Accelerated wound healing with comfrey herb cream

Introduction Treatments of blunt traumas can be considered therapeutically advantageous when they are applicable to broken skin and simultaneously improve wound healing.

Aims We reviewed the evidence related to wound-healing effects of a cream prepared from the aerial parts of cultivated medicinal comfrey (Symphytum × uplandicum Nyman), authorized as an herbal medicinal product for the treatment of blunt traumas in children, adolescents, and adults (Traumaplant, Biomed AG, Dübendorf, Switzerland).

Results An accelerated healing of abrasions has been demonstrated in clinical double-blind trials in adults [1] and children [2]. The safety of the pediatric application with and without broken skin was specifically established in a non-interventional study [3]. A recent experiment visualized the accelerated reformation of human epidermal skin layers [4]. The examined plant material from cultivation and the comfrey preparation prepared thereof does not contain detectable pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA). There is therefore no restriction on its use on broken skin [5].

Conclusions The traditionally known wound-healing effects of comfrey have been proven accurate by evidenced-based data. The effects complement the benefits of comfrey cream in the treatment of blunt traumas.

• References

• 1 Barna M. et al. Wien Med Wochenschr 2007; 157: 569-574
• 2 Barna M. et al. Arzneimittel-Forschung 2012; 62: 285-289
• 3 Kucera A. et al. Int J Pediatr Adolesc Med 2018; 5: 135-141
• 4 Dähnhardt D. et al. Skin Pharmacol Physiol 2020; 33: 189-197
• 5 Kuchta K. et al. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2020; 118: 104784

Publication History

Article published online:
13 June 2022