Althea medicinal medicinal properties. Althea officinalis roots photo. Indications for use

Marshmallow roots -RadicesAlthaeae

Marshmallow herb -HerbaAlthaeae

Marshmallow officinalis - Althaea officinalis L.

Armenian marshmallow - Althaea armeniaca Ten.

Semactiono mallow - Malvaceae

Other names:

- Marshmallow

- Prosvirnyak

Botanical characteristics. Perennial herb. Rhizome multi-headed, short, woody, with branched, fleshy, whitish roots. Stems up to 150 cm high, slightly branched, erect. The leaves are alternate, petiolate, simple, usually three-, five-lobed, simpler at the apex. The flowers are pink, large, clustered in the upper part of the stem in a spike-shaped inflorescence. Corolla five-part, rounded petals. The pistil has an upper ovary and is enclosed in a tube of accrete filaments. The stamens are purple. The calyx is double, 5 inner petals, 9-12 outer petals. The fruit is fractional, disintegrating into separate single-seeded fruits. The whole plant has a soft velvety pubescence. Blooms in June-July; bears fruit in September-October. Allowed for use is Armenian marshmallow. The flowers are pale pink. Grows in the Caucasus, in the foothills of Central Asia.

Spreading. In the forest-steppe and steppe zones, in the Caucasus, in the south of Western Siberia. A commercial crop in the Krasnodar Territory and in the Ukraine, is cultivated on the backyards of pharmacies, schools, on worked-out and wet soils. Fertilize with humus, phosphate and potassium fertilizers. Seeds are propagated by row spacing of 70 cm (sowing depth 1.5-2 cm), seedlings, dividing perennial rhizomes. The soil is shaken, thinned up to 8-10 plants per running meter, weeds are carefully weeded out. Biennial plants are fed with ammonium nitrate, the grass is mowed and burned before winter. The roots of plants are harvested at the age of 2-3 years, the yield is up to 10-20 c / ha.

Distinctive features of marshmallow medicinal and related plants

Diagnostic signs	Marshmallow officinalis - Althaea officinalis L.	Hutma Thuringian -Lavatera thuringiaca L.	Forest mallow - Malva sylvestris L.
Growing places	Meadows, banks of reservoirs	Dry slopes, edges	Wastes, yards, gardens
Pubescence	Velvety	Woolly	Tough, sometimes the plants are bare
	Ovate, 3-5-lobed	Broadly ovate, 5-lobed with stipules	Rounded, 5-7-lobed, membranous stipules
Cup, whisk	8-12 blades, pale pink	3-blade; hot pink	3-blade; pink with dark stripes

Habitat. In river valleys, lakes, in wet meadows, among bushes, in swamps.

Procurement of raw materials, primary processing, drying. The roots are harvested in the fall, after the death of the aboveground parts of the plants (September-October), or in the spring, before regrowth (April-early May). After digging with shovels or plows, the roots are thoroughly cleaned of the earth, cut off the rhizomes and small roots, remove the lignified upper part of the main root; non-lignified roots are dried for 2-3 days in the air, then the cork is removed. Large roots are cut transversely into pieces up to 35 cm long, thick ones - lengthwise into 2-4 parts.

To obtain unrefined raw materials, after digging up and shaking off the ground, the roots are placed in baskets and quickly washed in cold running water. Otherwise, processing is carried out in the same way as for raw materials cleared of cork.

Marshmallow herb is harvested during flowering (within a month from the beginning of flowering), mowing in a mechanized way, yellowed leaves and admixture of other plants are removed.

Marshmallow roots and grass are dried either in dryers at a temperature of 50-60 0 С, or in well-ventilated rooms. In the southern regions of the country, the roots are also dried in the sun, covering them at night. When drying this raw material, it is necessary to take into account its hygroscopicity. They are laid out in a thin layer, loosely, on nets or frames covered with fabric. After drying, impurities, moldy and discolored roots and parts of the grass are removed from the raw materials.

Security measures. The thickets are easily depleted, therefore, during the collection process, seeds are sown, falling asleep in the holes from under the root, and developed specimens are left for seeding. They preserve young growth.

Standardization. The quality of raw materials is regulated by the requirements of GF XI (marshmallow roots), FS 42-812-73 (unrefined marshmallow root), VFS 42-1696-87 (marshmallow herb).

External signs. Marshmallow roots. Whole raw materials represents almost cylindrical roots cleared of cork or split lengthwise into 2-4 parts 10-35 cm long, up to 2 cm thick, longitudinally grooved with peeling long, soft bast fibers and dark dots - traces of fallen or cut off small roots. Fracture in the central part is granular-rough, fibrous on the outside. The color of the root outside and at the break is white, yellowish-white, grayish. The smell is weak, peculiar. The taste is sweet with a slimy sensation.

Shredded raw materials. A mixture of root pieces of various shapes, ranging in size from 1 to 7 mm. The color is yellowish white or grayish white.

Powder. Has a white, yellowish-white or grayish color, passes through a sieve with apertures of 0.31 mm.

Marshmallow root, unpeeled. Whole raw material is almost cylindrical roots, not peeled from cork, or split lengthwise into 2-4 parts, branched, of various lengths, up to 2 cm thick. The surface is longitudinally wrinkled, grayish-brown.

Marshmallow herb. Raw materials are non-lignified shoots with partially crumbling whole or crushed, broken leaves, flowers, buds and fruits of varying degrees of maturity. Stems are rounded, longitudinally intermittently furrowed, pubescent, up to 120 cm long, up to 8 mm thick, grayish-green. The smell is weak. The taste is slightly slimy.

Qualitative reactions. When the cut or root powder is moistened with a solution of ammonia or sodium hydroxide, a yellow coloration (mucus) appears.

Microscopy. In the anatomical study of the marshmallow root, the following are diagnostic: the secondary structure of the root with a predominance of thin-walled parenchymal tissue in the xylem; numerous with slightly thickened, non-lignified or slightly lignified walls of fiber groups located in discontinuous concentric belts in the phloem and in smaller groups in the xylem; small groups of vessels and tracheids; single, less often double-row medullary rays; large cells with mucus; parenchymal cells with starch grains; small druses of calcium oxalate. When microscopic examination of the untreated marshmallow root, in addition to the indicated signs, it should be noted the presence of a thin layer of cork.

When examining the powder, parenchymal cells with starch grains and individual starch grains of a round, oval or ovoid shape with a size of 3-27 microns, fragments of mesh and scalene vessels, fibers, druses of calcium oxalate are visible. The mucus is found when examined in a diluted carcass.

Grass microdiagnostics is carried out on the basis of the leaves. In the anatomical examination of the leaves, the following are diagnostic: weakly sinuous, sometimes clearly thickened cells of the upper and highly sinuous cells of the lower epidermis; stomata of an anocytic type with 2-4 peri-stomatal cells; hairs of two types (stellate of 1-8 thick-walled rays, often lignified at the base, and glandular on a one- and two-celled stalk with a multicellular head of 2-12 excretory cells, arranged in several tiers of 2-4 cells in each); the cells of the epidermis form rosettes at the points of attachment of the hairs; numerous druses of calcium oxalate in the leaf mesophyll and along the veins.

Numerical indicators. Marshmallow roots. Whole raw materials. Moisture no more than 14%; total ash no more than 8%; ash insoluble in 10% hydrochloric acid solution, no more than 0.5%; woody roots no more than 3%; roots poorly cleared of cork, no more than 3%; organic impurity no more than 0.5%, mineral - no more than 0.5%.

Shredded raw materials... Particles that do not pass through a sieve with holes of 7 mm diameter, no more than 15%; particles passing through a sieve with holes 1 mm in diameter, no more than 3%; organic impurities no more than 0.5%, mineral - no more than 0.5%.

Powder. Particles that do not pass through a sieve with holes of 0.31 mm, no more than 1%.

Marshmallow root, unpeeled. Whole raw materials... Numerical metrics are similar to Radices Althaeae.

Shredded raw materials... Particles that do not pass through a sieve with holes of 8 mm diameter, no more than 10%; particles passing through a sieve with holes 1 mm in diameter, no more than 3%.

Marshmallow herb. Content of polysaccharides not less than 5% (determined gravimetrically), moisture not more than 13%, total ash not more than 18%, stems not more than 60%, fruits not more than 10%; organic impurity no more than 3%, mineral - no more than 1.5%.

Microbiological purity. Marshmallow roots. In accordance with GF XI, no. 2, p. 187 and Amendment to GF XI dated 28.12.95, category 5.2.

Chemical composition. The dry roots of marshmallow contain up to 35% of mucous substances, the main ingredients of which are polysaccharides - pentosans and hexosans, which give pentose, galactose and dextrose during hydrolysis. The roots also contain up to 37% starch, 2% l-asparagine, 8% sugars, 11-16% pectin, 1.7% fatty oil, betaine, carotene, phytosterols, minerals, a lot of starch, uronic acids, mineral salts. The herb is also rich in polysaccharides.

Storage. Only in a dry place, packed in bales or bags with a hygroscopicity mark. Shelf life up to 3 years.

Pharmacological properties. Marshmallow has anti-inflammatory, enveloping, expectorant, antitussive effect.

The healing properties of marshmallow are due to the high content of polysaccharides, which can swell in aqueous infusions, increase in volume and cover the mucous membranes and skin with a thin layer. This layer protects the mucous membranes from harmful factors (cold or dry air; irritating effect of food components, drying out). In addition, the mucous-polysaccharide complex absorbs, adsorbs microbial, viral and toxic products secreted by the affected epithelial cells, inactivates, prevents contact of toxins with the mucous membrane.

Under such a mucous layer, the activity of the inflammatory process decreases, dense cells and crusts soften, erosion and ulcers heal more quickly. Marshmallow preparations have mucolytic properties.

Medicines. Marshmallow root, mucus in the form of an aqueous infusion in cold water, dry extract, syrup, breast collection. The extract is obtained from the herb in tablets "Mukaltin".

Application. Althea was known under the name "alcea" (Greek - healing). It has been used since the 9th century BC. Instructions on his prescription are found in Theophrastus, Dioscorides and Pliny.

Marshmallow is used as an anti-inflammatory and enveloping agent for diseases of the respiratory and digestive organs. Aqueous infusion of marshmallow inside, for rinsing is used for inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract and pharynx, accompanied by difficult coughing up sputum, with tonsillitis, tracheitis, stomatitis, gingivitis, glossitis. Althea preparations reduce cough, increase mucus production and facilitate the evacuation of sputum in acute and chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchiectasis, pulmonary tuberculosis, emphysema, acute respiratory diseases.

With esophagitis, gastritis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, with enterocolitis, food toxicoinfections and dysentery, marshmallow root is used as an adjuvant. In acute gastrointestinal diseases, especially those accompanied by diarrhea, the mucous infusion of marshmallow, containing a large amount of starch, is used not only as a therapeutic, but also as a nutritious agent. In X-ray practice, in order to better identify the relief of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, an extract from the marshmallow root is added to the barium powder.

Althea infusion is prescribed internally for eczema, psoriasis, neurodermatitis, dermatitis to normalize metabolism.

Outwardly, in collections, the marshmallow root is used as an emollient in the form of a poultice.

The medical industry produces the drug Mucaltinum, which is a mixture of polysaccharides from the herb marshmallow. Greenish tablets contain 0.05 g of mucaltin, 0.087 g of sodium bicarbonate and 0.16 g of tartaric acid. Prescribe 1-2 tablets per dose 2-3 times a day before meals for respiratory tract diseases as an expectorant.

Dry marshmallow root extract (Extractum Althaeae siccum) is a dark amber powder. Often used in fees.

The infusion of marshmallow root (Infusum radicis Althaeae) is a transparent yellowish, slimy, sweet taste, liquid with a slight peculiar smell. A finely cut root with particles of no more than 3 mm in an amount of 6.5 g is poured with 100 ml of water at room temperature, infused for 1 hour, 1 tablespoon is taken after 2 hours.

Altea syrup (Sirupus Althaeae) is a thickish transparent liquid, in a thin layer of yellowish color, in a thick layer - reddish-brown, with a peculiar smell, sweet in taste. The syrup contains 2 g of dry extract of marshmallow root and 98 g of sugar syrup. Add to mixtures of 20-30 ml.

Collecting chest No. 1: Marshmallow roots and leaves of coltsfoot in 2 parts, oregano herb 1 part. Prepare an infusion of 1 tablespoon of the mixture in 200 ml of water. It is taken warm, 1/2 cup 3-4 times a day.

Collection of chest No. 2: marshmallow roots 1 part, licorice roots 1 part, elecampane roots 1 part. A decoction is prepared from 2 teaspoons of the mixture per 200 ml of water. Take 1/2 cup warm every 3 hours.

Potions with marshmallow are also prepared.

Chest fees of the following composition are also issued:

1. Marshmallow roots 1 part, licorice roots 1 part, fruits of anise 1 part, sage leaves 1 part, pine buds 1 part. Prepare an infusion of 1 tablespoon of the mixture in 200 ml of water. Take 1/4 cup 3-4 times a day.

2. Marshmallow roots 2 parts, licorice roots 2 parts, fennel fruits 1 part. Prepare an infusion of 1 tablespoon of the mixture in 200 ml of water. Take 1/4 cup every 3 hours.

Many people know that the most popular diseases can be treated without the use of expensive medications, it is enough just to prepare medicinal herbs. In fact, we are surrounded by a large number of medicinal herbs, the healing properties of which many people do not know.

Marshmallow belongs to the mallow variety, it is found in gardens and vegetable gardens very often. Even ancient physicians knew about his medical characteristics. Hippocrates and Dioscorides write about him in their writings. Many books and articles have been published about this medicinal plant.

What is a plant?

It is a perennial plant from the Malvov family. This variety stands out for its large size: the smallest height of the marshmallow is 60 centimeters, and the largest is 2 meters. The stem is even, slightly branched. Below, the green stems are lignified, and the widest ones have a distinctive pattern in the form of a network of long grooves.

The leaves are arranged in steps, with villi at the bottom of the plate. Depending on the place of growth, they differ in shape and size. The leaves below have 1-2 feathers and are round in shape. The leaflets in the middle and at the top are large and sharpest, with a large wedge-shaped base.

The flower is in the form of a spike; on a small pedicel, dense thickets of small flowers with a corolla of pink or whitish color are noticeable. Most often, large flowers appear in the grooves. But the description of marshmallow will not be complete if you do not tell about its main healing part - the root. The main woody rhizome can reach a length of half a meter with a diameter of 2 centimeters. Around it are lateral shoots of a whitish shade.

The healing characteristics of the plant

For medicinal purposes, it is allowed to use the seeds and root of the plant. Seeds are harvested in summer or in the first months of autumn, in dry weather. The root is harvested in spring or late autumn. It must be carefully dug out, washed and cut into small pieces, then dried.

The healing properties of marshmallow are as follows:

1. The rhizome of the plant reduces the likelihood of tumor growth, resolves an abscess, swelling on the skin, hematomas. It eliminates pain in the joints, removes tremors in the arms and legs.
2. Althea-based products are taken by people suffering from sciatic nerve inflammation, muscle ruptures.
3. The seeds of the plant will help cure pneumonia, sore throat, colds, this is an excellent expectorant. At the same time, marshmallow leaves will benefit a woman with breast lumps.
4. The broth from the rhizome is advised to be taken in case of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, bladder, anus tumor, leucorrhoea, hepatitis.
5. An infusion based on seeds will cleanse the body of discharge after childbirth, it is drunk with difficulties with urination, in the presence of stones in the bladder.
6. Due to the fact that the rhizome of the plant contains many mucous substances, they soften, eliminate pain and are prescribed for diseases of the respiratory tract. The action of the plant is that it spreads along the mucous membrane of organs, places of inflammation, protecting them from subsequent irritation.
7. Marshmallow is also used for diarrhea, which becomes a consequence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and duodenal ulcer, for diseases of the stomach, such as gastritis and colitis.
8. The plant has a very effective effect with a high acidity of the stomach. This is due to the fact that when mucus and hydrochloric acid, released during the secretion of gastric juice, combine, its viscosity becomes higher.
9. Compositions based on this medicinal plant have a clear anti-cough effect. They are used in the treatment of laryngitis and whooping cough.
10. A hot infusion of plant rhizomes is used externally for inflammation that has arisen on the tonsils, pharynx or gums. At the same time, a cool tincture is used for compresses for fistulas, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyeball, for wiping the skin with eczema or psoriasis.
11. Marshmallow has an anti-inflammatory, expectorant, enveloping effect.
12. The rhizome of the plant contains a lot of starch and mucus, sucrose, pectins, tannins, as well as vitamin C and trace elements.

A medicinal plant with such an impressive list of beneficial properties is widely used to cure many diseases. However, its characteristics are also noted in cosmetology.

Medicine
The main area of ​​use of marshmallow is alternative medicine, however, the “traditional” one also gives the go-ahead for taking tinctures. The doctor may prescribe a plant in the following cases:

• With inflammatory processes in the larynx and respiratory tract.
• For the treatment of coughs with large mucus secretions.
• If there is irritation on the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract.
• To eliminate abscess and speedy wound healing.

At the same time, the mild effect of marshmallow is indispensable if you need to relieve pain on an inflamed nerve or regenerate an injured muscle. The tincture is taken for joint therapy.

It is worth saying that dietitians also know about the healing properties of marshmallow. The plant is often used when developing a weight loss plan.

Cosmetology
The root of the plant has a very good effect on the human skin. However, this is not all of his merits: in addition to the quick healing of wounds, he, in addition, moisturizes the skin, preventing the effects of dryness. The resulting liquid will help strengthen the hair while also solving the problem of irritation.

With frequent use of the broth, the hair will not fall out, and the acids in the rhizome will stimulate their growth in a short time. And all this is possible without the use of different chemicals.

Contraindications and warnings

1. The plant does not often cause side effects, because of this, one significant contraindication to therapy is individual immunity.
2. In the initial stages of pregnancy, plant-based products cannot be used; in later stages, they can only be used with the permission of a specialist.
3. It can be given very carefully to newborn babies.
4. Do not recommend taking the plant with intestinal obstruction and impaired respiratory function of the lungs.
5. The syrup prepared from the plant is advised to drink very carefully for people with diabetes.
6. When using anti-cough syrup, remember that it should not be used together with codeine and other drugs that suppress cough, this will make it difficult for the liquefied mucus to escape, and cause complications of the disease.
7. With significant consumption of marshmallow-based products, nausea and a gag reflex may occur. In such a situation, it is necessary to rinse the stomach and not take plant-based formulations.

Therapy with this plant

Explosions, tinctures, syrups, powders and other remedies from the rhizome of a medicinal plant are allowed to be used to cure diseases of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract. Marshmallow seed brew is used to treat dandruff.

Healing plant against sore throat

1. Add a glass of hot water to a small spoonful of finely chopped rhizomes of the plant. Let stand for 8 hours, then filter the composition. Rinse the larynx with tincture.
2. Grind a small spoonful of marshmallow rhizome and a spoonful of sage and mix thoroughly. Add a glass of hot water to the composition, let stand for half an hour, then filter. Rinse the larynx with the resulting tincture three times a day.

Anti-cough recipes
Together with medicines, to improve expectoration and as an anti-inflammatory agent, it is allowed to use compositions from the rhizome of this medicinal plant.

1. Add a glass of hot water to 2 tablespoons of finely chopped marshmallow rhizomes, put in a water bath for half an hour. Then filter the composition. Drink 100 milliliters three times a day after meals, you can add a little honey.
2. Grind a small spoonful of the dry root of the plant to a powdery state and add a glass of cool boiled water. Let it brew for 8 hours and clean the composition. Drink 50 milliliters three times a day before meals.

Plant help for gastric ulcer
Therapy of stomach ulcers should be carried out only with the permission and under the supervision of a specialist, since this disease can be expressed in different ways.

How to prepare the tincture: thoroughly mix a spoonful of finely chopped marshmallow rhizome, wheatgrass root, licorice rhizome, fennel fruit and chamomile inflorescences. A small spoonful of the resulting raw material is poured with a glass of hot water and left for half an hour. Then they filter and drink a glass once a day at night.

Marshmallow with prostate adenoma and chronic prostatitis
In a full, with a mountain, spoon of marshmallow rhizome add ½ glass of warm water, and let it brew for an hour, then filter. Drink a spoonful every 2 hours. It is better to carry out therapy together with an infusion of wintergreen, cocklebur, tinctures of bark and leaves of hazel, replacing periodically with tinctures of aspen bark, fireweed and certain other medicinal herbs, combining with the use of drops of hemlock infusion, but only as prescribed by a specialist.

Plant help for lung disease
2 tablespoons of finely chopped roots of a medicinal plant are poured with 1.5 cups of cool boiled water, left for an hour. Then mix and filter the infusion. Consume ½ glass three times a day. The therapy is continued for 2 months. The course should be repeated three times a year for five years.

Also, for diseases of the respiratory tract, the following infusion will help: add 2 tablespoons of inflorescences and leaves of a plant to 2 glasses of hot water. Let it brew and filter the composition. This is a daily dose. Take the infusion identical to the previous recipe.

Marshmallow with dry mouth syndrome
Add one and a half glasses of warm boiled water to 2 tablespoons of the rhizome of the plant and leave for 45 minutes. Filtered off. Take in a spoon six times a day for 1.5 months.

If a person suffers from Sjogren's syndrome, then the course of treatment is 2 months three times a year for several years.

Plant help for ternary neuralgia, myositis
4 tablespoons of the rhizome of a medicinal plant are poured with a glass of cool boiled water and insisted for 8 hours. Filter the composition. Used as a compress or lotion.

Helping plants for children

The plant can be used for the therapy of babies, it makes the child feel well and eliminates outbreaks of cough. Babies are advised to take syrup for acute colds and respiratory tract diseases. The healing properties of marshmallow help liquefy and activate respiratory activity.

How to make and drink syrup for babies: in an equal ratio of 1 to 1, move the warm marshmallow tincture with any sweet syrup. Children under 12 years old are diluted with a teaspoon in half a glass of water. They take the syrup for two weeks, 4 times a day in a small spoon.

How to properly collect and preserve marshmallow

Only plants that have been growing in one area for at least two years will be suitable for healing collection, since new plants or yearlings will not give the expected result from them. It is best to collect the rhizomes at the end of spring, if it is cool, then the plant is harvested in the fall, at the same time the seeds are collected. Stems and leaves should be harvested at the beginning of summer, when the plant is blooming - this is the peak of sap exchange.

Initially, the rhizome is treated as follows:

1. The excavated root is cleaned from the earth and stem. Then the core rhizome and capitate areas are cleaned. It is imperative to remove the processes that have not yet become stiff.
2. The semi-finished product is washed and dried for four days.
3. Then the workpiece is cut into pieces 25-30 centimeters long, while splitting wide sections in the longitudinal section. Along with this, the "cork" is also removed. Everything, the rhizome is cleaned.
4. This semi-finished product is stored in a cool, well-ventilated room. In the summer season, they are placed under the roof of the house. As soon as the cold weather comes, it must be wrapped in a piece of cotton fabric and hung in the pantry.

With proper collection, processing and storage, all collected areas of marshmallow will retain their healing properties for three years.

Video: useful properties of marshmallow officinalis

Altey has long been famous for its medicinal properties, which are actively used in folk medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract. But the healing power of the plant does not end there! Read about the health benefits and homemade recipes for marshmallow.

Marshmallow officinalis (pharmacy) - Althaea officinalis L.
Malvaceae family - Malvaceae.

Large perennial grayish-green herb up to 150 cm high. Rhizome is thick, short, branched; main root woody, lateral fleshy, gray outside, white inside. Stems are single or numerous, weakly branched. Leaves are alternate, petiolate; the upper ones are whole, ovate, the middle and lower ones are without lobes or shallowly three-lobed, crenate along the edge, soft and densely pubescent, especially on the lower side.

Flowers 2-3 cm in diameter, on short pedicels, sit in the axils of the leaves; the corolla is pale pink, white, or reddish pink. The fruit is a disc-shaped polysperm, which in a mature state breaks down into separate short-pubescent fruitlets. Seeds are dark brown, glabrous, smooth, reniform. Blooms from June to September; bears fruit in September-October; propagated by seeds.

Marshmallow is widespread in the steppe and forest-steppe zones of the European part of Russia, in the North Caucasus, in the Transcaucasus (mainly in the Araks and Kura valleys), in the steppe zone in the south of Western Siberia, in Kazakhstan. In Central Asia, it occurs in swampy lowlands, among the sands in a semi-desert zone, and in mountainous regions it is confined to valleys and gorges. Separate island habitats are noted in the Vakhsh and Syr Darya valleys, in Turkmenistan and in the Sevan depression in the Transcaucasus.

Flowers of marshmallow officinalis

Prefers wet places: the banks of rivers, oxbows, ditches, lakes and ponds, coastal thickets of bushes, damp, mostly solonetzic floodplain meadows and fallow lands. The main harvesting of marshmallow is carried out in the North Caucasus (Dagestan, Chechen-Ingush and Kabardino-Balkarian autonomous republics).

A full-fledged substitute for medicinal marshmallow is Armenian marshmallow (A. armeniaca Tenore), which differs from it in a denser gray-haired pubescence of the stem and leaves (above and below) and more dissected five-lobed middle leaves.

Sometimes inexperienced collectors, instead of marshmallow, collect the roots of other members of the Malvaceae family: forest mallow (Malva sylvestris L.) and thuringian hautma (Lavatera thuringiaca L.). Medicinal marshmallow differs from the indicated types:

1. The color of the corolla: in the hautma it is bright pink, in the mallow it is pink with dark stripes.
2. The number of leaves of submission: in marshmallow it is from 8-12 leaves, and in mallow and khatma from 3.
3. The shape of the leaves: in mallow they are heart-shaped-rounded, five-seven-lobed, at the hautma they are angular-five-lobed.

Raw material preparation rules

The roots of both species are harvested in the fall after the stems dry up or in early spring; in the European part of Russia and in the regions of Siberia in September - early October, in the Caucasus and Central Asia throughout autumn and spring. Harvesting should be carried out selectively, leaving up to 30% of the plants to restore the thickets. Subject to the rules of harvesting, the thickets are restored after 3-4 years.

They dig out the roots with shovels, and in the vast thickets with plows. Then they are freed from the ground, the stems, the capitate parts of the rhizomes and the main taproot, usually woody, not suitable for use, are removed. Unlignified roots are washed, slightly wilted, cut into pieces 30-35 cm long (thick fleshy ones are split lengthwise into 2-4 parts).

Dried rhizomes of Althea - medicinal raw materials

To obtain cleaned raw materials, a gray cork is scraped off from the roots with a sharp knife. Immediately after processing, the raw materials are dried, spreading them in a loose, not thick layer on nets, stretched panels, sheets of plywood, which are arranged in the form of racks at intervals of 50-60 cm. Drying is best done with artificial heating in ventilated rooms or special dryers at a temperature of 50- 60 ° C. Roots are considered dry if they do not bend when bent, but break with a bang.

There are 4 types of raw materials of wild and cultivated marshmallow and Armenian marshmallow: whole peeled roots, cut peeled, whole unpeeled and cut unpeeled.

Medicinal properties and recipes

Dried roots and rhizomes of Althea officinalis and Armenian contain up to 35% plant mucus, 37% starch, as well as sugar and pectin substances. The plant is rich in galactose, glucose, arabinose, rhamnose, fatty oils, asparagine, betaine, lecithin, phytosterol. It also contains mineral salts.

The healing properties of marshmallow are due to the presence of starch and mucous substances. The smallest amount of mucus is found in summer, at the beginning of flowering, the largest in October. Preparations from the roots of marshmallow are used as an expectorant, anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent.

Indications for the use of Althea medicinal

• respiratory tract diseases (predominant indication);
• diarrhea (used as enemas);
• acute gastritis;
• enterocolitis;
• peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
• angina;
• flu;
• jaundice;
• hemoptysis;
• stones in the bladder;
• Difficulty urinating
• leucorrhoea (in combination with oak bark and grass cuff );
• inflammatory eye diseases (for washes);
• whooping cough and cough of various origins in children (in combination with other drugs).

There is a direct relationship between the amount of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and the viscosity of the marshmallow mucus, which increases with an increase in the acidity of the gastric contents, thereby increasing the protective effect.

Contraindications for use

No pronounced toxic effect on the body was found in the preparations of marshmallow. Possible manifestation of individual intolerance in the form of allergic skin reactions, in case of an overdose - nausea and vomiting. In case of allergies, it is necessary to reduce the dose of the drug, in case of nausea and vomiting, the stomach is washed and the drug is completely canceled.

Medicine recipes

Decoctions, infusions, syrups, liquid extracts and powders are prepared from marshmallow. It is included in the breast fees.

1. For cooking decoction 2 tablespoons of crushed raw materials are poured with 1 glass of hot water, boiled for 30 minutes over low heat, cooled for 10 minutes, filtered and squeezed. Take 1 / 3-1 / 2 glass 3-4 times a day with meals hot.
2. Infusion prepared in a cold way. For this, 20 g of crushed root is poured with 1 glass of cold water and insisted for 8 hours. 2 tablespoons are taken 4-5 times a day.
3. Syrup marshmallow is sold in any pharmacy at a fairly low price. Easy to use and does not require special storage conditions. Ideal for children.
4. Pills Mukaltin contain dry mucus of the herb marshmallow. Accept them in 1-2 pieces. 3 times a day before meals.

Latin name: Althaea offlcinalis

Synonyms: marshmallow, mallow

Description

Althea officinalis, it is also called pharmacy - belongs to the Malvovy family. It is a perennial with a rather spectacular appearance, like all plants in the family. For its beauty, the people call it a wild rose, marshmallow is also known as mallow. The marshmallow can reach a height of two meters, has from one to ten powerful stems with thin branches. Marshmallow leaves are very soft and velvety to the touch, rounded, up to 15 centimeters long. The lower, middle and upper leaves of the plant vary in shape and size, but all have denticles. Marshmallow roots are powerful, with one rod up to half a meter long and 20 mm in diameter, their color is white, the structure is fleshy.

At the beginning of summer, marshmallow begins to bloom - white or pinkish flowers with 5 petals appear on the plant, sometimes collected in inflorescences for 2-3 jokes. Most flowers are on the top of the plant. Fruits are flat, round, up to 1 cm in diameter, with a large number of seeds. Marshmallow seeds ripen in late summer - early autumn.

Althea grows in meadows, river and lake banks, as well as other places with high soil moisture. In Russia, there is a lot of marshmallow in the southern regions, practically in the entire European part, in the Volga region, in Altai, in the East and West Siberian regions. In Ukraine, marshmallow not only grows wild, but is also cultivated. Marshmallow is widespread in Europe, on the North American continent, in many Asian countries (including China), and even in the north of the African continent.

Procurement and storage

The root part of the plant, as well as its aerial part, has medicinal properties.

The herbal part of marshmallow is harvested after flowering begins. And the root part - in the fall, after the aboveground part dries up, less often - in the spring. The roots of marshmallow have medicinal properties, which is not more than 2 years old, and older specimens become hard, woody, lose useful substances. After the roots are removed from the ground, they should be cleaned of dirt, the top hardened layer removed and rinsed. After that, the raw material is slightly dried, the thick roots are split and cut into pieces 0.2-0.3 m long. Final drying is carried out in specialized dryers at a temperature not exceeding 50 degrees, or in a room with good air circulation. In some cases, the roots are ground to a powder. The finished raw marshmallow is stored in a dry room. It is important to provide constant ventilation to prevent moisture build-up in the raw material. A metal or glass container is suitable for storage. Marshmallow roots retain their healing properties for 3 years, and marshmallow herb can be stored for up to 5 years.

Usage history

Althea officinalis accompanies mankind throughout almost all of its history. The very name of the genus Althaеa comes from the Greek word “to heal” - this is how famous figures of antiquity called this plant: the naturalist Theophrastus, the writer Pliny, the physician Dioscorides. Descriptions of the medicinal properties of marshmallow are found in the medical works of Galen and Hippocrates. The nickname of marshmallow, known at that time, - Herba omniborbium - means "grass from any ailments." The plant used both the aboveground and underground parts, and treated it with many diseases, including wounds, injuries, and snake bites.

In the Middle Ages, the famous physicians Paracelsus and Ibn Sina made descriptions of the medicinal properties of marshmallow in their treatises. They cited a wide variety of recipes based on this "multi-useful" plant - from anticancer drugs to drugs for urolithiasis. Avicenna used herbaceous part, roots, and seeds of marshmallow for the manufacture of medicinal drugs, and, according to him, the seeds and root part are even more effective. Altay, according to Avicenna, has relaxing properties, is able to soften and dissolve tumor formations. Marshmallow was also recommended as an external remedy for joint pain, muscle diseases, tremors, and some eye and ear diseases. When coughing, marshmallow promotes the discharge of phlegm, and bandages dipped in herbal decoction were applied by doctors to the chest for pneumonia. From the leaves and roots of marshmallow, medicines were prepared for diarrhea, problems of the genitourinary system, including urolithiasis, and in this case it was recommended to use it with wine. Medieval herbalists also contained many other recipes based on marshmallow - for dandruff, for hair loss, for the treatment of ulcers and wounds, for helping with the bites of poisonous insects and snakes.

The traditions of the medicinal use of marshmallow reached Russia, one of the most famous remedies was marshmallow ointment, which was widely used by military doctors. Since the end of the 18th century, marshmallow has been included in all Russian pharmacopoeias. Modern pharmaceuticals make mucaltin tablets from marshmallow - a popular cough remedy, which is used, among other things, in children.

Marshmallow has a history of use as a food product. The root of the plant was used for food in the Middle East, the Egyptians made sweets from marshmallow juice. Juice mixed with nuts and honey was a trendy dessert in France. An interesting fact: it is from there that modern sweets marshmallow originate, the very name of which means “marsh mallow” (one of the names of marshmallow). From the roots of marshmallow, in addition to sweets, porridge and jelly are prepared, they are used as an additive to bakery products and even consumed raw. Marshmallow leaves are also edible, they can be stewed, boiled, young fresh leaves - used for salads.

Marshmallow flowers and grass can be used as raw materials for the manufacture of dyes, the roots for the production of glue, and the stems for the production of fiber, paper, and ropes.

In many places, marshmallow is grown as a medicinal raw material, and gardeners appreciate the decorative properties of marshmallow and plant it just for beauty.

Chemical composition

Application in medicine

Most often, marshmallow roots are used for medicinal purposes, less often other plants, for example, flowers. Tinctures, decoctions, syrups, extracts and powders are prepared from marshmallow.

The most famous is marshmallow as a remedy for cough and bronchopulmonary diseases in general, both acute and chronic. It has expectorant properties and dilutes phlegm well, helps relieve inflammation on the tonsils, pharynx and trachea, softens cough and helps to reduce it. bronchitis, pneumonia, laryngitis, asthmatic manifestations, whooping cough, acute respiratory diseases - all these diseases are indications for the use of marshmallow-based drugs.

The high content of mucous substances in marshmallow makes it an excellent enveloping agent that has an anti-inflammatory effect and helps to restore damaged tissues. This is manifested both in relation to the respiratory system and in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. The mucus contained in the plant has a positive effect on the gastric mucosa, protects against the aggressive effects of harmful substances, toxins and certain foods, and accelerates the regeneration processes. This effect is especially pronounced in the aqueous extract of the plant. Therefore, marshmallow is often recommended for peptic ulcer disease, colitis, gastritis, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems. It should be noted that due to the mucous substances of marshmallow, the effect of other medicinal agents on the gastric mucosa is prolonged, which increases the effectiveness of their use. Marshmallow is especially recommended for high stomach acidity. In addition, for diarrhea and dysentery, marshmallow is also used in the form of enemas.

Polysaccharides contained in marshmallow enhance cellular immunity, therefore preparations based on this medicinal plant have a general strengthening effect.

Herbalists advise using marshmallow as an external remedy - in the form of lotions, poultices, compresses, decoctions for rinsing, washing wounds, etc. Althea well stops various inflammatory processes, helps with lichen, tumor diseases, burn injuries. Rinsing with marshmallow helps to eliminate diseases of the gums, oral cavity, relieve pain in the tonsils. With eczema and psoriasis, both external skin treatment and the intake of marshmallow preparations are used. This helps to reduce the manifestations of the disease, reduce the number of rashes, and at the same time has a beneficial effect on the general condition of the patient, soothes, relieves insomnia and improves appetite. Outwardly, with decoctions of marshmallow, eye diseases, wounds, and fistulas are also treated.

In folk medicine, marshmallow flowers are used - for diseases of the genitourinary system and kidneys, as well as for helping with hemorrhoids, for treating wounds. Bulgarian herbalists advise using marshmallow flowers for tea, and roots for powders. According to folk recipes, plant seeds are also used - tinctures are prepared from them, which are advised to be used for stomach diseases and inflammation of the bladder, as well as for ailments of the respiratory system and flu. Marshmallow leaves are applied to tumors, bruises, abscesses. And a mixture of roots with honey serves to get rid of mastitis. Marshmallow roots also serve to relieve joint pain and soothe tremors, help with jaundice, sciatica and muscle damage.

Althaea officinalis L. (1753)

Althea officinalis or Marshmallow, - also known as marshmallow, marshmallow, mallow, wild rose, kalachiki, is a perennial herb up to one and a half meters high.

Latin name of plants genus marshmallow comes from the Greek word althos- "doctor" and clearly indicates the healing properties of plants of this genus. Gradually, the Latin name was transformed into some Slavic names, in particular, in the Russian, Bulgarian and Ukrainian languages.

Biological description of marshmallow officinalis

Althea officinalis- a perennial herb, reaching a height of 70-150 cm, covered with multi-pointed or almost stellate hairs, in the upper part, especially the leaves, are often silky velvety.

Marshmallow rhizome is short and thick, multi-pointed, with a powerful taproot, woody, white main root up to 2 cm thick and up to half a meter long, with numerous whitish fleshy lateral roots.

Stems, as a rule, several, less often solitary, round, erect, simple or weakly branched, woody at the base or in the lower part, cylindrical, glabrous during flowering, sometimes dirty purple; on thick stems, depressed, intermittent ones are formed, located along the groove, passing at the base into an almost reticular pattern with longitudinally elongated loops.

Marshmallow leaves set on petioles, 2-6 cm long. Lower leaves from broad-ovate to almost round, cordate at the base, rounded or cut off, mostly obtuse, with medium-developed single or double lobes, wilting during flowering and fruiting; the middle leaves are similar to the lower ones, ovate or heart-shaped, with a cut or rounded base, more solid, 5-15 cm long and 3-12.5 cm wide; the upper ones are solid, oblong-pointed or ovate, with a rounded or broadly wedge-shaped base.

Flowers of marshmallow officinalis on very short pedicels, clustered at the top of the stem, regular, 2-10 mm long, sometimes from the sinuses, along with the common peduncle, separate flowers emerge on pedicels 2-4 cm long. 42 linear, only almost at the base of accrete leaflets 3-6 mm long. The calyx with a subchamber, remaining with fruits, is grayish-green, 6-12 mm long, deeply incised into five triangular-ovoid, pointed lobes. Subcap deeply dissected into 8-12 linear leaflets accreted at the base. Corolla light or bright pink, sometimes almost white, rarely reddish pink, purple at the base.

Flower formula:

Marshmallow fruit- flat, disc-shaped fractional polysperm with a diameter of 7-10 mm, in a mature state it breaks down along the suture into 15-25 yellowish-gray single-seeded fruitlets. Fruits 3-3.5 mm high, 2.5-3 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide, with slight transverse rugosity, with blunt, slightly rounded edges, densely covered with stellate hairs along the entire back. Seeds are smooth, dark gray or dark brown, reniform, 2-2.5 mm long and 1.75-2 mm wide. The weight of 1000 seeds is 2.0-2.7 grams.

The flowering of marshmallow begins from the second year, takes place in June - August, the fruits ripen in August - October.

Where does marshmallow grow (distribution and ecology)

Growth area of ​​marshmallow officinalis covers almost the entire territory of Europe, the Middle East, Western Asia, Central Asia, North Africa and China (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region). In Russia, it is found in the European part (except for the north), in the forest-steppe and steppe zones of the Volga region, the North Caucasus, Eastern and Western Siberia, including Altai. It grows as an alien in North America. For the needs of pharmaceuticals, it is cultivated in the Krasnodar Territory of Russia and in Ukraine.

In the wild, marshmallow can be found in the floodplains of rivers and ditches, in shrub and coastal thickets, along the banks of reservoirs, on swampy lowlands in the area of ​​semi-deserts, saline and saline meadows, less often on fallows. Grows best on light moist soils with shallow groundwater.

It reproduces mainly through seeds. When sowing, it is recommended to use 1-2 year old seeds. In some cases, propagation by dividing rhizomes is used.

What is a part of marshmallow medicinal

V marshmallow roots found starch (up to 37%), mucous substances (up to 35%), pectin (11-16%), sugars (8%), lecithin, carotene, phytosterol, mineral salts and fatty oils (1-1.5%). The marshmallow rhizome also contains amino acids essential for the human body, in particular, from 2 to 19.8% asparagine and up to 4% betaine.

The leaves are rich in mucus, essential oil, rubbery substances, carotene, ascorbic acid.

Fatty oil from marshmallow seeds contains - oleic (30.8%), α-linoleic (52.9%); α-linolenic acid (1.85%) and β-linolenic acid (0.65%).

The amount of mucus, sugar and other substances varies significantly with the season. Ash is rich in phosphates.

Pharmacological properties

Marshmallow root- a sample of a slime-containing medicinal plant, in terms of the content and number of bioactive substances, is comparable to flax seeds. All this determines the healing properties of the plant.

Althea-based preparations stimulate tissue regeneration, reduce the inflammatory process, and have an expectorant effect. A large dose of water extracts envelop the gastric mucosa, and the higher the acidity of the gastric juice, the better the effect and effect. Marshmallow is also used for diarrhea, acute gastritis and enterocolitis. It is also part of the breast collection.

When to collect and how to store Marshmallow officinalis

Used as medicinal raw materials biennial roots: unrefined marshmallow root - Radix Althaeae naturale, purified marshmallow root - lat. Radix Althaeae, (they are harvested in early spring or autumn after the stems dry out), as well as marshmallow herb- Herba Althaeae officinalis. Harvesting is carried out every three to four years, leaving up to 30% of the plants for recovery.

The dug roots are cleared of the ground, cut off the stems, capitate and non-lignified parts of rhizomes and tap woody root. The resulting raw material is washed, dried in piles for 2-3 days, then cut into pieces 30-35 cm long, thick ones are additionally split along (if you want to get peeled roots, then remove the cork from the dried roots), then laid out on a cloth or mesh and dried in ventilated rooms or dryers at a temperature of 45-50 ° C.

At storage of marshmallow officinalis it should be borne in mind that the raw material is hygroscopic, easily damp, therefore it is stored in dry, well-ventilated rooms in wooden boxes lined with paper, flowers and leaves are best stored in tin boxes. The roots are usable for 3 years.

The marshmallow herb is harvested during the first month of flowering.

For what diseases is marshmallow used?

Valuable medicinal properties of marshmallow officinalis associated with a high content of mucus, which swell in water and form colloids that form protective mucous membranes. What is important is that it persists for a long time.

At this time, the regeneration of damaged membranes and a decrease in inflammation occur. The resulting layer protects against harmful environmental influences, which helps to alleviate symptoms and accelerate the healing of wounds and ulcers.

For diseases of the upper respiratory tract and persistent cough marshmallow flower syrup and water extracts from the leaves will be useful.

Althea medicinal preparations are recommended with damage to the mucous membrane hot liquids and corrosive substances. In turn, aqueous extracts from the root are recommended for inflammatory diseases and diseases of the urinary tract(including in diseases of the ureters, bladder), as well as in catarrh of the gastrointestinal tract and in treatment peptic ulcer... For painful constipation, the powder of their marshmallow root is useful.

You can also use marshmallow ointment to treat burns, ulcers and difficult-to-heal wounds... For this purpose, a mixture of crushed roots of this plant is prepared with a small amount of water. Aqueous extracts from the leaves are also recommended in case skin diseases and also for inflammation of the conjunctiva and eyelids.

In cosmetics, marshmallow is used as a component of masks and lotions for skin care. Due to its ability to relieve inflammation, raw materials from this plant are included in herbal mixtures to cleanse sensitive and dry skin. In addition, it is used to care for dry hair.

The use of marshmallow in traditional and folk medicine (recipes)

In folk medicine, marshmallow medicinal are used relatively little, since they are rarely found in the wild.

Long-term use of drugs based on marshmallow can be dangerous. The mucus found in all parts of this plant slows down the absorption of many substances in the gastrointestinal tract, which can lead to a deficiency of vitamins, mineral salts or other essential substances.

Marshmallow roots are used in the form of powder, dry extract, infusion and syrup - to obtain the drug mucaltin.

Altay is often prescribed with tonsillitis and diarrhea... For this, 20 g of marshmallow (root, flowers or leaves) and half a liter of water (or fresh milk) are boiled with added sugar. The ready-made broth is drunk before and after dinner, instead of tea.

Marshmallow is widely used in folk medicine of many peoples as an external remedy (rinsing, lotions) - for inflammation, burns, tumors, lichen, and internal - for coughs, poisoning, etc. For example, in Bulgaria, for these indications, they drink tea from flowers or root powder.

For external use (for edema, acne, boils, eye inflammation, itching), marshmallows are boiled in water or fresh milk and applied to the affected area.

A decoction of marshmallow rhizomes, and more often a decoction of flowers, is used to wash the eyes with inflammation, to gargle with sore throat and rotting of the eyelids, as well as in the form of enemas for diarrhea and in other cases.

Some medicinal preparations based on marshmallow medicinal:

Drug name	Composition
Infusion of marshmallow root	6-7 grams of finely chopped marshmallow root, infused in 100 ml of water.
Marshmallow syrup	2 grams of dry extract of marshmallow root per 98 grams of sugar syrup.
Collection chest No. 1	2 parts marshmallow root, 2 parts coltsfoot leaves, 1 part oregano herb.
Collection chest No. 2	1 part marshmallow root, 1 part elecampane roots, 1 part licorice roots.
Breast tea No. 1	1 part marshmallow root, 1 part anise fruit, 1 part licorice roots, 1 part pine buds, 1 part sage leaves.
Breast tea number 2	2 part marshmallow root, 2 part licorice roots, 1 part fennel fruit.

Good to know...

• Marshmallow pink(more commonly called mallow) is bred as an ornamental plant. It has a similar effect on humans, but less pronounced.
• The stems contain creamy fibers, rather short and coarse, which are of no practical value, but can be used to make ropes and paper.
• Marshmallow roots are eaten raw and boiled; jelly and porridge are prepared from them. In ground form, add to baked goods.
• The flowers and grass of marshmallow contain a pigment - malvidin, which gives the coat a red color, with iron salts it gives a blackish-blue or gray color, with aluminum salts - gray or grayish-violet, and with tin salts - dark purple.
• Fatty oil from marshmallow fruits is used in the paint and varnish industry, and the roots go to the manufacture of glue.
• Althea officinalis belongs to melliferous plants.