Tıbbi Karakafes Otu (Symphytum officinale L.) Bitkisinin Kullanım Alanları ve Önemi

Year 2024, Volume: 53 Issue: 1, 47 - 52, 29.05.2024

Fatma Gül Delimustafaoğlu , Ayşe Baldemir Kılıç

https://doi.org/10.53471/bahce.1328684

Abstract

Boraginaceae familyasına ait Symphytum officinale L. (Tıbbi karakafes otu) türü Avrupa ve Asya’ya özgü, nehirler ve akarsular boyunca nemli alanlarda yetişen, yüksekliği 1-2 metreye kadar ulaşabilen dik, çok yıllık bir bitkidir. Yunanca ‘‘birlikte büyümek’’ anlamına gelen ve ‘‘Symphuo’’ kelimesinden türeyen S. officinale, 2000 yılı aşkın süredir kemik kırıkları, eklem iltihapları, yaralar, hematomlar ve tromboflebit gibi çeşitli hastalıkların tedavisinde kullanılmaktadır. Ülkemizde kök ve yaprakları kabızlıkta, dahilen ise basura karşı kullanıldığı bilinmektedir. Avrupa’da ise künt yaralanmalar, kırıklar, şişmiş çürükler, çıban, karbonkül, varis ülserleri ve yanıklar gibi lokal enflamasyonlarda haricen lapa olarak kullanıldığı bildirilmiştir. Ayrıca emziren kadınlarda meme ağrısını hafifletmek için bitki çayı olarak ülser, fıtık, kolit ve iç kanamayı durdurmak için kullanıldığı bildirilmiştir. Bitki çayının ayrıca burun tıkanıklığı ve iltihabı, ishal ve öksürüğü tedavi etmek için kullanıldığı da kayıtlara geçmiştir. Ağız yaraları ve diş eti kanamalarında ise gargara halinde kullanılmaktadır. Karakafes otunun terapötik etkilerinin yaygın olarak bilinmesine rağmen, insanlarda ve hayvanlarda hepatotoksik ve kanserojen etkili olabileceği çalışmalar ile gösterilmiş, bundan dolayı birçok ülkede kullanımını sınırlandırılmıştır. Genellikle baharat olarak da kullanılan karakafes otunun salatalara da ilave edildiği, diğer yeşilliklerle birlikte kızartılıp köfte yapımında kullanıldığı da kayıtlarda mevcuttur. Bu çalışmada S. officinale türünün geleneksel kullanım alanları ve önemi ile ilgili bazı bilgiler derlenmiştir.

Keywords

Symphytum officinale, geleneksel kullanım, Boraginaceae, Tıbbi karakafes otu

Usage Areas and Importance of Comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.)

Abstract

Symphytum officinale L. (Comfrey) species belonging to the Boraginaceae family is an upright, perennial herb native to Europe and Asia, growing in moist areas along rivers and streams, reaching 1-2 meters in height. S. officinale, which derives from the Greek word “Symphuo” meaning “to grow together” has been used for over 2000 years in the treatment of various diseases such as bone fractures, joint inflammations, wounds, hematomas, and thrombophlebitis. In our country, it is known that the root and leaves are used in constipation and internally against hemorrhoids. In Europe, it has been reported to be used externally as a poultice in local inflammations such as blunt injuries, fractures, swollen bruises, boils, carbuncles, varicose ulcers, and burns. It has also been reported to be used as an herbal tea to relieve breast pain in lactating women, and to stop ulcers, hernias, colitis, and internal bleeding. Herbal tea has also been used to treat nasal congestion, inflammation, diarrhoea, and cough. It is used as a mouthwash for mouth sores and gingival bleeding. Although the therapeutic effects of comfrey are widely known, studies have shown that it can be hepatotoxic and carcinogenic in humans and animals, therefore its use has been limited in many countries. It is also recorded that comfrey, generally used as a spice, is added to salads, fried with other greens, and made meatballs. In this study, some information about the traditional uses and importance of S. officinale has been compiled.

Keywords

Symphytum officinale, traditional use, Boraginaceae, Comfrey

References

• Tulukcu, E., Sağdıç O., 2011. Konya’da Aktarlarda satılan tıbbi bitkiler ve kullanılan kısımları. Erciyes Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü Dergisi 27(4):304-308.
• Öztürk, F., Dölarslan, M., Ebru, G., 2016. Etnobotanik ve tarihsel gelişimi. Türk Bilimsel Derlemeler Dergisi (2):11-13.
• Yaldız, G., Yüksel T., Şekeroğlu, N., 2010. Rize ili florasında bulunan tıbbi ve aromatik bitkiler ve kullanım alanları. 3. Ulusal Karadeniz Ormancılık Kongresi, pp:1100-1114.
• Faydaoğlu, E., Sürücüoğlu, M.S., 2011. Geçmişten günümüze tıbbi ve aromatik bitkilerin kullanılması ve ekonomik önemi. Kastamonu University Journal of Forestry Faculty 11(1):52-67.
• Çitoğlu, G., 1994. Fitoterapi Bitkiler Sözlüğü İngilizce-Latince/Latince-İngilizce. Ankara. 136p.
• Mahmoudzadeh, E., Nazemiyeh, H., Hamedeyazdan, S., 2022. Anti-inflammatory Properties of the Genus Symphytum L.: A Review. Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research 21(1).
• Nastic, N., Borras-Linares, I., Lozano-Sanchez, J., a Svarc-Gajic, J., Segura-Carretero, A. 2020. Comparative Assessment of Phytochemical Profiles of Comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.) Root Extracts Obtained by Different Extraction Techniques. Molecules 25:837.
• Le, V., Dolganyuk, V., Sukhikh, A., Babich, O., Ivanova, S., Prosekov, A., Dyshlyuk, L. 2021. Phytochemical Analysis of Symphytum officinale Root Culture Extract. Applied Sciences 11:447.
• Vostinaru, O., Conea, S., Mogosan, C., Toma, C.C., Borza, C.C., Vlase, L. 2018. Anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effect of Symphytum officinale root. Romanian Biotechnological Letters 23(6):14160-14167.
• Luca, S.V., Zengin, G., Kulinowski, Ł., Sinan, K.I., Skalicka‐Woźniak, K., & Trifan, A. 2024. Phytochemical profiling and bioactivity assessment of underutilized Symphytum species in comparison with Symphytum officinale. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.
• Avancini, C. Wiest, J.M. Dall’Agnol, R. Haas, J.S. von Poser, G.L. 2008. Antimicrobial activity of plants used in the prevention and control of bovine mastitis in Southern Brazil. Latin American Journal of Pharmacy 27:894-899.
• Savic, V., Nikolic, V., Stanojevic, L., Ilic, D., Stankovic, B. 2012. Extraction kinetics and antioxidant activity of an aqueous extract from comfrey root (Symphytum officinale L.). Advanced Technologies 1:41-47.
• Salehi, B. et al., 2019. Symphytum Species: A Comprehensive Review on Chemical Composition, Food Applications and Phytopharmacology. Molecules 24:2272.
• Araújo, L.U., Reis, P.G., Barbos, L.C., Saúde-Guımarães, D.A., Grabe-Guımarães, A., Mosqueıra, V.C., Carneiro, C.M., Silva-Barcellos, N.M., 2012. In vivo wound healing effects of Symphytum officinale L. leaves extract in different topical formulations. Pharmazie 67(4):355-360.
• Koll, R., Buhr, M., Dieter, R., Pabst, H., Predel, H.-G., Petrowicz, O., Giannetti, B., Klingenburg, S., Staiger, C., 2004. Efficacy and tolerance of a comfrey root extract (Extr. Rad. Symphyti) in the treatment of ankle distortions: results of a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Phytomedicine 11:470-477.
• Talhouk, R.S., Karam, C., Fostok, S., El-Jouni, W., Barbour, E.K., 2007. Anti-inflammatory bioactivities in plant extracts, Journal of Medicinal Food 10(1):1-10.
• Vanithaa, A., Kavinprashantha, R., Mugendhirana, S., Shashikanth, J., 2022. Conservation of Symphytum officinale L. At Cmprh Garden, Emerald, Journal of University of Shanghai for Science and Technology 21(1):261-272.
• Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M., Babaç, M.T. 2012. Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını, İstanbul. pp:244-245.
• Tarıkahya, A.B. 2009. Türkiye Symphytum L. (Boraginaceae) Cinsinin Revizyonu. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Biyoloji Anabilim Dalı, Doktora Tezi, Ankara.
• HMPC, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products, 2005. European Union herbal monograph on Symphytum officinale L., radix. EMA/ HMPC/572846/2009. London: European Medicines Agency.
• Staiger, C. 2007. Comfrey: ancient and modern uses- News- Pharmaceutical Journal. The Pharmaceutical Journal. 277, 732 pp.
• Grube, B., Grünwald, J., Krug, L., Staiger, C. 2007. Efficacy of a comfrey root (Symphyti offic. radix) extract ointment in the treatment of patients with painful osteoarthritis of the knee: results of a double-blind, randomized, bicenter, placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine 14:2-10.
• Dey, D., Jingar, P., Agrawal, S., Shrivastava, V., Bhattacharya, A., Manhas, J., ... & Sen, S. 2020. Symphytum officinale augments osteogenesis in human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in vitro as they differentiate into osteoblasts. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 248:112329.
• Antonio Pereira, I., Judah Cury, B., Kaio Silva Nunes, R., & Mota da Silva, L. 2023. Traditional plants used in southern Brazil as a source to wound healing therapies. Chemistry & Biodiversity 20(2):e202201021.
• Seigner, J., Junker-Samek, M., Plaza, A., D’Urso, G., Masullo, M., Holper-Schichl, Y.M., & de Martin, R. 2019. A Symphytum officinale root extract exerts anti-inflammatory properties by affecting two distinct steps of NF-κB signaling. Frontiers in Pharmacology 10:442212
• Mahmoudzadeh, E., Nazemiyeh, H., & Hamedeyazdan, S. 2022. Anti-inflammatory properties of the genus Symphytum L.: A review. Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research: IJPR 21(1).
• Fumanowa, M., Guzewska, J., & Bełdowska, B. 1983. Mutagenic effects of aqueous extracts of Symphytum officinale L. and of its alkaloidal fractions. Journal of Applied Toxicology 3(3):127-130.
• Melnyk, N., Popowski, D., Strawa, J.W., Przygodzińska, K., Tomczyk, M., Piwowarski, J.P., & Granica, S. 2024. Skin microbiota metabolism of natural products from comfrey root (Symphytum officinale L.). Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 318:116968.
• Roman, G.P., Neagu, E., Moroeanu, V., & Radu, G.L. 2008. Concentration of Symphytum officinale extracts with cytostatic activity by tangential flow ultrafiltration. Rumanian Biotechnological Letters 13:4008-4013.
• Papp, N., Bencsik, T., Németh, K., Gyergyák, K., Sulc, A., & Farkas, Á. 2011. Histological study of some Echium vulgare, Pulmonaria officinalis and Symphytum officinale populations. Natural Product Communications 6(10):1934578X1100601017.
• Alkan, F. U., Anlas, C., Ustuner, O., Bakırel, T., & Sari, A.B. 2014. Antioxidant and proliferative effects of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Symphytum officinale on 3T3 Swiss albino mouse fibroblast cell line. Asian J Plant Sci Res 4(4):62-8.
• Tsintzas, D., Vithoulkas, G. 2016. Fracture treatment with the aid of the homeopathic remedy Symphytum officinale. A report of four cases. Clin. Case Rep. Rev 2:422-424.
• Sakakura, C.E., Neto, R.S., Bellucci, M., Wenzel, A., Scaf, G., Marcantonio, E., 2008. Influence of homoeopathic treatment with comfrey on bone density around titanium implants. A digital subtraction radiography study in rats. Clin. Oral Implant. Res. 19:624-628.
• Spin-Neto, R., Belluci, M.M., Sakakura, C.E., Scaf, G., Pepato, M.T., Marcantonio, E., 2010. Homeopathic Symphytum officinale increases removal torque and radiographic bone density around titanium implants in rats. Homeopathy 99:249-254.
• Smith, D.B., Jacobson, B.H., 2011. Effect of a blend of comfrey root extract (Symphytum officinale L.) and tannic acid creams in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee: randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multiclinical trials. J. Chir. Med 10:147-156.
• Chen, L., Mulder, P.P., Peijnenburg, A., & Rietjens, I.M. 2019. Risk assessment of intake of pyrrolizidine alkaloids from herbal teas and medicines following realistic exposure scenarios. Food and Chemical Toxicology 130:142-153.
• Aftab, K., Shaheen, F., Mohammad, F.V., Noorwala, M., & Ahmad, V.U. 1996. Phyto-pharmacology of saponins from Symphytum officinale L. Saponins Used in Traditional and Modern Medicine 429-442pp.
• Gürbüz, A., 1980. Şifalı Nebatlar. Bayrak Yayıncılık, İstanbul. 98p.
• Frost, R., MacPherson, H., O’Meara, S. 2013. A critical scoping review of external uses of comfrey (Symphytum spp.). Complementary Therapies in Medicine 21:724-745.
• Barnes, J., Anderson, L.A., Phillipson, J.D., 2007. Herbal Medicines, third ed. Pharmaceutical Press, London.
• Trifan, A., Skalicka-Woźniak, K., Granica, S., Czerwińska, M. E., Kruk, A., Marcourt, L., ... & Luca, S.V. 2020. Symphytum officinale L.: Liquid-liquid chromatography isolation of caffeic acid oligomers and evaluation of their influence on pro-inflammatory cytokine release in LPS-stimulated neutrophils. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 262:113169.
• Sowa, I., Paduch, R., Strzemski, M., Zielinska, S., Rydzik-Strzemska, E., Sawicki, J., Kocjan, R., Polkowski, J., Matkowski, A., Latalski, M., Wojciak-Kosior, M., 2018. Proliferative and antioxidant activity of Symphytum officinale root extract. Natural Product Research 32(5):605-609.
• Avila, C., Breakspear, I., Hawrelakc, J., Salmond, S., Evans, S. 2020. A systematic review and quality assessment of case reports of adverse events for borage (Borago officinalis), coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) and comfrey (Symphytum officinale). Fitoterapia 142:104519.
• Barna, M., Kucera, A., Hladicova, M., Kucera, M. 2007. Wound healing effects of a Symphytum herb extract cream (Symphytum × uplandicum NYMAN:): results of a randomized, controlled double-blind study. Wien Med. Wochenschr. 157:569-574.
• Staiger, C. 2012. Comfrey: a clinical overview. Phytother Res. 26:1441-1448.
• Trifan, A., Czerwińska, M. E., Zengin, G., Esslinger, N., Grubelnik, A., Wolfram, E., ... & Luca, S.V. 2023. Influence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids depletion upon the biological activity of Symphytum officinale L. extracts. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 303:116010.
• Wiedenfeld, H., & Edgar, J. 2011. Toxicity of pyrrolizidine alkaloids to humans and ruminants. Phytochemistry Reviews 10:137-151.
• Staiger, C. 2012. Comfrey: a clinical overview. Phytotherapy Research 26(10):1441-1448.
• Kuchta, K., Schmidt, M. 2020. Safety of medicinal comfrey cream preparations (Symphytum officinale s.l.): The pyrrolizidine alkaloid lycopsamine is poorly absorbed through human skin. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 118:104784.
• Nan Mei et al. 2006. Analysis of gene expression changes in relation to toxicity and tumorigenesis in the livers of Big Blue transgenic rats fed comfrey (Symphytum officinale). BMC Bioinformatics 7(2):1-15.
• Roman, G.P., et al. 2008. Concentration of Symphytum officinale extracts with cytostatic activity by tangential flow ultrafiltration. Roumanian Biotechnological Letters 13(6):4008-4013.
• Trifan, A., et al. 2017. Is comfrey root more than toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids? Salvianolic acids among antioxidant polyphenols in comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.) roots. Food and Chemical Toxicology 112:178-187.
• Zakaria, M.M. 2021. CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Genome Editing in Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) Hairy Roots Results in the Complete Eradication of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids. Molecules 26:1498.
• Trifan, A. et al. 2021. Influence of the Post-Harvest Storage Time on the Multi-Biological Potential, Phenolic and Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid Content of Comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.) Roots Collected from Different European Regions. Plants 10:1825.
• Vaezi, S., Haghighi, H.M., Farzad. S.A., Arabzadeh, S., Kalalinia, F. 2021. Bone Regeneration by Homeopathic Symphytum officinale. Regenerative Engineering and Translational Medicine 7:548-555.
• Melnyk, N. et. al. 2024. Skin microbiota metabolism of natural products from comfrey root (Symphytum officinale L.). Journal of Ethnopharmacology 318.