Re: comfrey and skin infections

[Guest guest]

>After a bit of

>research online I came across a balm made with comfrey, olive oil,

>and beeswax. This balm is supposed to minimize the outbreak and

>possibly make it go away.

You have to be careful when doing research online. I did a search of MEDLINE

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi> for

and got more than 1100 hits.

When I searched

Molluscum Comfrey

I got zero hits.

>I would prefer to make this myself. My question is concering the

>comfrey and children. Is it safe to use on a small child? How would I

>make an infusion of the comfrey in olive oil? I dont even know if I

>can get it locally, but before i try, i want to make sure it is safe

>to use.

Do not use Comfrey roots.

This is from the Health Canada website. I've capitalize a portion for emphasis.

-------------------

OTTAWA- Health Canada is advising Canadian consumers not to use the herb comfrey

or any health products that contain comfrey because they MIGHT CONTAIN A

COMPOUND CALLED ECHIMIDINE, which

may cause liver damage. As a precaution, consumers are advised not to topically

apply comfrey-containing products to broken skin. This advisory applies to both

approved and unapproved products.

The comfrey herb is found in herbal and homeopathic preparations, and is

marketed to treat digestive problems, lung problems, arthritis, ulcers, bruises,

wounds, and sprains/fractures. Comfrey is also found in lip

balms, burn salves, diaper rash ointments and other therapeutic skin care

products.

There are several different species of comfrey, two of which are already

prohibited from being used in therapeutic products in Canada because they

contain echimidine. THESE SPECIES ARE PRICKLY

COMFREY AND RUSSIAN COMFREY. WHILE NOT ALL COMFREY PRODUCTS CONTAIN ECHIMIDINE,

SOME COMFREY PRODUCTS DO NOT ALWAYS IDENTIFY THE SPECIES OF COMFREY IN THE

PRODUCT. Therefore, consumers are advised to avoid all products containing

comfrey.

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/media/releases/2003/2003_101.htm

----------------

The Latin name for prickly comfrey is Symphytum asperum Lepechin and Russian

comfrey is called Symphytum x uplandicum. Common comfrey is Symphytum

officinale.

A search of the United States Department of Agriculture's Phytochemical and

Ethnobotanical Databases

http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/

indicates that the hazardous chemical, echimidine, is found in the root of the

Symphytum officinale but not in the leaf.

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/duke/farmacy2.pl?984

According to the literature, the essential oil of Australian lemon myrtle

(Backhousia citriodora) has been successfully used in the treatment of molluscum

contagiosum in children. That could be an alterantive to

comfrey.

Maurice

--------------------------------------------------------

Maurice O. Hevey

Convergent Cosmetics, Inc.

http://www.ConvergentCosmetics.com

-------------------------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Hi, Bobbi. Besides my life as a research scientist/cosmetic creating diva, I

work at a medical clinic. From the hassle free clinic web site

(www.hasslefreeclinic.org)

Molluscum is a virus that causes small growths on the skin. These growths are

smooth in texture and dome-like in shape, with an indentation in the centre.

This indentation usually contains white curdy material. They are usually

flesh-coloured, but can be pink or greyish-white. Molluscum can grow anywhere on

the body, but are generally seen on the genitals, buttocks, thighs, lower

abdomen, or the face and hands. Although there is no cure for molluscum, the

growths can be treated and removed. These growths are not dangerous and they

sometimes disappear on their own.

How is it spread?

Molluscum is passed on by direct contact with the molluscum growths on someone

else’s body. An infected person can also transmit it to others on their fingers,

after touching the growths on their own body. Molluscum growths can appear

anywhere from one week to six months after contact.

What are the symptoms?

Molluscum generally causes no discomfort. In rare cases, the growths may become

infected with bacteria, which may cause itchiness, redness and irritation.

How is it diagnosed?

A healthcare worker can tell if you have molluscum by looking at the growths or

by sending a swab sample to the lab.

How is it treated?

Molluscum is usually treated with liquid nitrogen. As with warts, it may take a

number of treatments before it clears up, and symptoms may come back after

treatment. It is possible to remove the growths yourself by squeezing them to

remove the centre after soaking in a warm bath.

I know this would be difficult if not impossible to do with a 3 year old...maybe

ask your doctor if their is anything topical to use?

N Holowaty

Bobbi wrote:

I have a three year old daughter who has been diagnosed with

Molluscum, a form of the pox virus.

---------------------------------

Post your free ad now! Yahoo! Canada Personals

[Guest guest]

Hmmmm. Also check this out. This is a wonderful article about comfrey

research. It both asks and answers some interesting questions. You can get a

copy of the article by emailing the following address:

drode@...

Diane

GreenFireHerbs.com

" Never say 'can't' when there's a 'How About This' still to be tried! "

Re: comfrey and skin infections

Bobbie, here is another perspective on comfrey. Although I don't

have the article right now, I remember when reading it initially

they were saying they thought the perception of comfrey as highly

toxic was a little exaggerated and that it would take an awful lot

of it to cause liver toxicity. I always feel safe using it

externally, on unbroken skin. But the evidence is not conclusive

either way.

Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2002 Nov;23(11):497-9.

-Research update

Comfrey toxicity revisited

Dorena Rode

Dept of Animal Science, 2251 Meyer Hall, College of Agricultural and

Environmental Sciences, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue,

, CA 95616, USA

Available online 8 October 2002.

Abstract

Comfrey is a herbal medicine with a history of efficacious use in

humans. However, owing to the presence in comfrey of pyrrolizidine

alkaloids (PAs), which are compounds known to be hepatotoxic, many

countries have restricted its availability. This review emphasizes

crucial aspects of PA toxicity, and suggests that comfrey might not

be as dangerous to humans as current restrictions indicate.

Abstract

Comfrey banned? Is this truly an open and shut case?

-- In Cosmeticinfo , My question is concering the

> comfrey and children. Is it safe to use on a small child? How

would I

> make an infusion of the comfrey in olive oil? I dont even know if

I

> can get it locally, but before i try, i want to make sure it is

safe

> to use.

>

> Thanks for your help

>

> Bobbi Benski

Post message: Cosmeticinfo

Subscribe: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Cosmeticinfo

Unsubscribe: Cosmeticinfo-unsubscribe

List owner: Cosmeticinfo-owner

URL to this page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Cosmeticinfo

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Thank you for your response and the information. Much of this we

already knew, basically there isn't much the medical world can do. I

took her to the doctor and they used 'blister beatle juice' on her

sores. Within 4 hours she had blisters the size of two quarters, side

by side, all over her body. They were unbearably painful for my

daughter. It was the most horrifying thing I've ever seen. On top of

all that, her sores came back and some of them in the same places

where the treatment was. This is why I am looking for an alternative.

I think I am going to try the essential oil that Maurice recommended

and maybe it will atleast give some relief.

Thanks alot,

Bobbi