Marshmallow Root for Soothing & Healing

With the cooler months of October and November, our options for harvesting medicinal plants have narrowed a little. Heading underground many plants have died back and directed their energy downward, into their root system to sustain them through the winter months, until they are ready to push through the soil again in the spring.

This is the perfect time of year to harvest their roots and this season of root harvesting is another example of how plants present themselves to us at exactly the right time of year, when their medicinal constituents are most needed by us, incorporating them into hearty stews and in the case of Marshmallow root, working with their soothing properties for sore throats in this cold and flu season.

From the Mallow or Malvaceae family, they are related to Hibiscus, Hollyhock and Cotton. Native to Europe, Western Asia and North Africa it can grow 3-4 ft high. Marshmallow's Latin name is Althea officinalis, Althea means healer, or 'wholesome, healing', derived from the word althein which is of the meaning 'to heal'. Other common names include Mallards, Mauls, Schloss Teai, Cheeses, Mortification root, Mallow, White mallow, Common marsh-mallow, Sweet weed and Wymote.

In today's modern times Marshmallow root is infused in cold water and made into teas and syrups for soothing the respiratory tract, Marshmallow will also relieve inflammation and help to expel mucus from the lungs. It is sweet, moistening and cooling. The root is eaten as a vegetable in some parts of the world and contains calcium, iron, iodine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, vitamins A, C and B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin, B3 (niacin), and N5 (pantothenic acid.

The history of Marshmallow root reaches far back to 3000 BC, when ancient Egyptians made marshmallow candies from it's root to soothe coughs and sore throats. In the early- to mid-1800s, French confectioners augmented the plant's traditional medicinal value, whipping the sap from the mallow root with sugar, water and egg whites to create a spongy-soft dessert called Pâte de Guimauve. The Marsh-Mallow plant was harvested from salt marshes and on banks near large bodies of water. According to the book Viable Herbal Solutions:

"Nineteenth century doctors extracted juice from the Marsh-Mallow plant's roots and cooked it with egg whites and sugar, then whipped the mixture into a foamy meringue that later hardened, creating a medicinal candy used to soothe children's sore throats. Eventually, advanced manufacturing processes and improved texturing agents eliminated the need for the gooey root juice altogether. Unfortunately, that eliminated the confection's healing properties as a cough suppressant, immune system booster and wound healer."

Marshmallow’s viscous nature when it's root is saturated with water is a large part of its healing properties. That slime that releases from a long cold infusion coats and soothes tissues inside our bodies. And why and when do we need soothing? Our immunity in part is better equipped in its role of fighting pathogens when we have healthy well coated mucous membranes, and tissues that are not inflamed. When we have dried out mucous membranes, it’s harder to stimulate those immune fighting cells and eliminate pathogens from the body.

Our dominant culture today is one that is busy, with the expectation that everyone should be working harder and faster, along with the list of injustices occurring, life can also be emotionally taxing. Over time, the stress response of the body as well as the influence of working hard to get by, may lead people to over consume caffeine, sleep less and rely on more readily available and cheaper processed foods. This can create a constitution of a hot and dried out state within the body, so what better plant to work with than the one that is cool and moist:)

Over a long period of time when a person is hot and dry they tend to not absorb nutrients from food well, since digestive fluids help to break food down properly. This type of heat and irritation in the gastro-intestinal tract can cause damage, inhibiting proper absorption and even lead to leaky gut. According to Priest and Priest, Marshmallow root is suited for people with ‘chronic inflammatory conditions,’ and is helpful for people needing deep nourishing and soothing.

Soothing is also necessary for dried out and inflamed tissues, perfect for the lungs if there is a very hard, dry cough, dry nasal passages and even inflamed GI tract.

Organs Affected:

Respiratory

GI

Nervous

Mental-Emotional

Cardiovascular

Muscular

Herbal Actions:

Antispasmodic: As an antispasmodic, Marshmallow can help to calm spasms in the bladder.

Diuretic: Because of its diuretic properties, Marshmallow is cleansing to the bladder and helps to eliminate buildup in the urinary tract while also soothing the tissues at the same time.

Demulcent & Emollient: Combined with Marshmallow’s demulcent and emollient properties, its soothing to the lining of the bladder and is great added to formulas for soothing urinary tract infections, bladder infections, edema, kidney stones, cystitis, and other urinary issues. For the digestive system, Marshmallow is soothing to the stomach lining, intestines and the esophagus for digestive upsets, ulcers, acid reflux, and inflammation of the gut. The root can also be made into a poultice to apply topically to dry, irritated skin conditions.

Endocrine restorative: With its adaptogenic action, Marshmallow helps to regulate our stress response system, which directly affects the strength of the immune system.

Nervine: Reduces overactive stress responses (such as fight or flight) and returns the body to a resting, relaxing, digesting, sleeping phase.

Nutritive: Marshmallow is very nutritive and rejuvenated, making it a good choice for convalescing people, such as tired mothers and seniors. It is also great for lactating mothers, and can help to stimulate the flow of milk.

Prokinetic: stimulates contractions of the stomach muscles, assisting with bowel motility to alleviate constipation.

Vulnerary: As a vulnerary, Marshmallow helps to heal wounds, both internally and externally. Chewing on a piece of marshmallow root can help relieve a toothache. The cold infusion can be used as a mouthwash to sooth and heal all sorts of mouth sores including canker sores, ulcers, cuts and bites, inflamed gums and as a gargle for sore throats.

Externally, the roots or leaves can be made into a poultice to relieve skin inflammations, ulcers, wounds, bruises, cuts, mild burns, sun burns psoriasis and so on. And, while Marshmallow is a demulcent and brings about moisture, he can also work in an astringent or drying manner when used in a dry form. If you have a wound that is oozing and weeping, sprinkling a powder of root or leaf will absorb the moisture, help to dry up the wound and heal it.

Cultivation and Harvest:

Marshmallow is a revered herbal ally because it can be cultivated easily in the garden, given proper care, all parts of the plant can be harvested and have many useful medicinal properties. Marshmallow prefers a balance between the dark and light, doing well in partial shade where dampness has collected under foliage. It's preferred natural habitat is along salt marshes, riverbanks and moist, sandy soils. Marshmallow also takes up room growing upwards rather than laterally, which makes it beneficial to grow alongside other spreading ground covers, such as Lady’s Mantle, which also enjoys the two worlds of light and shade.

Depending on which part of the plant you intend to receive medicine from, leaves or roots, will also dictate when you harvest. The leaves should be harvested prior flowering if you are procuring the mineral and respiratory benefits, since most of its energy is there in the spring. When flowers emerge, they can be lightly harvested for tea, leaving plenty of flowers for our pollinator friends to enjoy too:) The root is best harvested in the Autumn, on a dry day when the upper parts of the plant have died back and by harvesting just a portion of the root mass the plant can continue to live and will return the following Spring.

Dosage and Method of Delivery

Tea: A cold infusion overnight of the dry root chopped or ground up works best for accessing the soothing demulcent properties. Let 1 cup of chopped root sit overnight in cold water to drink the next day. For a faster infusion you can put 1 tsp of root into a cup of water and boil for 10-15 minutes.

Tincture: If making a fresh tincture, use a 1:2 ratio, so 1 part root and 2 parts alcohol, for a dry extract use a 1:5 ratio. Can take 1-4ml, 3x a day.

Old Fashioned “Real” Marshmallow Recipe

(Adapted from A Kid’s Herb Book by Lesley Tierra.

2 egg whites 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract 1/2 cup raw sugar 2 tablespoons Marshmallow root powder

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

Beat whites until very foamy and not quite stiff. Beat in Vanilla. Slowly beat in sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time. When sugar is completely mixed in, add the Marshmallow root powder.

Drop mixture, using a teaspoonful at a time, onto a baking tray covered with parchment paper, Bake 1 hour. Remove from sheet and let cool. To store, tightly cover and place in the refrigerator for several days. They can also be dipped in melted chocolate for chocolate covered marshmallows. Divine!