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evidence · mechanism · dose
Supplements/Herb

Comfrey

Symphytum officinale topical for sprains and back pain.

Overview

Symphytum officinale topical for sprains and back pain.

Natural sources
    Common forms

      Mechanism of action

      Allantoin and rosmarinic acid for tissue repair.

      Pathways

        Effects on the body

        Organ system effects

        Evidence-based benefits

        Reduces back pain (topical)

        Moderate evidence

        Potential side effects

        Common
        • · Skin irritation
        • · Hepatotoxic if oral
        Rare
          Serious

            Drug interactions

            No notable interactions reported.

            Safety & non-supplemental interactions

            Educational summary — always confirm with your clinician or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or combining with prescription therapy.

            Avoid if you are
            • ·Pregnant or breastfeeding (insufficient safety data)
            • ·Children under 18 (unless directed by a clinician)

            Supplement interactions

            Pairs well with

            None listed.

            Avoid combining with

            No specific avoidances listed.

            Dosing & bioavailability

            Typical dose
            Topical 35% extract

            Where to buy

            Affiliate-style search links to reputable retailers. We don't endorse specific brands — verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

            Herb
            Comfrey
            Amazon
            Wide selection · fast shipping
            Herb
            Comfrey
            iHerb
            Global delivery · curated brands
            Herb
            Comfrey
            Thorne
            Practitioner-grade · NSF tested

            Scientific evidence (8)

            RCTBr J Sports Med · 2010

            Comfrey for back pain

            Giannetti BM, et al.

            120 back pain patients

            Key findings

            Significant pain reduction in 5 days.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Comfrey — Reduces back pain

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Comfrey Reduces back pain" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Comfrey and "Reduces back pain". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Comfrey — randomized controlled trial

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Comfrey randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Comfrey and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Comfrey — meta-analysis

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Comfrey meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Comfrey and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Comfrey — pharmacokinetics

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Comfrey pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Comfrey and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Comfrey — safety adverse events

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Comfrey safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Comfrey and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

            PubMed: Comfrey — dose response

            Live PubMed search

            Live results for "Comfrey dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

            Key findings

            Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Comfrey and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

            Open study
            Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

            Google Scholar: Comfrey — clinical evidence

            Live Scholar search

            Cross-database citation index for Comfrey as it relates to "clinical evidence".

            Key findings

            Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

            Open study
            Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.