Food and Drug Administration VS. Plant Medicine

Hi! My name is Laura and I am super excited to be here on Steemit. It's quite a long journey on why I got here, and how I got here. I wanted to share my herbal experience with you — and the community I hope to both find and create on this platform.

Back in 2014 I ran a small business called Genuinely Simple. I sold ONE product: Comfrey Cream. It was handmade with an herb called Symphytum Officinale (or Common Comfrey), organic olive oil, and candelilla wax. It was a beautiful plant I fell in love with during a volunteer effort I held at a Health Retreat in Australia the August and September of 2013. Perhaps the nick-name it held called knit-bone caused a spark to twinkle in my eye. I am a massage therapist of nearly eight years by trade and using the oil infusion in my practice helped my client's muscle and skeletal repair happen quicker. I soon wanted to show how amazing this herbal salve was, so I created a small business called — yup, that's right — Genuinely Simple. My instagram (@genuinely_simple) holds old pictures of the remnants of the little business that sold this magical cream at multiple stores, and online.

I may have been a bit naive at this point in my life. I did not understand fully the federal government intrusion on banning plants on faulty, and small amounts of data to back up their claims. In 2008, the INTERNAL consumption of comfrey was banned in the United States of America (not external); but, they were cracking down on herbal salves. I had to be in compliance with all the FDA regulations and there were so many. I made zero money on selling this cream. I knew I did not want to battle the FDA in a lawsuit, or worse go to jail. There were so many rules I had to follow, that I was nervous about.

1. I had to put disclaimers on every single bottle that said, "Warning: External Use Only. Consuming this product can cause serous liver damage. This product contains comfrey. Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which may cause serious illness or death. This product should not be taken orally, used as a suppository, or applied to broken skin." My labels just were not big enough.

2. Two supplement companies were sued for marketing the herbal salve incorrectly and for not having proper warning labels on the salves. These companies could not afford to fight the lawsuit placed upon them — and I knew Genuinely Simple couldn't even pay it's owner, me.

3. I couldn't tell people how to use the cream or salve, because none of the claims were verifiable — I couldn't even direct people on the traditional uses of this herbal salve.

4. Making comfrey cream in my kitchen with oil infusions at such an alarming rate was getting tiresome. I needed a bigger space, and did not want to invest anymore money in a company with one product that was demonized by the FDA.

WHY? WHY WOULD THE FDA DO THIS? What's there motive, are they not just here to protect us. Unfortunately, I am not sure the FDA's hands are completely clean, but that's for another blog post. They have too much money invested in pharmaceutical products that are in direct competition with comfrey and MANY, MANY other plants. No, comfrey is not the only herb gaining a ton of heat.

So, I scraped my tiny business — and went back to college to get a degree so I could be better equipped with knowledge on how to fight these obnoxious rules regarding the banning of plant medicine. My education path is a story for another blog post as well — but, I've also grown up since wanting to fight the pharmaceutical companies. No, I do not want to fight the pharmaceutical companies. Nor, do I want to battle the FDA. I simply want to educate people on the benefits and usage of herbal products (recipes) that they can CRAFT THEMSELVES. I only want to be a source of information. I want to be a source of GOOD and USEFUL information.

And that is why I am here on Steemit.

I want a community to see if what I post is useful, and correct — and give me appropriate feedback if I need to change and adjust. All I want to do is help people, individuals use the best medicine that suits them. And if that's plant medicine, great. And if that's not — no sweat off my back. Do what is best for you. Let me say that one more time for the people in the back. I am not here to tell you what to do.

DO WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU.

I am just a source of information. That's all I want to be. And that is why I am here.

Recently I did a few posts about Kratom on my Instagram account. The FDA is coming down hard on this LEGAL herb that does have so many wonderful uses. One follower warned me on the addiction nature of Kratom and warned me that I should not be promoting such a dangerous herb. She sent me this exact link:

https://drugabuse.com/library/the-effects-of-kratom-use/

And told me to stop advertising such a dangerous drug. First, it is a plant not a drug. But, as I read the article I had this sinking feeling in my stomach about how weak these claims were, and yet the government was cracking down hard on this plant. It reminded me a lot about comfrey, my first plant-love. I have since done research on Kratom, and would love to share my findings; however, I dedicated this post to why I am here. I am here because of comfrey. I am here because this was my first eye opening experience to the FDA VERSE PLANT MEDICINE. Many of you may have heard things similar such as when cannabis became illegal in 1937. These arguments are very similar and just as weak. Against both Comfrey and Kratom. I am here to speak on behalf of the plants.

Here is my old, old post on comfrey. Perhaps you can hear and feel a bit of my anger in this post. I am not angry anymore. I am sad. Maybe this is the grieving stages I was going through? I was grieving the attack on plants, and plant medicine. I am just sad now, because I believe the public deserves to at least hear the opposing side. And make their own decision afterwards.

And if anyone is wondering: I DO NOT SELL, DISTRIBUTE OR RECOMMEND THESE HERBS. I only teach people about them. And I am very content doing this. Thank you for reading.

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The Comfrey Confusion
October 16, 2014

Comfrey has a long history of beneficial use. Many people around the world use Comfrey as one of their most frequented herbs. When using herbal remedies it pays to be informed, as there are many companies and individuals who would like to see such cost effective natural remedies banned or limited, since this herb poses a threat to their profit margins. A huge amount of fear based evidence has been created to suggest one to ignore these herbs and opt for more chemically based solutions. Comfrey should be given back its place to be known to all as the amazing medicinal plant.

The comfrey plant (Genus Symhytum) wrestles with scrutinization as the scientific community debates the issue of the toxicity of the pyrrolyzidine alkaloids (PAs) which are found within the chemical composition of the plant. Pyrrolyzidine Alkaloids are a group of naturally occurring alkaloids which are produced by plants as a defense mechanism against insect herbivores. More than 660 PAs have been identified in over 6,000 plants and it has been estimated that 3% of the world’s flowering plants contain PAs. It has been understood that PAs can also be found in honey, grain, milk, offal and eggs. Ironically, there is no international regulation of PAs in food, unlike those for herbs and medicine [2].

In 2001, the FTC and FDA combined to issue an injunction against products containing comfrey that were meant for internal use. This was because some studies claim that PAs exhibit hepatotoxicity (chemical-driven liver damage). With regards to the warnings that comfrey can cause cancer and liver disease, most practitioners point out that those results from these studies used isolated pyrrolizidine alkaloids to be fed or injected into animal subjects in doses far higher than any typical usage of the comfrey leaf. The main thing we have remember is that a plant, especially one as complex as Comfrey, is not the same as an isolated compound in a laboratory. Some doctors point to the historic usage of comfrey, noting that it had been regularly ingested by thousands of people around the world without reported ill effects. In fact, one study suggests that the common comfrey, the plant most often used for medicinal purposes, contains only negligible amounts of those alkaloids [3].

The topical application of comfrey has never been brought into question as the external application could not result in poisoning [1]. Indeed, there have been zero reports of poisoning from topically applied comfrey. This is because the absorption of PAs is limited and the majority of PAs in plant material is in the N-oxide form. Realize that the conversion of N-oxides to their parent base is minimal when the PAs are absorbed through the skin. Also the PAs in comfrey are of the low hepatic toxicity type. Doctor Eric Yarnell states that the “topical application of comfrey and coltsfoot is almost certainly safe. Researchers who worked on rat studies found that, at most, 0.4% of NA N-Oxides from comfrey root were absorbed percutaneously, with almost none of them being converted to toxic intermediates.” Although the internal consumption of comfrey has been regulated, they fail to take into account what herbalists have known for centuries: that any substance in great quantities can be harmful. Secondly, one cannot isolate any one component and assume that the herb in its entirety will have the same action. Herbs are made up of dozen, sometimes hundreds of different enzymes and chemical compositions. Each component works synergistically with the others to create the herb’s healing effect. Isolated PAs are not going to have the same effects as the herb as a whole.

Comfrey contains a large amount of Mucilage and Allantoin which has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Allantoin helps cells and is extremely beneficial to the skin promoting healing and the rebuilding of cells. Breast milk is also rich in allantoin as this enzyme stimulates rapid growth of the new baby. Allatoin is also present in other mammals as it is a leucocytosis promoter (increases white blood cells) that helps to establish immunity from many infectious conditions. Mucilage helps keep skin hydrated and protected. These two substances are the main reasons Comfrey ointments are so beneficial to most external skin problems.

Historically, the use of comfrey is well documented. In 50 AD, Dioscorides’ Materia Medica prescribed comfrey to heal wounds and broken bones. Since then, other herbalists have claimed the plant can help heal any body part that is torn or broken. Many writers since have honoured the herb. Comfrey was one of the most popular and widely used herbs of the last two centuries as people had faith in the plant as they had experienced miraculous healing. It was held in such high esteem that it was believed that even wearing or carrying comfrey could guard and protect a person on a journey. The name comfrey is believed to come from Latin ‘confera’, meaning knitting together. The genus name symphytum means to heal together, and for this use, it is renowned. In 1993, Sam Biser published "Bone Regeneration," a report on the healing power of comfrey. Carefully documented case studies, complete with photos, show how Dr. John Christopher's comfrey stimulated dramatic healing. Biser notes that comfrey applied externally speeds the healing of broken bones and appears to be free of adverse side effects, safe, and effective for external use as a poultice, compress, fomentation, rinse, soak, spray, infused oil, or salve. The healing benefits of comfrey have been spread by word of mouth, in many testimonials. There is no doubt that the plant is very much loved and revered [4].

References:
[1] Brauchli, J., et al., Pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Symphytum officinale L. and their percutaneous absorption in rats. Experientia, 1982. 38(9): p. 1085-7
[2] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10091131?dopt=Abstract
[3] http://www.comfreycentral.com/conclusion.htm
[4] http://www.herbsarespecial.com.au/free-herb-information/comfrey.html

Disclaimer: This information on Genuinely Simple’s blog is intended only as a general reference for further exploration, and is not a replacement for professional health advice. This content does not provide dosage information, format recommendations, toxicity levels, or possible interactions with prescription drugs. The compiler of this article is not liable for any negative effects, or worthy of praise for any positive results. For diagnosis, treatment or any other procedure including allopathic medical advice, see your medical doctor.

http://genuinelysimple.org/blog/comfreyconfusion