Curated by Maria Rita Insolera, Naturopath
The Consolida maggiore is an officinal plant with an anti-inflammatory and healing action useful for digestive disorders, diarrhea, arthrosis and muscle cramps. Let's find out better.
Property of the Consolida maggiore
The Consolida maggiore has mainly an anti-inflammatory and healing action.
It can be used as an infusion with an anti-inflammatory effect, which is useful against diarrhea, digestive problems, colitis and ulcers.
Likewise, it can be used against cramps, mum-pains and neuralgia, thanks to its astringent action which helps the muscles to relax.
However, Consolida Maggiore also contains a substance that is toxic to the liver, therefore its use must be strictly controlled and limited.
The active ingredients present in the comfrey, are part of the activation of muscle and bone cell renewal, thanks to the high presence of allantoin, which accelerates the formation of new cells, whether it is bone mass or skin.
It has also been shown that the comfrey accelerates the healing of superficial wounds, proves effective in the event of cracking, itching, peeling, peeling or insect bites, as well as in the treatment of dry coughs, inflammation of the oral cavity and digestive disorders.
In the case of oral problems such as stomatitis, sensitive and bleeding gums, mouth ulcers and sore throats, it is possible to resort to gargling using natural consolidate-based mouthwashes .
Method of use
In autumn, the root of the plant is harvested because it is the period in which the level of allantoin is greater. The leaves, on the other hand, are harvested in the summer
Comfrey can be used to make poultices, decoctions, infusions, mother tinctures.
- Astringent and healing : the comfrey, applied on gauze tablets, helps to treat bruises, retorts and fractures. It can also be used to treat wounds and bedsores.
- Anti-inflammatory : reduces muscle contractions and strains.
- Soothing : as a poultice, the comfrey cleans the lungs and heals dry coughs. In gargling or rinsing, it acts on the lesions and inflammations of the oral cavity.
- The Consolida maggiore is used for the care and health of the skin, since it has an emollient and softening action, able to treat acne, dry skin, psoriasis, insect bites and peeling .
Contraindications of Consolida Maggiore
Comfrey is contraindicated in children, pregnant or nursing women, and in subjects with liver disease.
Description of the plant
The Comfrey ( Symphytum officinal e) is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Boraginaceae family.
Comfrey is a plant that can reach 130 centimeters in height, has thick leaves and the roots can exempt themselves in the soil up to 180 centimeters in length.
Starting from mid-May, the floral stems contain bell-shaped flowers, with a color ranging from white to mauve, depending on the variety.
Habitat of the Consolida maggiore
The consolida maggiore is easy to find it in the marshy places, in the ditches, in the canals and peat bogs, but also in the wet meadows and at the edges of the woods. These plants can be found both in the hills and in the mountains up to an altitude of 1300 meters.
Background
The origin of the name is graca, symphuo and means to weld, to unite .
At the origin of this name there is an assumed curative property of the bone fractures of some parts of this plant. The scientific name, on the other hand, was attributed to it by the Swedish naturalist Carlo Linneo, founder of the binomial nomenclature, in 1753.
