Comfrey and joints
What 2 graded rows on comfrey agree on for joints, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Comfrey page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Comfrey page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Comfrey and joints
2 rows · 263 peopleThey agree: both rows found an improvement.
- BGrade B× 1
- CGrade C× 1
- Rows
- 2
- Trials
- 2
- People
- 263
What the rows share
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade B, is a randomized trial of 220 people (2007) and found an improvement.
The rows run from 43 to 220 people, published from 2007 to 2011: 2 single studies.
The rows
2 improved- BGrade BPainful knee osteoarthritis (vs placebo) · Improved
RCT · n 220 · 2007 · Adults with painful knee osteoarthritis (153 women, 67 men; mean age 57.9; symptoms for 6.5 years)
6 g a day (2 g three times a day) · 3 weeks
The pain score (VAS total) fell by 51.6 mm (54.7%) with comfrey vs 10.1 mm (10.7%) with placebo, a difference of 41.5 mm (95% CI 34.8 to 48.2). WOMAC scores, knee mobility and quality of life also improved more.
- CGrade CKnee osteoarthritis pain, stiffness and function (blend creams) · Improved
RCT · n 43 · 2011 · Men and women aged 45 to 83 with primary knee osteoarthritis
Three times a day · 6 weeks
Both comfrey creams beat the reference cream for WOMAC pain, stiffness and daily function (all P < .01). Two people in each active group had temporary rash and itching.