Marsh mallow real

Marshmallow, also called medicinal marshmallow or mucilage, belongs to the mallow family (Malvaceae). The plant was originally native to the steppe zones of southern Russia and Kazakhstan. The marshmallow is cultivated in Southern and Central Europe.

Marshmallow reaches a height of up to 1.5 metres and has a sturdy stem. The upright stem is tubular on the inside and has a felt-like pubescence on the outside, as do the leaves. The leaves have a grey-green, glossy colouring, the flowers are pink with purple anthers. The lower leaves are triangular-heart-shaped and lobed, the upper ones look ovate and lobed. Marshmallow flowers between the months of July and September and is most common in southeastern Europe and western Asia.

The peeled or unpeeled roots (marshmallow root - Althaeae radix) and the leaves (marshmallow leaves - Althaeae folium) are used phytotherapeutically.

Althaea officinalis is the parent plant of Althaeae radix, the official marshmallow root (DAB9), which is used as a mucilage drug in catarrhal diseases of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract.

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