Can You Eat Russian Comfrey? The Serious Dangers of Internal Use
•
3 min read
Over 6,000 different plant species contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), compounds known to be toxic to humans and animals. Russian comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum) is a hybrid plant that contains some of the highest concentrations of these dangerous alkaloids, particularly echimidine, which is especially concerning. While it was once used internally in traditional medicine, modern science and health authorities now strongly advise against eating it due to the severe risk of liver damage and other serious health problems.
