Natures Best Comfrey Cream
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Nature's Best Comfrey Cream Comfrey root extract (for cutaneous use)
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start using this medicine.
• Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
• This medicine is only for you. Do not give it to anyone else to take. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.
• If you have any further questions, please ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• If any of the side effects get serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
In this leaflet:
1. What Nature's Best Comfrey Cream is and what it is used for.
2. Before you use Nature's Best Comfrey Cream.
3. How to use Nature's Best Comfrey Cream.
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Nature's Best Comfrey Cream.
6. Further information
1. What Nature's Best Comfrey Cream is and what it is used for
Nature's Best Comfrey Cream is used for the topical (put on the skin) treatment of joint pains, sprains, inflammation and strains associated with restricted joint movement. The active ingredient is Comfrey Root Liquid Extract. It has anti-inflammatory (reduces inflammation and swelling) and analgesic (pain relieving) properties.
2. Before you use Nature’s Best Comfrey Cream
Some people must not use this cream. Do not use this cream if:
• You know you are allergic (hypersensitive) to comfrey root extract, parabens (preservative) or any of the other ingredients. See section 6. for the list of ingredients. If you often suffer from allergic reactions, you may be more likely to experience this hypersensitivity
• You are allergic to peanut or soya - Nature's Best Comfrey Cream contains peanut oil (arachis oil)
• You want to treat an open wound
You must be especially careful:
• Nature's Best Comfrey Cream is not recommended in children under 12 years of age.
• It is for external application only.
• The cream should not be applied to the eyes , mucous membranes (lips, nostrils, ears, anus (back passage)), genitals (private parts) and open wounds
If any of the conditions above apply to you, please discuss your treatment with your doctor before taking this medicine.
Taking other medicines
Always tell your doctor or pharmacist about all the medicines you are taking. This includes medicines you have bought yourself as well as those you have on prescription from your doctor.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
If you are pregnant or breast feeding, do not use this medicine.
Other special warnings
• The fragrance contains benzyl benzoate which may cause mild irritation to the skin, eyes and mucous membranes which are the lips, nostrils, ears, anus (back passage) and genitals (private parts).
• Nature's Best Comfrey Cream contains parabens (ethyl (E214), propyl (E216), methyl (E218), butyl-4-hydroxybenzoate). These can cause allergic reactions, which may be delayed. It also contains cetostearyl alcohol, which may cause swelling (inflammation) of the skin (contact dermatitis) e.g. red, itchy, scaly skin, where the cream is applied.
Driving and using machinery
Nature's Best Comfrey Cream should not affect your ability to drive or operate machinery.
3. How to use Nature's Best Comfrey Cream
Always use Nature's Best Comfrey Cream exactly as indicated in this leaflet. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. If you are using this cream for the first time, you should test on a small area first e.g. your wrist, to make sure there is no reaction. The cream should only be used on skin that is intact and not broken.
The usual dose is as follows:
Adults, the elderly and children age 12 years and over:
Apply a thread of cream, 2-6cm in length, to the part of the body to be treated, and massage in carefully. Adjust the amount of cream to be used depending on the size of the joint to be treated and how bad the symptoms are. Repeat this 4 times a day for up to 8 days.
This product is not recommended in children under the age of 12 years.
You should not use this cream for longer than 3 weeks.
If you apply more of the cream than you should:
No cases of overdose have been reported but if you have any concerns, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
If this cream is accidentally swallowed you should contact a doctor straight away or go to the nearest casualty department as you may need urgent medical attention. Take this medicine and the leaflet with you.
If you forget to use Nature's Best Comfrey Cream:
If you miss applying your cream at the correct time do not worry. Simply carry on with the next application at your usual time. Do not apply the medicine twice to make up for a forgotten dose.
4. Possible side effects
Nature's Best Comfrey Cream is suitable for most people, but, like all medicines it may sometimes cause side effects. Most people find this medicine causes no problems when the right amount is used for the correct length of time (see section 3 above).
The following side effects may occur:
Skin reactions can occur at the site where the cream is applied because of reactions to some of the individual ingredients. This may cause skin inflammation (contact dermatitis), a painful and burning skin sensation, or dry, irritated skin (eczema).
Nature's Best Comfrey Cream can lead to allergic (hypersensitivity) reactions at the site of treatment. These reactions can cause reddening of the skin and the appearance of nodules and blisters (skin rash), usually with itching.
There may also be generalised hypersensitivity reactions, which may affect:
• the skin (e.g. reddening, itching, hives, rashes not just at the application site, as well as a rapid swelling of the skin of the face, the eye lids and the area around the mouth (angioedema)).
• the digestive tract (e.g. abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea).
• the eyes (e.g. red, watery, itchy eyes (allergic conjunctivitis)).
• the respiratory tract (e.g. inflammation of the nasal airways (allergic rhinitis), wheezing, difficulty breathing).
The frequency of these side effects occurring is not known.
If you experience any of these side effects, stop using this medicine and tell your doctor as soon as possible. If you notice any unwanted effects, even one not mentioned here, please go and see your doctor.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store Nature’s Best Comfrey Cream
Keep out of the reach and sight of children.
There are no special storage conditions.
Do not use Nature's Best Comfrey Cream after the expiry date which is printed on the carton and on the tube. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
This medicine should be used within 1 year of first opening the tube.
Do not use Nature's Best Comfrey Cream if you notice any of the following:
• If the cream colour is different from the colour beige.
• If fluid comes out of the tube.
• If there is a change in the typical smell of the cream.
Medicines should not be thrown away in normal household waste. Return any unused cream to a pharmacist. This will help to protect the environment.
6. Further Information
Ingredients
The cream contains 35g of the active ingredient, liquid extract (1:2) comfrey root (Symphytum officinale). (Extraction solvent: ethanol 60% v/v).
The other ingredients are arachis oil (peanut), cetostearyl alcohol, glycerol-1-stearate, sodium lauryl sulphate, lavender oil, pine needle oil, purified water, phenonip (phenoxyethanol, parabens, E214, 216, E218, butyl-4-hydroxybenzoate). Perfume: aldehyde C10, benzyl acetate, benzyl benzoate, eugenol, hellotropin, hydroxycitronellal, lavender oil, lemon oil, methyl anthranilate, pettigrain oil, phenoxyethanol, rosemary oil, vanillin.
What the medicine looks like
Nature's Best Comfrey Cream is a beige coloured cream containing 35g of comfrey root extract per 100g of the cream. It is packed in 25g, 50g, 100g and 150g aluminium tubes.
Product licence holder and manufacturer:
Merck Consumer Healthcare Limited, Hedon Road, Marfleet, Hull, HU9 5NJ, UK
Product Licence Number:
PL 01932/0056
This leaflet was last revised: February 2015
If you would like the leaflet in a different format, please contact the licence holder at the above address.
Merck Consumer Healthcare Limited is a company of Merck KGaA Nature's Best
Century Place, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 3BE, UK