Marshmallow officinalis – Herbaceous perennial plant of the Malvaceae family – Malvaceae. Other names: Mucus-grass, mallow, marshmallow, mallow, rolls (from the likeness of its seed heads), dog mug
Description:
This herbaceous perennial plant reaches 150 cm in height. The rhizome is short and thin with a large main root and fleshy lateral roots. There are several stems, less often solitary, erect, dark purple in color, launched in the upper part. Leaves of three types – the lower ones are rounded, reniform; middle leaves are oval, ovoid, rounded at the base; and finally the upper ones are oblong-ovate, pointed at the ends. The edge of all – the leaves are jagged. The leaves are covered with a whitish fluff. The flowers are large, white-pink, with a double cup. Flowers grow in many on short pedicels, united in a common peduncle located in the axils of the upper leaves of the plant. It blooms from June to September. The fruit is flat, contains many dark gray seeds. When mature, it breaks up into several small fruits. The fruits ripen in August – October. Distributed in Ukraine, Belarus, the Caucasus, the Volga region, Central Asia, Eastern and Western Siberia. It is easy to find in meadows, floodplains of rivers.
Contains active substances:
In the roots of marshmallow there is up to 35% mucus, starch. Marshmallow also contains sucrose and pectin, all kinds of minerals. Leaves and flowers are raw materials for essential oil.
Workpiece:
The main medicinal raw material is the roots and ground part of the plant. The roots are harvested in the fall, after the drying of the stems of the plant. They dig up the roots with a shovel, clean them from the ground and separate the main root, unsuitable for use, also the stems. Non-lignified roots are selected and dried for 2-3 days, then cut into pieces of 35-40 cm. If necessary, clean the top cork with a knife. The roots are dried at a temperature of 40-50 ° C, or in a well-ventilated room, as the roots easily become damp and become unusable. Well-dried measles break with a bang. The shelf life of dried roots is 3 years. Young grass and flowers are also harvested and immediately dried in the shade.
medicinal properties:
Powder, infusion, dry extract and syrup are prepared from Althea root. The grass is the raw material for the mukaltin product. Root Effective in acute chronic respiratory diseases, has anti-inflammatory, expectorant and antitussive properties. Facilitates the expectoration of sputum in severe coughs. Marshmallow is included in many breast collections. Tea made from marshmallow roots helps to quench pains in the stomach and intestines, also with diarrhea, gastritis, enterocolitis, cystitis. Rinsing the mouth with marshmallow tea improves the general condition of the gums, relieves all kinds of inflammation. It is used for burns, treatment of pustular skin lesions, tumors, burns, ringworm, furunculosis. GrassA decoction of marshmallow leaves is used in folk medicine as well as the root, as an enveloping agent, is used to treat bronchitis. Also, a decoction is used to gargle the throat to relieve inflammation. The infusion is used externally for gargling. Flowers are used in the form of a decoction, as well as the root.
Cooking:
1) Root tea: Pour 2 teaspoons of crushed root with a glass (250 ml) of cold water, let stand for 30 minutes, stirring. After that, shake and strain. Warm up the resulting liquid and drink in small sips. 2) Leaf tea: Pour 2 teaspoons of leaves into a glass (250 ml) of hot water, let stand for 10 minutes. It is recommended to drink in violation of the stomach or intestines unsweetened. In case of cough, it is recommended to add honey (not for diabetics).
Side effects:
No side effects were found. Make sure that the raw materials do not get moldy.