-
How does it feel?
-
What can I use it for?
Relieving dry cough and upset and irritable digestion are the dominant roles of marshmallow. As its primary mucilage ingredient is sensitive both to heat and alcohol it is best taken as a powder or extracted in cold or warm water.
You can expect almost immediate relief as the effect is almost entirely from the physical properties of the mucilage on the mucosal lining of the upper digestive system. The effect on the airways is likely to be due to consequent reflex action on the airway structures.
-
Into the heart of Marshmallow
Marshmallow contains 11% mucilage which acts as its primary medicinal constituent. Mucilage will trap liquid to form gel like substances and will also swell to many times its original volume. Mucilage forms a protective layer over damaged mucosal membranes, allowing time for cellular regeneration and healing to occur but also protects membranes from further deterioration, for example, damage from gastric acid exposure.
Longer term use of mucilage also allows time for damaged cells to heal.
Externally, the marshmallow mucilage can draw fluid and toxicity from wounds and infections. In small dosages, mucilaginous compounds restrain the peristaltic action within the gut and work well to promote an antidiarrheal action. In larger dosages, they can promote a gentle laxative effect.
-
Traditional uses
Marshmallow root was one of the classic ‘demulcent’ or ‘emollient’ remedies in European tradition. One of a number of earliest mucilaginous wound remedies, applied internally to inflammations of the upper digestive system and to dry cough. Its leading role among these remedies was usurped with the discovery of slippery elm bark and aloe juice from the Americas.
Marshmallow was eaten as a delicacy by the Romans and Egyptians and has been used as a food at various times in history when other crops were scarce.
-
Traditional actions
DemulcentsDemulcents are soothing mucilaginous and silky herbs that can be taken internally to soothe and protect damaged or inflamed tissue. Examples include Slippery elm bark (Ulmus rubra), Marshmallow root (Althea officinalis) and Limeflower (Tilia cordata).
-
What practitioners say
Digestive tract: used in all hot, inflamed, irritated and dry conditions of the digestive mucosa such as hyperacidity, reflux oesophagitis, hiatus hernia, and to relieve gastritis and peptic ulcers.
Respiratory: for irritated and dry conditions of the airways with unproductive and tickly coughs. Marshmallow can help provide long-term relief in lung infections by allowing time for the inflamed and infected mucosa to heal.
Urinary: may help relieve urinary inflammations such as cystitis, urethritis, urinary stones and nephritis.
Skin: applied to inflamed, irritated and dry conditions of the skin such as wounds, burns, scar tissue, ulcers, lumps and swellings. Marshmallow can be applied externally to the skin to provide symptomatic relief and as a drawing agent.
-
Research
A review of the research literature concluded that in combination with other plant extracts marshmallow could be a good choice for cough, sore throat, and other respiratory ailments (2).
Marshmallow was shown to have a minor effect in reducing dry mouth syndrome in a controlled clinical trial (3). One review found that using an ointment containing 20 percent marshmallow root extract reduced skin irritation (4).
A poultice with Althaea officinalis was found to reduce breast engorgement in lactating women in a clinical trial (5).
-
Did you know?
A confection made from the root since antiquity evolved into the modern ‘marshmallow’ candy, but these no longer contain any marshmallow root.
Additional information
-
Botany description
Marshmallow is native to most of Europe, where it can be found growing in salt marshes and damp meadows, river banks and coastal areas. The plant grows to heights of 1-1.5metres and has characteristically soft and ‘velvety’ leaves, covered in a thick layer of fine, soft hairs. The flowers are normally a light pink or white in colour. The marshmallow roots produce large volumes of mucilage when they come into contact with liquid.
-
Common names
- Mäusespeck (Ger)
- Guimauve (Fr)
- Malvavisco (Sp)
- Vartulapushpa (Sanskrit)
-
Safety
Marshmallow root is very safe
-
Dosage
6–15 g/day of dried leaf or root (if extracted this is best by infusing in water: the mucilage can withstand temperatures only up to 60oC)
-
Constituents
- Mucilage polysaccharides (5 – 11%: more in winter)
- Flavonoids
- Phenols
- Coumarin (scopoletin)
- Starch
- Pectin
- Tannins
In addition to their physical properties constituents of the mucilage may interact with a key mucosal enzyme, hyaluronidase (1).
-
Traditional energetics
- Rasa (taste) Sweet.
- Virya (action) Cooling.
- Vipaka (post-digestive effect) Sweet, salty, mildly bitter.
- Guna (quality) Oily, sticky, heavy.
- Dosha effect: balances all three dosha.
- Dhatu (tissue) Rasa/plasma, rakta/ blood, mamsa/muscle, majja/nerve, shukra/reproductive.
- Srotas (channels) Prana/respiratory, mutra/urinary, anna/digestive, majja/ nervous, stanya/lactation.

-
Recipe
Good move tea
There are only a few ways to move toxins out of the body – so if you’re keen to cleanse, it’s essential to make sure your bowels are working properly. Our ‘Good move’ tea is one of the strongest of the lot, so proceed with caution. It will help you have a relaxed and cleansing bowel motion every day.
Ingredients:
- Yellow dock root 4g
- Dandelion root 3g
- Marshmallow root 2g
- Senna leaf 2g
- Orange peel 2g
- Fennel seed 1g
- Licorice root 1g
This will serve 2–3 cups of bowel moving tea.
Method:
- Put all of the ingredients in a pot. Add 500ml (18fl oz) freshly boiled filtered water.
- Leave to steep for 10–15 minutes, then strain.
- Just have 1 cup a day or you will find yourself trotting off to the loo too frequently. Don’t use it for more than two weeks in a row as senna can cause some dependency. Make sure you keep properly re-hydrated throughout the day.
Recipe from Cleanse, Nurture, Restore by Sebastian Pole
-
References
- Sendker J, Böker I, Lengers I, et al (2017) Phytochemical Characterization of Low Molecular Weight Constituents from Marshmallow Roots (Althaea officinalis) and Inhibiting Effects of the Aqueous Extract on Human Hyaluronidase-1 Journal of Natural Products 80 (2), 290-297
- Mahboubi M. (2019) Marsh Mallow (Althaea officinalis L.) and Its Potency in the Treatment of Cough. Complement Med Res. 1‐9
- Skrinjar I, Vucicevic Boras V, Bakale I, et al. (2015) Comparison between three different saliva substitutes in patients with hyposalivation. Clin Oral Investig. 19(3): 753‐757
- Dawid-Pać, R. (2013). Medicinal plants used in treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. Advances in Dermatology and Allergology/Postępy Dermatologii i Alergologii, 30(3), 170-177.
- Khosravan S, Mohammadzadeh-Moghadam H, Mohammadzadeh F, et al. (2017) The Effect of Hollyhock (Althaea officinalis L) Leaf Compresses Combined With Warm and Cold Compress on Breast Engorgement in Lactating Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 22(1): 25‐30