I apologize for my absence lately! I've been finishing a book, started a year long apprenticeship to get my clinical herbalist certification, preparing to launch products before the end of the year and more, so it's been taking a lot of mental space! 😅 Recently I asked myself, does harvesting comfrey after it blooms make it less potent? After some lengthy research, the honest answer is: we need to ask, potent in what way? “Potency” can mean the level of a particular compound, the effect of a preparation, or how well it works for a particular purpose. Those are not interchangeable. Comfrey, Symphytum officinale, has a long history as a topical herb. Its name is often linked with the idea of “knitting together,” and traditional preparations included poultices for bruises, sprains, and other injuries. Modern research has looked at topical comfrey preparations for pain and swelling. In the European Union, certain regulated comfrey root medicines are recognized for short term relief of minor sprains and bruises in adults, with use limited to 10 days. That applies to specific preparations, not every homemade comfrey remedy. Here’s where the harvest question gets interesting! A study tracking comfrey through flower development found that pyrrolizidine alkaloids, or PAs, changed with the plant’s developmental stage. In the plants studied, PA levels rose in leaves as development progressed, while flower parts showed a particularly large increase as the flowers opened. That doesn't tell us that a post bloom harvest is less medicinally effective, though. The study measured alkaloids, not healing outcomes or a general measure of “potency.” It does suggest that timing may affect the plant’s chemical profile, including compounds we have safety concerns about. And those PAs are the reason comfrey remains so debated in herbal circles. Some unsaturated PAs can damage the liver. Oral use of comfrey has been linked to serious liver injury, and safety authorities warn against taking comfrey internally. But, I've also heard from different cultures around the world that they sauté it and have it as a meal! PA levels also vary by plant part and preparation, so “it’s just a leaf” or “I only use a little” doesn’t establish a safe amount...unfortunately.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week and an even better day! And if things haven't been so wonderful lately, I hope brighter moments find their way to you soon. 💙 What does this fiery orange flower have in common with the entire universe? Trying something new today and doing slides! :)