Comfrey & Plantain

This combination made the famous ‘Boyles Syrup’, so much used for dry Coughs and Coughing up Blood in particular. It is also the main combination in the Syrup of Comfrey.
    
Comfrey is Cool, Moist, and Sweet. It is astringent, helps stop Bleeding while also gently moving the Blood, and is very good for healing internal Ulcers, Hernias and other ‘ruptures’. It is good for Coughs from dryness, weakness, chronic Lung disease and Yin deficiency. It clears Heat and Inflammation, while nourishing Yin and Blood.
    
Plantain is Cool, Sweet and Bitter. It is good to clear Heat and Toxin, especially from the Lungs, Stomach and Bladder, and is also mildly astringent and healing. It can be used to stop Bleeding, and is useful for Cough and acute Infections of the Lungs.
    
Together they clear Heat from the Lungs, stop Cough, promote Healing and stop Bleeding. Used for harsh, dry Cough, including that with Blood. It may be used for Cough, Bronchitis, Upper Respiratory tract infection, as well as an adjunctive in Chronic Lung Disease with Cough, Wheezing and Blood in the Sputum etc.

This combination also appears together in the Styptic Decoction, also used for Hemorrhage.

Key Indications

• Cough, Bronchitis, Upper Respiratory tract infection
• Hemoptysis; other Heat-type Bleeding

Additions
1. Cough associated with chronic Lung disease, add Licorice, Raisins and Pine nuts
2. Lung Ulcers, add Licorice and Figs
3. Acute spasmodic coughs, with Thyme and Aniseed.

Examples
Decoction Against Lung Ulcers, Styptic Decoction, Decoction for Wounds, Comp. Syrup of Comfrey, Plaster for Fractures