Symphytum officinale, comfrey, is a European medicinal plant which is predominantly used in the treatment of injuries. Modern clinical research confirms the efficacy of preparations from the aerial plant parts and the roots in the treatment of blunt traumata such as sprains. In addition, wound-healing effects have been demonstrated with extracts from the aerial plant parts, e.g., in abrasions or in pressure-ulcers in the nursing of Elderly.

The absence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids is a precondition for the application to open wounds – a fraction of plant constituents which has been detected in comfrey, next to other plants, and for which liver-toxic effects are discussed. Through systematic examinations a comfrey cultivar has been identified (and has meanwhile received official status through the European Plant Variety Office), in which the absence of pyrrolozidine alkaloids in the aerial plant parts is reproducible. This is a major advantage for the use in medicinal products.

Our activities with Symphytum are mainly in the field of regulatory issues and publication support:

• Compilation of dossiers for drug registration and expert reports in pharmacognosy, phytochemistry and botanics, quality, pharmacology and toxicology, and clinical research
• Evaluation of clinical and pharmacological study reports, and creation and submission of original research contributions as well as support of the publication process
• Review articles and presentations
• International education for sales forces