comfrey research studies

Stockwell Farms

comfrey - recent research studies regarding topical use

Wien Med Wochenschr. 2004 Nov;154(21-22):498-507.

Efficacy and safety of topically applied Symphytum herb extract cream in the treatment of ankle distortion: results of a randomized controlled clinical double blind study.

Kucera M, Barna M, Horacek O, Kovarikova J, Kucera A.

Department for Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2nd Medical Faculty of the Charles University Prague, Prague. miroslav.kucera@lfmotol.cuni.cz

In a controlled, double blind, randomized multicentre study, the efficacy and safety of the topical comfrey product Traumaplant (10% active ingredient of a 2.5:1 aqueous ethanolic pressed juice of freshly harvested, cultivated comfrey herb (Symphytum x uplandicum NYMAN), corresponding to 25 g of fresh herb per 100 g of cream; n = 104) was tested against a 1% product (corresponding to 2.5 g of fresh comfrey herb in 100 g of cream; n = 99) in 203 patients with acute ankle distortion. With the high concentration, decrease of the scores for pain on active motion, pain at rest and functional impairment was highly significant and clinically relevant on days T3-4 as well as T7 (p < 0.001). Amelioration of swellings as compared to reference was also significant on day 3-4 (p < 0.01). Efficacy was judged good to excellent in 85.6% of cases with verum and in 65.7% of cases with reference on day 3-4. Overall tolerability was excellent.

Phytomedicine. 2004 Sep;11(6):470-7.

Efficacy and tolerance of a comfrey root extract (Extr. Rad. Symphyti) in the treatment of ankle distorsions: results of a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study.

Koll R, Buhr M, Dieter R, Pabst H, Predel HG, Petrowicz O, Giannetti B, Klingenburg S, Staiger C.

Merck Selbstmedikation GmbH, Roesslerstr. 96, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany.

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.) is a medicinal plant with anti-inflammatory, analgesic and tissue regenerating properties. In a double-blind, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, group comparison study on patients suffering from unilateral acute ankle sprains (n = 142, mean age 31.8 years, 78.9% male), the percutaneous efficacy of an ointment of comfrey extract (Kytta-Salbe f, four treatments per day for 8 days) was confirmed decisively. Compared to placebo, the active treatment was clearly superior regarding the reduction of pain (tonometric measurement, p<0.0001, as the primary efficacy variable) and ankle edema (figure-of-eight method, p = 0.0001). Statistically significant differences between active treatment and placebo could also be shown for ankle mobility (neutral zero method), and global efficacy. Under active treatment, no adverse drug reactions were reported. The good local and global tolerance of the trial medication could also be confirmed. The study results are consistent with the known pre-clinical and clinical data concerning comfrey.

Fortschr Med Orig. 2002;120(1):1-9.

[Therapeutic characteristance and tolerance of topical comfrey preparations. Results of an observational study of patients]

[Article in German]

Koll R, Klingenburg S.

Merck Selbstmedikation GmbH, Darmstadt.

AIM: To analyze the anti-inflammatory and analgetic properties of the topical comfrey, preparations Kytta-Salbe f, Kytta-Plasma f and Kytta-Balsam f applied to bruises, sprains and distortions and painful conditions of the muscles and joints. METHOD: A prospective open multicentric observational study complying with paragraph 67(6) of the AMG and involving 162 general practitioners. During the two-week period of observation, the patients received an average of one to three applications of the comfrey preparation per day. All 492 questionnaires were evaluated. Efficacy and tolerability were assessed by both physician and patient. RESULTS: Pain at rest and on movement, as also tenderness, improved in the overall observation group by an average of 45-47%. The duration of morning joint stiffness decreased from 20 minutes initially to 3 minutes. During the course of treatment with comfrey, more than two-thirds of the patients were able to reduce or even discontinue their intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and other specific concomitant medication. In most of the cases, both effectiveness and tolerability were assessed to be excellent or good. CONCLUSION: The results of the study confirm the effectiveness and tolerability of the topical comfrey preparation investigated in the treatment of bruises, sprains and distortions as well as painful conditions affecting muscles and joints.

Adv Ther. 2000 Jul-Aug;17(4):204-10.