Süstemaatiline kuuluvus (APG IV)
Riik: Taimed (Plantae)
Klaad: Soontaimed (Tracheophyta)
Klaad: Katteseemnetaimed (Angiospermae)
Klaad: Päriskaheidulehelised (Eudicotyledonae)
Selts: Iminõgeselaadsed (Lamiales)
Sugukond: Karelehelised (Boraginaceae)
Perekond: Varemerohi (Symphytum)
Liik: Harilik varemerohi - Symphytum officinale L.

Botaaniline kirjeldus
Harilik varemerohi on mitmeaastane rohttaim kareleheliste sugukonnast, perekonnast varemerohi. Taime juur ulatub kuni 2 m sügavusele. Vars püstine, ümar, harunev, vahel lamanduv, lühikeste karedate karvadega. Taim kasvab kuni meetriseks. Leheseis on vahelduv. Lehed on enam-vähem rootsulised. Ülemised lehed rootsutud, laskuvad, piklikud-lantsetjad, alumised lehed ovaalsed kuni munajad. Lehed karedad. Õisik on lahtikeerduv ebasarikas, milles õied 2-6 mm raagudele, kahehs reas. Õis aktinomorfne, kaheli õiekattega, viietine. Tupp liitlehine, kitsas, teravatipmeline. Õied sinakaslillad ja roosad, harvem valged. Kroon on kellukjas, tupest poole pikem, väljapoole käändunud tipmetega. Tolmukaid on viis, emakkond on tsönokarpne, emakakaelu üks, see ulatub kroonist välja. Õiekroon on tupplehtedest 3-5 korda pikem. Taim toodab palju nektarit. Viljaks on neljast mustast munajast pähklikesest koosnev lõhisvili. [1,2]

Levila
Taim kasvab Euroopas laialdaselt. Eestis kasvab varemerohi niisketel niitudel, veekogude kallastel, põldude ja teede ääres. Hajusalt, peamiselt mandril. Kasvatatakse kultuurtaimena. Õitseb juunis, juulis. [2]

Keemiline koostis

Taim sisaldab mitmekesist bioaktiivsete ühendite kompleksi, millest peamised on fenoolsed ühendid, limained ja alkaloidid. [3,4] Olulisemad ühendite rühmad on fenoolsed ühendid (fenoolhapped sh rosmariinhape, kofeiinhappe derivaadid, rabdosiin, globoidiinid, mis on tugeva antioksüdatiivse ja põletikuvastase toime aluseks [3,5]; allantoiin - üks peamisi markerühendeid, mis soodustab rakkude proliferatsiooni ja kudede regeneratsiooni; polüsahhariidid ja limained, mis osalevad haavas paranemises ja põletikuvastases toimes; fenüülpropanoidid ja lignaanid, mis annavad täiendava antioksüdatiivse ja rakukaitsva toime [3]; pürrolisidiinalkaloidid (nt intermediin ja lükopsamiin) on toksilised ühendid, mis piiravad taime kasutust. [3,4] Fenoolsed ühendid ja pürrolisidiinalkaloidid esinevad samaaegselt ning nende sisaldus võib varieeruda sõltuvalt taimeosast ja töötlemisest. [4]

Toime ja kasutamine

Farmakoloogiliselt avaldub toime eeskätt põletikumediaatorite pärssimises ja oksüdatiivse stressi vähendamises, millele lisandub analgeetiline efekt paiksel kasutamisel. [5,6]

Varemerohtu rakendatakse peamiselt paiksetes preparaatides (nt salvid ja geelid) lihas‑ ja liigesevalu, traumade ning põletikuliste seisundite korral, kus kliinilised uuringud kinnitavad efektiivsust. Samas piirab taime sisemist kasutamist pürrolisidiinalkaloidide hepatotoksilisus, mistõttu suukaudset kasutamist ei soovitata ning arendatakse vähendatud alkaloidisisaldusega ekstrakte. [3,7]

Kasutatud kirjandus
1. Krall, H., Kukk, T., Kull, T., Kuusk, M., Oja, T., Reier, Ü., Sepp, S., Zingel, H., Tuulik, T. (1999). Eesti Taimede Määraja
2. Raal, A. (2010). Maailma ravimtaimede entsüklopeedia. Tallinn: Eesti Entsüklopeediakirjastus

3. Liu, X., Huang, X., & Song, X. (2026). Ethnopharmacological insights into Symphytum officinale: Traditional uses, phytochemical composition, therapeutic potential, and clinical-toxicological implications. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 17. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2026.1793084

4. Trifan, A., Zengin, G., Sinan, K. I., et al. (2021). Influence of the post-harvest storage time on the multi-biological potential, phenolic, and pyrrolizidine alkaloid content of comfrey roots. Plants, 10(9), 1825. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10091825

5. Kimel, K., Krauze-Baranowska, M., Ośko, J., Grembecka, M., Sparzak-Stefanowska, B., & Godlewska, S. (2026). Comparative chromatographic analysis of polyphenolic compounds in comfrey leaf and root with determination of their in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Antioxidants, 15(1), 46. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15010046

6. Mahmoudzadeh, E., Nazemiyeh, H., & Hamedeyazdan, S. (2022). Anti-inflammatory properties of the genus Symphytum: A review. Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 21(1), e123949. https://doi.org/10.5812/ijpr.123949

7. Kimel, K., Godlewska, S., Gleńsk, M., Gobis, K., Ośko, J., Grembecka, M., & Krauze-Baranowska, M. (2023). LC-MS/MS evaluation of pyrrolizidine alkaloids profile in relation to safety of comfrey roots and leaves. Molecules, 28(16), 6171. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28166171

Classification (APG IV)
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Boraginales
Family: Boraginaceae
Genus: Symphytum
Species: Comfrey - Symphytum officinale L.

Botanical Description
The common comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Boraginaceae. The plant has a deep taproot that can reach up to 2 meters underground. Its stem is upright, round, branching, sometimes sprawling, and covered with short bristly hairs. The plant grows up to 1 meter tall. Leaves are alternate, with lower leaves being petiolate, broad-oval to ovate, and upper leaves sessile, decurrent, and lanceolate. All leaves are rough to the touch.

The inflorescence is an uncoiling scorpioid cyme, with flowers arranged in two rows on 2–6 mm pedicels. The flowers are actinomorphic, with a double perianth and pentamerous structure. The calyx is tubular, narrow, and sharply pointed. Flowers are bluish-purple, pink, or rarely white. The corolla is bell-shaped, twice the length of the calyx, and reflexed at the tips. There are five stamens, and the gynoecium is syncarpous with a single style extending beyond the corolla. The corolla is 3–5 times the length of the sepals. The plant is a rich source of nectar.

The fruit is a schizocarp composed of four black, ovoid nutlets. The plant blooms in June and July. [1,2]

Distribution
Common comfrey is widely distributed across Europe. In Estonia, it grows sporadically, primarily on the mainland, thriving in moist meadows, riverbanks, fields, and roadside areas. It is also cultivated. [2]

Effects and Uses
The roots contain allantoin, alkaloids (e.g., echinatine, lycopsamine, echimidine, lasiocarpine), tannins, triterpenes, saponins, gum, mucilage, caffeic acid derivatives, steroids, carotene, and silicic acid. The leaves also contain allantoin, tannins, mucilage, saponins, and silicic acid, but with lower alkaloid content.

Comfrey roots exhibit pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties, making them effective for nerve and rheumatic pain relief. Allantoin promotes cell proliferation, aiding in the healing of external wounds and tissue regeneration. It has been used in post-fracture recovery. Studies have also shown its antioxidative and proliferative effects on skin fibroblasts. [3]

The root extract has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, particularly beneficial for treating muscle and joint injuries. [4]

Internally, comfrey has been used for stomach and duodenal ulcers, with a recommended daily dose of 6–12 g of roots. However, due to potential toxicity, internal use is generally discouraged. The roots are harvested in early spring or autumn, cleaned, and cut into 20 cm sections before being dried at 40°C.

Comfrey is contraindicated during pregnancy, lactation, and for children. External application should not exceed 4–6 weeks. [2]

References
1. Krall, H., Kukk, T., Kull, T., Kuusk, M., Oja, T., Reier, Ü., Sepp, S., Zingel, H., Tuulik, T. (1999). Eesti Taimede Määraja.
2. Raal, A. (2010). Maailma ravimtaimede entsüklopeedia. Tallinn: Eesti Entsüklopeediakirjastus.
3. Sowa, I., Paduch, R., Strzemski, M., Zielińska, S., Rydzik-Strzemska, E., Sawicki, J., Kocjan, R., Polkowski, J., Matkowski, A., Latalski, M., & Wójciak-Kosior, M. (2018). Proliferative and antioxidant activity of Symphytum officinale root extract. Natural product research, 32(5), 605–609. https://doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2017.1326492
4. Staiger, C. (2013). Comfrey root: from tradition to modern clinical trials. Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift (1946), 163(3-4), 58–64. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10354-012-0162-4