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| Departments » Herbal Medicine » Materia Medica » Althaea officinalis |
Note - the monographs are provided for informational purposes only, and are not to be used for self-medication.
Marshmallow
| Botanic Name | Althaea officianalis |
| Common Name | Marshmallow, Mallards, Mauls, Schloss Tea, Cheeses, Mortification Root, Guimauve (French) |
| Family | Malvaceae |
| Parts Used | Root and Leaf |
| Habitat | Native of most countries of Europe. Grows in salt marshes, in damp meadows, by the sides of ditches, by the sea and on the banks of rivers. (Grieve) |
| Constituents | Root
25 - 35% Mucilage tanins pectin asparagine (Hoffmann) Leaf Mucilage traces of an essential oil (Hoffmann) |
| Actions | Root
Demulcent Expectorant Diuretic Emollient Vulnerary (Hoffmann) Leaf Demulcent Expectorant Diuretic Emollient (Hoffmann) |
| Applications | Root
All inflamations of the digestive tract (mouth, gastritis, peptic ulcer, enteritis, colitis) (Hoffmann) Reducing symptoms of hiatus hernia and oesophagitis (Mills) Externally – varicose veins, ulcers, abcesses and boils (Hoffmann) Leaf Bronchitis Respiratory catarrh Irritating coughs – loosen tight dry cough (Mills) Urethritis Urinary gravel Cystitis (Mills) |
| Body Systems | Root:
digestive system and skin
Leaf: respiratory, urinary |
| Energetics | Fosters the
Yin and provides moisture and lenifies dryness.
Restoring . (Holmes) Sweet, Bitter, Cool (Tierra) |
| Dosage | Root
Dried Root 2 – 5 gms tds Liquid Extract 1:1 25% 2 – 5 mls tds Tincture 1:5 25% 5 – 15 mls tds Leaf Dried Leaf 2 – 5 gms or by infusion tds Liquid Extract 1:1 25% 2 – 5 mls tds |
| Combinations | Ulcerative
conditions with Symphytum off. (externally) (Hoffmann)
Glycyrrhiza glabra, Marrubium vulgare for bronchitis (Hoffmann) Ulmus fulva for making ointments (Hoffmann) |
| C/I Cautions | None |
| BHP S/I | Root
- Gastric or Duodenal Ulcers
Leaf – Respiratory catarrh associated with digestive weakness |