Comfrey leaf,Information About Comfrey leaf Extract.

Contents

• Basic Botanical Info:Symphytum officinale.
• Botanical Description:Symphytum officinale.
• Information About Comfrey leaf Extract.
• Comfrey Phytochemicals and Constituents:
• Medicinal uses:Comfrey Leaf.
• Actions and Indications:Comfrey Leaf.
• Comfrey Leaf Suggestions and Administrations.
• A rapid cleanup method for the isolation and concentration of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in comfrey root.
• Research Update:Comfrey leaf or Symphytum officinale.

Comfrey Phytochemicals and Constituents.:

Leaf - Mucilage, tannin, allantoin, symphytine, echinidine, Vitamin B12. Root - Allantoin (0.6-4.7%), about 29% mucilage (polysaccharides of fructose and glucose), phytosterols, triterpenoid (isobauerenol), phenolic compounds (including caffeic, chlorogenic and lithospermic acids), tannin, asparagine, pyrrolizidine alkaloids (including symphytine, cynoglossine, consolidine), inulin, resin, gum, starch.

 Constituents of comfrey also include mucilage, steroidal saponins, tannins, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, inulin, vitamin B12 and proteins.

 Alkaloids:

 Numerous hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) have been identified in the plant. Not all PAs have similar toxicity. Studies confirm the following structure-toxicity relationships (from most to least toxic): macrocyclic diesters > retronecine and heliotridine diesters > heliotridine monoesters > retronecine monoesters. Comfrey PAs are retronecine mono- and diesters.

 The PAs symphytine, echimidine, and lasiocarpine have been found in S. officinale.Lasiocarpine and symphytine are carcinogenic in rats.Analyses of livers from rats given doses of 50 mg/kg of comfrey-derived alkaloids showed vascular congestion, as well as necrosis and hepatocyte cell membrane damage.The liver damage was dose dependent.

 Symphytine and echimidine are derivatives of retronecine and are the major alkaloids in comfrey. When administered intraperitoneally in rats, symphytine and echimidine have lethal dose 50% (LD 50 ) values of 200 and 300 mg/kg. The alkaloid content of S. asperum ranges from 0.14% to 0.4%.

 Carbohydrates: Large amounts of mucilage are found in leaves and roots.

 Triterpenes: A pentacyclic triterpene glycoside of oleanolic acid was identified in the root.

 Other components: The healing action of poultices of comfrey roots and leaves may be related to the presence of allantoin, an agent that promotes cell proliferation. The underground roots contain 0.6% to 0.7% allantoin and 4% to 6.5% tannin. The leaves contain a higher proportion of tannin relative to allantoin. The roots also contain rosmarinic and lithspermic acid. Roots contain 100-fold higher alkaloid content than the aerial portions.

Reference:

• 1.Comfrey leaf,Information About Comfrey leaf Extract.

This article written and edited via herbalist of MDidea Extracts Professional. They run a range of online descriptions about this herb,including general information related and summarized updating discoveries from findings of professional scientisits this field related.Describe style aimed to form a useful detecting literature space where the intertwined threshold and related questions raise out and visualize themselves.

♣ last edit date:22nd,Oct.2010.