Pleurisy

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Comfrey (Blackwort, Symphytum Officinale)  [1, 2, 3, 4]:

Please note, this herb is TOXIC IF TAKEN ORALLY, OR IF APPLIED TO AN OPEN WOUND. Can cause severe liver or kidney damage and lead to death. May ONLY be used as a cream over intact skin, and does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: Strongly Against  (ONLY TO BE USED AS A CREAM OVER HEALTHY SKIN. If taken orally to treat pleurisy, Comfrey can lead to severe liver and kidney damage, and can even lead to death.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

Summary References

Treatments:

1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19460762

3. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/comfrey

4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2103401
 

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