Contentions With The Comfrey Studies

[Guest guest]

Below is one organization's attempt to refute the claims that comfrey is

a harmful herb. The links next to each number in the list are responses

worth reading ...

 

*Smile*

Chris (list mom)

 

http://www.alittleolfactory.com

 

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http://herballegacy.com/contentions.htm

 

Contentions with the Comfrey Studies

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We sent a large stack of documentation to the FDA and the FTC refuting

their claims that Comfrey is harmful. The following is a list of

problems we saw in the studies that the FDA and FTC used to make their

decision. Click on the #s to find how we responded to them, or follow

the links across the top.

 

Contentions:

 

<http://herballegacy.com/_1.htm> 1. Studies pointing to harmful

effects of Symphytum officinale were performed with the root which has a

higher Pyrrolizidine alkaloid content and is not used internally in Dr.

Christopher formulas.

 

<http://herballegacy.com/_2.htm> 2. Studies were performed with

extremely concentrated extracts or single constituents of the herb

containing higher Pyrrolizidine alkaloid content than the whole plant.

 

<http://herballegacy.com/_3.htm> 3. Studies were performed by

injecting plant constituents under the skin or in tissue cultures,

exhibiting an unrealistic scenario of this plant's use.

 

<http://herballegacy.com/_4.htm> 4. Many studies cited in literature

related to harmful effects of Symphytum officinale were performed on

related species with higher Pyrrolizidine alkaloids content than

Symphytum officinale.

 

<http://herballegacy.com/_5.htm> 5. Symphytum officinale has been

shown to act as a cell proliferant and have analgesic effects in

clinical studies.

 

<http://herballegacy.com/_6.htm> 6. Symphytum officinale has been

clinically proven not to have carcinogenic effects.

 

<http://herballegacy.com/_7.htm> 7. Symphytum officinale contains

hepatoprotective constituents that help protect the liver from damage,

these substances are not included in tests of this plant and would

effect the outcome of these tests.

 

<http://herballegacy.com/_8.htm> 8. Symphytum officinale has been used

as a feed and forage crop for centuries without incident.

 

<http://herballegacy.com/_9.htm> 9. Symphytum officinale has

demonstrated its safety through thousands of years of documented

traditional use.

 

<http://herballegacy.com/_10.htm> 10. Symphytum officinale use has low

incidence of hepatic problems.

 

<http://herballegacy.com/_11.htm> 11. Case studies that seem to show

harmful effects from consuming Symphytum officinale reflect poor

application of the scientific method.

 

<http://herballegacy.com/_12.htm> 12. Symphytum officinale has

demonstrated its safety through 43 years of use in Dr. Christopher's

formulas without incident.