be careful taking it?
Comfrey should not be taken by mouth.
One case of damage to an unborn baby has been reported after the mother drank large amounts of comfrey tea while she was pregnant. Birth defects are known to have occurred in laboratory animals born to mothers who were given comfrey during pregnancy. Comfrey may also have some muscle-tightening effects on the uterus. Therefore, taking it may have prompted miscarriages among laboratory animals. Pregnant women should not take comfrey.
Potentially harmful chemicals from comfrey have been found in the milk of laboratory animals and livestock that ate it. No human studies verify that comfrey passes into human breast milk, but breast-feeding women are advised to avoid taking comfrey by mouth.
After comfrey is applied to the skin, some of the chemicals in it may be absorbed into the body, but how much is absorbed cannot be determined in advance. Possibly, harmful amounts may accumulate, so pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding should also avoid applying topical comfrey.
Although no reliable reports of liver problems have been attributed to using comfrey on unbroken skin, individuals with liver problems and individuals who drink large amounts of alcohol should avoid its use on the skin.
Because children and the elderly may be affected by even small amounts of the pyrrolizidine alkaloids in comfrey, they should not use it in any form.
Precautions
When it is used topically, comfrey should not be applied to large areas of skin or skin that is raw.
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Note: The above information is not intended to replace the advice of your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional. It is not meant to indicate that the use of the product is safe, appropriate, or effective for you.
In general, herbal products are not subject to review or approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They are not required to be standardized, meaning that the amounts of active ingredients or contaminants they contain may vary between brands or between different batches of the same brand. Not all of the risks, side effects, or interactions associated with the use of herbal products are known because few reliable studies of their use in humans have been done.
This information is provided for your education only. Please share this information with your healthcare provider and be sure that you talk to your doctor and pharmacist about all the prescription and non-prescription medicines you take before you begin to use any herbal product.
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When should I be careful taking it? 
