Symphytum officinale
Comfrey, knitbone. · Plant · Boraginaceae
Symphytum’s marked affinity with the bones in herbal medicine is also carried through to its focus in homeopathy. It is used to heal sprains and fractured or badly set bones, as well as to ease any pricking pain from old injuries to the bone, cartilage, and periosteum (the membrane surrounding the bone), or pain on the site of an amputation. Abscesses in the psoas muscle (which links the hip and the pelvis) and malignant bone tumors on the face may also be helped by Symphytum. In addition, the remedy is prescribed to treat painful eye injuries with strange sensations—for example, on closing the eyelids, the eyeballs may feel raised, although there is no visible sign of injury. There is frequently a marked tendency to rub the eyes and great difficulty in opening the eyelids.
Key symptoms
- Promotes union of fractures; non-union of bones
- Irritable stump after amputation; irritable bone at fracture point
- Pricking pain and soreness of periosteum
- Pain in eye after a blow of an obtuse body
- Wounds penetrating to periosteum and bones
- Injuries to sinews, tendons, and periosteum
- Psoas abscess; neuralgia of knee
Worse (aggravation)
Better (amelioration)
Comfrey-Knitbone (SYMPHYTUM)
The root contains a crystalline solid, that stimulates the growth of epithelium on ulcerated surfaces. It may be administered internally in the treatment of gastric and duodenal juries to sinews, tendons and the periosteum. Acts on joints generally. Neuralgia of knee.
Of great use in wounds penetrating to perineum and bones, and in non-union of fractures; irritable stump after amputation, irritable bone at point of fracture. Psoas abscess. Pricking pain and soreness of periosteum.
Head
Pain in occiput, top and forehead; changing places. Pain comes down bone of nose. Inflammation of inferior maxillary bone, hard, red, swelling.
Eye
Pain in eye after a blow of an obtuse body. For traumatic injuries of the eyes no remedy equals this.
Relationship
Compare: Arn; Calc phos.
Dose
Tincture.
Externally as a dressing for sores and ulcers and pruritus ani.
Symphytum officinale. Bone-set. Healing Herb. Comfrey. N. O. Boraginaceæ. Tincture of fresh root-stock collected before flowering and in autumn. Tincture of fresh plant.
Clinical
Abscess. Backache, from sexual excess. Bone, cancer of; injuries of. Breasts, sore. Eyes, pains in; injuries of. Fractures; non-union of; nervous. Glands, enlarged. Gunshot wounds. Hernia. Menses, arrested. Periosteum, sensitive, painful. Psoas abscess. Sexual excess, effects of. Sprains. Stump, irritable. Wounds.
Characteristics
Symphytum may be considered the orthopædic specific of herbal medicine. "The roots of Comfrey stamped, and the juice drunk with wine, helpeth those that spit blood and healeth all inward wounds and burstings. The same bruised and laid to in manner of a plaister, doth heal all fresh and green wounds, and are so glutinative, that it will solder and glue together meat that is chopped in pieces, seething in a pot, and make it in one lump" (Gerarde). Peter Squire (Squire's Companion to B. P., 6th ed.) gives as …
Comfrey (Borraginaceae)
Facilitates union of fractured bone (Cal. p.); lessens peculiar pricking pain; favors production of callous; when trouble is of nervous origin. Irritability at point of fracture; periosteal pain after wounds have healed. Mechanical injuries; blows, bruises, thrusts on the globe of the eye. Pain in eye after a blow of an obtuse body; snow ball strikes the eye; infant thrusts its fist into its mother's eye (to soft tissues around the eye, Arn.).
Relations
. - Compare: Arn., Calend., Cal. p., Fluor. ac., Hep., Sil. Follows well: after Arnica for pricking pain, and soreness of periosteum remaining after an injury.
Generalities
Mechanical injuries; blows, bruises, or thrusts on the globe of the eye.
Phatak's chapter on Symphytum officinale is available in the app.
Read Phatak in the appClassical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
