Description of marshmallow root. Useful properties and uses of marshmallow root

One of the most popular herbs of traditional medicine is marshmallow, its use is approved by official science. It is included in breast preparations along with licorice, oregano, and coltsfoot. It is used to produce tablets (“Mukaltin”) and syrups intended for use in children.

It is grown on an industrial scale for the pharmaceutical industry. State farms in the Krasnodar region of Russia, as well as enterprises in Ukraine and Kazakhstan, specialize in growing marshmallow grass. A highly productive breeding variety of the plant, called “The Little Mermaid,” has been developed and cultivated in Bulgaria. It is distinguished by an enlarged root compared to wild marshmallow.

Features of marshmallow

Althaea officinalis. Botanical illustration from the book “Köhler’s Medizinal-Pflanzen”, 1887.

The plant is popularly called “wild rose” for its large white or whitish-pink flowers. During flowering, a shrub up to one and a half meters high really looks impressive. The tall, even stem also bears large triangular leaves with fringed edges.

Young leaves are silver, old leaves are rich green. When you touch the young leaves, you can feel a tingling sensation; they feel velvety to the touch. The reason for this is the multiple needles covering their surface. The older the plant gets, the fewer needles it retains, so the leaf color changes.

Althaea blooms from June to August. At this time, it is easy to identify among other plants that inhabit moist soils near lakes and rivers. It is widespread in the European part of Russia, Crimea, and is found in the Caucasus and Siberia. It is difficult to find in the wild, so it is more convenient to purchase it in the form of ready-made pharmaceutical raw materials.

Collection and preparation

The medicinal plant has a developed root system. When collected, it is the marshmallow roots that are of particular interest. Its rhizome is complex, consisting of a woody stem and many fleshy small shoots. It is small shoots that are used as medicinal raw materials. Flowers and grass crops are also harvested.

The plant is not easy to remove from the ground. To do this, you need to cut out a square of soil with a shovel measuring 20x20 cm, slightly larger than a bayonet in depth. Then you need to turn out this lump and clean the rhizome from the soil. It is more convenient to do this by beating it on a hard surface. Then the top part of the plant is cut off, and the rhizome is washed and cut into pieces.

In a dark, dry place, marshmallow root can be stored for coughs and a number of other diseases for up to three years. As the humidity level increases, its properties deteriorate significantly. Mold may develop on the surface; such raw materials should not be used.

Compound

The use of marshmallow root in medicine is based on its properties and composition of raw materials.

• Slime . The main component of a medicinal plant, its amount reaches thirty-five percent. The mucus is formed by a combination of the natural substances pentosan and hexosan. When interacting with water, they are transformed into pentose and dextrose. The degree of viscosity of the resulting mucus solution is higher than a solution of gelatin, starch or protein of similar consistency.
• Starch . Its content reaches thirty-seven percent. Similar to mucus, it has an enveloping effect. Does not collapse during storage and drying.
• Pectin. Additional mucus-forming element. Its volume reaches eleven percent.

Also, the instructions for marshmallow root indicate that it contains up to ten percent natural sugars, a small amount of fat and lecithin. The plant is rich in essential amino acids asparagine and betaine.

Use of marshmallow in medicine

The medicinal plant is included in the list of safe drugs with a pronounced therapeutic effect. No contraindications to marshmallow have been identified. Due to the lack of sufficient research on the effects on the child’s body during intrauterine development, marshmallow root can be used during pregnancy starting from the second trimester. Preparations containing this plant and pure medicines for constipation are not recommended.

Marshmallow syrup, due to its high mucus content, has a pronounced enveloping effect. By creating a film on the affected tissues, it helps reduce the intensity of inflammation and regenerate the mucous membranes. Improves sputum discharge in inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract.

• Inflammation of the nasopharynx and respiratory tract. It has an anti-inflammatory effect, facilitates coughing up sputum, stimulates the restoration of tissues of the soft palate, tonsils, and tracheas.
• Stomach diseases. The enveloping effect minimizes pain and alleviates the course of peptic ulcers, colitis, and gastritis of the stomach. Protects the nerve endings of the stomach from the effects of gastric juice.
• Diarrhea. Application is based on the enveloping effect of the drug. Protects the walls of the affected intestine from the effects of aggressive factors, reduces their permeability. Creates a “shell” within which the maximum effect from the use of local antiseptic and other drugs is achieved.

The effectiveness of a medicinal plant depends on the technique of its preparation.

Syrup

The composition of marshmallow syrup includes two parts of dry extract from the root and ninety-eight parts of sugar syrup. Due to the minimum concentration of the active substance, it is allowed for use in pediatric therapeutic practice.

The question of at what age children can be given syrup is decided individually, taking into account possible allergic reactions to the accompanying solution of sugar and active substance. However, in most cases there are no contraindications already in the first year of life. It is also allowed to take marshmallow syrup during pregnancy in the usual dosage; according to therapists, there is no risk for the baby and the expectant mother.

Syrups are purchased from pharmacies; their preparation at home is difficult. However, according to the outstanding herbalist Rim Akhmedov, author of the books “Plants against Cancer”, “Odolen-grass” and several others, in childhood and pregnancy it is more effective to use not ready-made syrup, but a decoction of marshmallow flowers. Dried flowers can be used; the decoction has an expectorant effect.

Flower decoction

To prepare a decoction of marshmallow flowers for a child, use a small amount of inflorescences. For babies in their first year of life - up to ten, for older children you can double their number.

Preparation

1. Pour 100 ml of water into a metal container.
2. Add the required number of flowers.
3. Bring to a boil and turn off immediately.
4. Cool to room temperature.

A decoction of flowers has a similar effect to marshmallow syrup, but due to the absence of sugar syrup in it, it does not cause allergic reactions. Therefore, in pediatric therapeutic practice it is more preferable.

Root infusion

An effective antitussive drug that can be prepared at home. The dried root of the plant is used, which is soaked in cold water.

You cannot boil marshmallow root, as this destroys the mucus-forming substances. It is also not recommended to pour hot water over the root. The water for preparing the infusion should be at room temperature. Its task is to extract the mucus enclosed in the membranes of the rhizome.

You can prepare the infusion as follows.

1. Grind the root.
2. Mix 10 grams of raw material (or one dessert spoon) with 200 ml of cold water.
3. Leave until the water thickens.

The instructions for using marshmallow tincture allow for its use in a tablespoon five to six times a day. The children's dosage is one teaspoon. This remedy is highly effective in inflammatory diseases of the larynx, nasopharynx, bronchi, and other parts of the respiratory system, and has an expectorant effect.

In the same dosage, take a cold infusion of marshmallow root for gastrointestinal diseases: gastritis with increased acidity of gastric juice, ulcers, diarrhea.

Combined decoction

The plant demonstrates anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects when applied externally. In this case, it is used in the form of a decoction of leaves, flowers or roots.

Preparation

1. Mix crushed flowers, leaves, roots, use two tablespoons of raw materials.
2. Fill with 400 ml water.
3. Leave to infuse for 2 hours, strain.

In medical practice, marshmallow is widely used independently and in the form of preparations. At home, it can be used to treat cough, diarrhea, and relieve symptoms of exacerbation of gastritis and ulcers. Marshmallow flowers are preferred for treating children's coughs, while a cold infusion will help adults.

Althaea officinalis- a plant of the Malvaceae family, reaches 2 meters in height, has one thick stem from which thin branches extend. People call it mallow, marshmallow, kalachiki, wild rose. The seeds, fruits and roots of the plant are used to prepare medicines. Preparations based on marshmallow are used to treat diseases of the upper respiratory tract and digestive tract.

Beneficial features

The composition of marshmallow roots includes mucous components (about a third), starch, pectin, sugars, betaine, carotene, phytosterol, mineral salts and fatty oils. Effects on the body:

• Once in the body, the mucous part of the root is distributed in a thin layer over the membranes of the digestive tract, soothing irritation and preventing it from intensifying;
• mucous tissues are restored faster and the inflammatory process is inhibited;
• mucus has a softening effect on inflammatory plaque, for example on the larynx, thereby improving the effectiveness of expectoration.

Indications for use

The medicinal properties of the plant make it possible to effectively use it to treat the following problems:

• gastritis (inflammation of the gastric mucosa) and ulcerative lesions;
• respiratory diseases - bronchitis, tracheitis, bronchial asthma, laryngitis in acute and chronic form;
• products based on marshmallow roots are used for symptomatic effects on cough in order to improve its productivity;
• regenerating and anti-inflammatory properties are also relevant for topical use for skin tumors, burns and other skin lesions.

Recipes

Numerous medicines can be prepared from marshmallow root. In each case, it is important to adhere to a clear recipe.

1. Infusion. It is prepared on a water basis with the addition of honey. The roots need to be crushed, pour two tablespoons of warm water (half a liter) and leave in this form for 5-6 hours. When the roots are infused, filter and mix the liquid with 2 tablespoons of honey. The resulting remedy can be taken 100 ml up to four times a day, using it as a medicine for stomach pain, intestinal upset or dry cough. The infusion is also used as a local remedy for wiping inflamed areas of the skin.
2. Decoction. Brew the dried roots in the proportion of 2 tablespoons of raw material to half a liter of water. After combining the ingredients, place the container on low heat and boil the contents for a quarter of an hour, then remove from the heat and wait until it cools completely under the lid. Strain the decoction and use it for its intended purpose - for local application or oral administration.
3. Syrup. Marshmallow is considered a successful form of medicine for use in respiratory diseases. Mix the ready-made chilled decoction of the plant with pure sugar or fruit syrup until a comfortable taste and a thick but fluid consistency are obtained. The syrup is dosed in teaspoons, just like store-bought cough remedies, and it can be used to treat both adults and children.

Use of drugs

To obtain the maximum effect from therapy with marshmallow-based products, you must strictly follow the instructions. Pharmacy syrup is available without a prescription, but treatment is best carried out under the supervision of a doctor. Children are given syrup 4-5 times during the day in the amount of 1 teaspoon at a time, diluting each portion in 100 ml of water. The course of treatment is 2 weeks.

Indications	Method of administration
Against cough	The prepared syrup can be taken at home as an expectorant. Recommended dosages: children under 6 years old – half a teaspoon 4-5 times a day; from 6 to 13 years – 1 teaspoon 4-5 times a day; from 12 years old and adults – 1 tablespoon 4-5 times a day. Before oral use, the medicine must be diluted with clean water (take 50 ml of liquid for 1 teaspoon of the product). Treatment lasts no more than 15 days.
For gastritis	For stomach ulcers and gastritis, take an aqueous infusion of the roots - it envelops the mucous membrane, helps relieve the inflammatory process, activate tissue regeneration, and also minimizes subsequent aggressive effects on the walls of the stomach and intestines. To obtain a high-quality result, drink the infusion one tablespoon 4 times a day before meals for 45 days without breaks.
To enlarge the bust	Due to the inclusion of phytosterol, the root can stimulate an increase in breast size. To do this, prepare a medicine in milk: pour a tablespoon of the raw material into 250 ml of boiling milk, then boil for a quarter of an hour and cool. After straining, drink the product in small portions over one day. The product must be used for at least 30-60 days in a row.
For weight loss	Mucus interferes with the absorption of fats and reduces appetite. Althea also helps remove toxins and other harmful substances from the body. To obtain an effect in the fight against excess weight, take a decoction of dried roots half an hour before meals three times a day, 50-100 ml for one month.

Use during pregnancy

During pregnancy, marshmallow-based products can be used as part of the treatment of gastritis or cough, but with certain caution. It is better not to use herbal remedies in the first trimester. In the second and third, if necessary, only after consultation with a doctor in the dosages indicated by him.

Possible harm and contraindications

Provided the traditional medicine is prepared from environmentally friendly raw materials, there will be no harm or side effects at the correct dosage. However, ignoring contraindications for use causes harm to the body. List of restrictions:

• first trimester of pregnancy;
• individual intolerance to plant materials;
• chronic constipation;
• impaired respiratory function of the lungs.

You should not combine marshmallow-based preparations with antitussive products that inhibit the cough reflex - this will lead to thickening of sputum and difficulty in clearing it.

Procurement of raw materials

You can independently procure raw materials to create medicinal formulations. Harvesting takes place in early autumn. The selected specimens must be over a year old by age.

1. The bushes are dug up, the roots are separated and thoroughly washed from the soil in water.
2. If the elements of the root system are very large, then they are cut lengthwise.
3. The prepared material can only be dried - to do this, spread it out in the open air, but not in direct sunlight, or place it in the oven at low temperature.
4. To prevent dried medicinal material from deteriorating, it is stored in a closed metal or glass container for no more than three years.

Russian name

Marshmallow herb extract

Latin name of the substance Marshmallow officinalis herb extract

Extractum herbae Althaeae officinalis ( genus. Extracti herbae Althaeae officinalis)

Pharmacological group of the substance Marshmallow herb extract

Typical clinical and pharmacological article 1

Pharmaceutical action.

Pharmaceutical action. Expectorant. Contains a mixture of polysaccharides from the marshmallow herb. It has expectorant properties - due to reflex stimulation, it increases the activity of the ciliated epithelium and the peristalsis of the respiratory bronchioles in combination with increased secretion of the bronchial glands.

Indications. Acute and chronic diseases of the respiratory system, accompanied by the formation of difficult-to-clear sputum of high viscosity (tracheobronchitis, COPD, bronchiectasis, pneumonia, emphysema, pneumoconiosis, etc.)

Contraindications. Hypersensitivity to the components of the drug; peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.

Dosing. Orally, 50-100 mg before meals 3-4 times a day. The course of treatment is 7-14 days. For children, you can dissolve the tablet in 1/3 glass of warm water.

Side effect. Dyspeptic disorders (including nausea), rarely - allergic reactions.

Interaction. Do not prescribe simultaneously with drugs containing codeine (it may make it difficult to cough up liquefied sputum).

State register of medicines. Official publication: in 2 volumes - M.: Medical Council, 2009. - Volume 2, part 1 - 568 pp.; Part 2 - 560 s.

Interactions with other active ingredients

Trade names

Name	The value of the Vyshkowski Index ®

Mar-12-2017

What is marshmallow

What is marshmallow, the medicinal properties and contraindications of marshmallow, what are the beneficial properties of this plant, all this is of great interest to those who lead a healthy lifestyle, monitor their health, and are interested in traditional methods of treatment, including the use of medicinal herbs. So we will try to answer these questions in the following article.

As a medicinal plant, marshmallow was known to people in ancient times. In Ancient Greece, doctors and healers called marshmallow a herb for all diseases - in those days people were more attentive to nature than we are today. Hippocrates, Galen, Dioscorides, Theophrastus and other great scientists wrote about it in their works, and marshmallow was used in folk medicine for many centuries.

In the Middle Ages, the entire marshmallow plant was used: roots and fruits, flowers and leaves. Flowers were boiled in water, adding honey, or ground with wine, and used externally to treat hemorrhoids and scrofula. They also treated wounds with flowers, and the leaves were applied to abscesses and tumors, rubbing them with duck fat.

Althaea is well cultivated, and in those days the Benedictine monks grew it in their gardens and orchards.

Althaea officinalis is a plant whose height can be 2 meters. Young plants have single stems, while older plants have about 10 stems. There is one thick stem, which is the main one, from which thin branches go, their direction is upward. The leaves of the plant are alternate, soft, and if you touch them, they resemble a story. The leaves located at the bottom of the stem are round in shape; these leaves die off in the initial stage of flowering. The middle leaves are also rounded, have a heart-shaped base, can have 3 or 5 lobes, and the upper leaves are entire.

All leaves have irregular teeth. The flowers, collected in bunches, are located on common peduncles, which are very short. The corolla of the plant consists of 5 petals, usually white, but sometimes pink. Marshmallow has a double calyx, the outer sepals are the subcup, which has 8-12 leaflets, and the calyx consists of 5 leaflets.

Marshmallow fruits are flat, disc-shaped and contain many seeds. Marshmallow flowering begins in June and ends in July, and the seeds ripen in early autumn.

Spreading:

In the forest-steppe and steppe zones, in the Caucasus, the south of Western Siberia. Grows in river valleys, lakes, wet meadows, among bushes, and swamps. A commercial crop in the Krasnodar region and Ukraine, it is cultivated in the garden plots of pharmacies, schools, and on depleted and wet soils.

Chemical composition:

A large amount of mucous substances (up to 35%) were found in the roots of marshmallow, which mainly consist of polysaccharides that decompose during hydrolysis into galactose, arabinose, pentose and dextrose. In addition, the roots of the plant contain starch (up to 37%), pectin (10-11%), sugars, asparagine, betaine, carotene, lecithin, phytosterol, mineral salts and fatty oils (up to 1.7%). The leaves also contain mucus (up to 12.5%), essential oil (0.02%), rubber-like substances, ascorbic acid, and carotene. In flowers, the mucilage content reaches 5.8%.

Marshmallow roots contain a lot of mucus and starch, sugar, aspartic acid, phytosterol, phosphates, pectin substances, vitamins, and the flowers contain solid essential oil. The main therapeutic effect of marshmallow depends on the presence of mucus and pectin substances in it. That is why its roots serve as an enveloping, emollient, expectorant and anti-inflammatory agent for diseases of the respiratory tract: bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia, bronchial asthma. An infusion of the root is also used for inflammation of the bladder, painful involuntary urination, chronic colitis, dysentery, dyspeptic diarrhea in children, kidney diseases and especially stomach and duodenal ulcers. Marshmallow is effective for eczema and psoriasis.

Collection of medicinal raw materials:

The seeds and roots of marshmallow can be used as medicinal raw materials. Seeds should be collected in late summer or early autumn, in dry weather. Roots can be harvested in early spring or late September-October. They need to be carefully dug up, washed in running water, cut into small pieces and dried under a shelter or in an oven at a temperature of 35–40 °C.

Medicinal properties of marshmallow

• Marshmallow root reduces the risk of developing tumors, resolves abscesses, swelling, and bruises. It soothes joint pain and relieves tremors in the limbs.
• Traditional healers also prescribe this remedy to people whose sciatic nerve is inflamed or their muscles are torn.
• Marshmallow seeds help get rid of pneumonia, sore throat, flu, pleurisy, and relieve expectoration. In turn, the leaves of this plant are useful for women with breast tumors.
• A decoction of marshmallow root is recommended for use for burning in the gastrointestinal tract, bladder, anal tumor, leucorrhoea, jaundice.
• A decoction of the seeds of this plant cleanses the body of postpartum secretions and is used for difficulty urinating and bladder stones.
• Due to the fact that marshmallow roots contain a large amount of mucous substances, they have a softening, analgesic effect and are prescribed for inflammation of the respiratory tract (in particular, bronchitis, tracheitis, whooping cough and other diseases). The mechanism of action of marshmallow is that it envelops the mucous membrane of organs and areas of inflammation, protecting them from further irritation.
• The drug in question should also be used for diarrhea that occurs due to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and duodenum, gastritis, and colitis.
• Marshmallow works most effectively in cases of increased stomach acidity. This fact is due to the fact that when mucus comes into contact with hydrochloric acid, which is released during the secretion of gastric juice, its viscosity increases.
• Preparations based on marshmallow have a pronounced antitussive effect. They are used for laryngitis and whooping cough.
• A hot decoction of the root of the plant in question is used externally for the inflammatory process that occurs on the tonsils, pharynx, and gums. In turn, the cold infusion is used for compresses for fistulas, inflammation of the eye mucosa, and for washing the skin for eczema and psoriasis.

The plant has anti-inflammatory, expectorant, enveloping properties.

Marshmallow roots contain large amounts of starch and mucus, sucrose, pectin, tannins, vitamin C and a number of trace elements (potassium, calcium, copper, manganese, iron, cobalt).

Althaea is very often confused with wood mallow or Thuringian mallow. There is no big problem in this, since their chemical composition is almost the same, and marshmallow is very often replaced with khatma. If only because real marshmallow is found in nature much less frequently than its relatives.

Marshmallow roots contain a lot of mucus and starch, sugar, aspartic acid, phytosterol, phosphates, pectin substances, vitamins, and the flowers contain solid essential oil. The main therapeutic effect of marshmallow depends on the presence of mucus and pectin substances in it. That is why its roots serve as an enveloping, emollient, expectorant and anti-inflammatory agent for diseases of the respiratory tract: bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia, bronchial asthma. An infusion of the root is also used for inflammation of the bladder, painful involuntary urination, chronic colitis, dysentery, dyspeptic diarrhea in children, kidney diseases and especially stomach and duodenal ulcers. Marshmallow is effective for eczema and psoriasis.

Marshmallow contraindications

• Marshmallow rarely causes side effects, so the only serious contraindication to treatment is individual intolerance.
• In the early stages of pregnancy (1-2 trimester), medications with marshmallow should not be taken; the question of their use in later stages is decided by the doctor.
• It is prescribed with caution to infants.
• Also, the use of marshmallow is not recommended against the background of constipation and impaired respiratory function of the lungs.
• Ready-made marshmallow syrup is recommended for diabetics to use with caution.
• When taking it for a cough, you should keep in mind that the syrup cannot be combined with codeine and other drugs that suppress the cough reflex, because this can make it difficult for the liquefied sputum to come out and cause complications of the disease.
• An overdose of plant-based products may cause nausea and vomiting. In this case, you need to rinse your stomach and stop using marshmallow.

In addition, it should be remembered that treatment with medicinal herbs requires compliance

Treatment with marshmallow of various diseases:

Decoctions, infusions, syrups, powders and other preparations from the roots of marshmallow can be used to treat diseases of the respiratory system (bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia) and the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, enterocolitis, gastric and duodenal ulcers). A decoction of the seeds can be used to treat dandruff.

Marshmallow for a sore throat

Recipe 1

Pour 1 teaspoon of crushed marshmallow root into 200 ml of boiling water, leave for 8 hours, strain. Infusion to gargle.

Recipe 2

Pour 200 ml of boiling water over 1 teaspoon of crushed marshmallow root and 1 tablespoon of herb, leave for 30 minutes, strain. Infusion gargle 2-3 times a day.

Marshmallow for cough

Along with drug treatment, preparations from the roots of marshmallow can be used as an expectorant and anti-inflammatory agent.

Recipe 1

Pour 2 tablespoons of crushed marshmallow roots into 200 ml of boiling water, heat in a water bath for 30 minutes, strain. Take 100 ml 3 times a day after meals, adding a small amount of honey.

Recipe 2

Pour 1 teaspoon of dry marshmallow root powder into 200 ml of cold boiled water, leave for 8 hours, strain. Take 50 ml 3 times a day before meals.

Marshmallow for stomach ulcers

Treatment of gastric ulcer should be carried out exclusively under the supervision of a doctor, since this disease can manifest itself with various symptoms.

Recipe

Mix 1 tablespoon each of crushed marshmallow root, wheatgrass rhizome, licorice root, fennel fruit and chamomile flowers. Pour 1 teaspoon of the mixture into 200 ml of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, strain.

Take 200 ml infusion once a day before bed.

Recipes from Yulia Nikolaeva’s book “Treating the body with herbs. Useful tips and recommendations."

More recipes:

Marshmallow for prostate adenoma and chronic prostatitis

Pour 6.5 g (a full heaped tablespoon) of roots with half a glass of water at room temperature, leave for 1 hour, strain. Take 1 tablespoon every 2 hours. It is best to carry out treatment in combination with tincture of wintergreen, cocklebur, infusions of hazel bark or leaves, changing from time to time with infusions of aspen bark, fireweed herb, eryngium, horsetail and some other herbs, combined with taking drops of hemlock tincture - as prescribed by the herbalist.

Marshmallow for emphysema

Pour 2 tablespoons of crushed roots into 1.5 cups of cold boiled water, leave for 1 hour. First stir with a spoon, then strain. Take half a glass 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 2 months. Repeat 3 times a year for 3-5 years. For the same purposes, you can prepare a hot infusion: pour 2 tablespoons of flowers and leaves with 1-2 cups of boiling water - the daily dose. The deadlines are the same.

Marshmallow for xerostomia (dry mouth syndrome)

Infuse 2 tablespoons of marshmallow root in 1.5 cups of boiled water at room temperature for 45 minutes. Strain. Drink 1 tablespoon 3 to 6 times a day for one and a half months. For Sjögren's syndrome (dry mouth combined with rheumatoid arthritis and dry eyes), the course is 2 months, 3 times a year for several years.

Marshmallow for trigeminal neuralgia, myositis

Pour 3-4 teaspoons of root into a glass of cold boiled water, leave for 8 hours (better if left overnight). Strain. Use as a lotion or compress.

Recipes from the book “Plants – your friends and foes” by Rim Bilalovich Akhmedov.