Marshmallow, also known as Althaea officinalis, is a herbaceous perennial plant that belongs to the Malvaceae family. This herb has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat various ailments. Marshmallow is native to Europe, North Africa, and Asia, and has a long history of use in herbal medicine.
Herbal Actions:
Marshmallow is known for its demulcent and emollient properties. These properties make it an excellent herb for soothing and healing irritated and inflamed mucous membranes. Marshmallow contains high levels of mucilage, a type of soluble fiber that forms a thick, slippery substance when mixed with water. This mucilage acts as a protective barrier, soothing irritated tissues and reducing inflammation. Marshmallow is also mildly diuretic and has expectorant properties, which can help to loosen and expel phlegm and mucus from the respiratory tract.
Folklore:
The name “marshmallow” comes from the Greek word “altho,” which means “to heal.” In ancient times, marshmallow was used to treat wounds and soothe sore throats. The plant was also used to make a sweet, sticky confection that was a popular treat in ancient Egypt. The marshmallow plant was highly regarded by the ancient Greeks and Romans, who used it to treat a wide range of ailments.
Energetics:
In terms of energetics, marshmallow is considered to be cooling and moistening. It is often used to balance out hot and dry conditions in the body, such as inflammation and irritation. Marshmallow is also thought to be nourishing and strengthening, helping to support the body’s natural healing processes.
Spiritual References:
In traditional medicine systems, herbs are often believed to have spiritual qualities and are used for spiritual purposes. Marshmallow is associated with the element of water and is often used in rituals and ceremonies related to emotions, intuition, and the feminine aspects of the divine. Marshmallow is believed to help open the heart chakra, promoting emotional healing and spiritual growth.
Marshmallow has many potential health benefits. Here are a few of the most notable:
Soothes sore throats and coughs: Marshmallow’s mucilage content makes it an effective herb for soothing sore throats and reducing coughing.
Relieves digestive issues: Marshmallow can help to soothe and heal the digestive tract, making it useful for conditions such as ulcers, gastritis, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Reduces inflammation: Marshmallow’s anti-inflammatory properties can help to reduce swelling and inflammation throughout the body.
Promotes healthy skin: Marshmallow’s emollient properties make it an excellent herb for moisturizing and soothing dry, irritated skin.
Boosts immune system: Marshmallow contains vitamins and minerals that can help to boost the immune system and promote overall health and wellness.
In conclusion, marshmallow is a versatile and useful herb with a long history of use in traditional medicine. Its demulcent and emollient properties make it an excellent herb for soothing and healing irritated tissues, while its expectorant and diuretic properties can help to support respiratory and urinary tract health. Marshmallow’s spiritual associations with the element of water and its potential to open the heart chakra make it a valuable herb for promoting emotional healing and spiritual growth.
MARSHMALLOW (Althea officinalis)
Family: Malvaceae
Parts Used: Roots
Taste: Salty, Sweet.
Herbal Actions: Demulcent, Inflammation Modulating, Diuretic, Inflammation Modulator.
Demulcent: This is the essence of what Marshmallow does medicinally, and it does so with an incredible degree of power and reliability. Demulcents will effectively soothe, cool, and moisten dried-out tissues within the body, as they contain water-soluble constituents that hold moisture in. This is due to the presence of mucilaginous polysaccharides. This mucilage helps to coat and repair damaged tissues from heat, inflammation, and irritation, specifically when due to or in the presence of dryness.
This is the MAIN Action of Marshmallow and all of the following are in connection with the demulcent action.
Inflammation Modulating: Marshmallow is a remedy that helps with treating inflammatory conditions in the organ systems of which it is specific, most notably the urinary, respiratory, and digestive systems, and of course topically. It is quite specific for the heat/excitation tissue state in these systems, but it’s important here to remember that it is only indicated for inflammation when in conjunction with dryness.
Diuretic: Where the roots are predominately demulcent, the leaves do also contain this quality but also act as a diuretic within the body; thereby making this remedy useful for urethral complaints and urinary conditions too. It definitely increases mucosal secretions in the urinary tract (bladder, ureters, urethra) to soothe irritation and heat.
Affinities: Mucosal Membranes, Digestive, Respiratory, Urinary tract.
Affinities:
Mucosal Membranes: The essential affinity of Marshmallow is its action upon the mucosal membranes of the systems mentioned here in this section. It enhances secretions and stimulates the activity of the mucosa bringing about healing and restoration. This is the #1 affinity for Marshmallow.
Urinary Tract: The leaves have more of an affinity here as opposed to the roots which are more suited for the digestive system. The leaves are more predominant acting as a diuretic, demulcent, and inflammation-modulating remedy for the treatment of urinary tract infections and other urinary conditions. That being said, the root will successfully operate through the UT.
Respiratory System: Marshmallow is an effective demulcent expectorant and helps to relieve and ease dry/hot irritations of the respiratory tract like catarrh and coughs. Digestive System: The emollient action makes Marshmallow one of our great healing
remedies for the digestive system including ulcerations and inflammations like colitis and gastritis. More about this follows below.
Musculoskeletal System: This one is not commonly mentioned under this remedy, but I have successfully used this remedy (in conjunction with others) to help treat dry, popping achy joints. Through its constitutional effects on moistening dryness it
proves to be of benefit here.
Immune System: This is also not commonly seen associated with Marshmallow. The presence of polysaccharides indicates an immunological quality, as commonly these sugar compounds are seen as similar to bacteria or other pathogens by the immune system, thus triggering it into a heightened state of activity. It’s also important to remember that the mucosa is laden with white blood cells and immunity to protect the body from pathogenic invasion. Thus by simple virtue of increasing mucosal secretions immunity is enhanced.
Energetics: Cooling, Moistening, Soothing.
Specific indication:
The Marshmallow person tends to have a particular quality of dryness and hardness in their manner of thinking, speaking, acting, and feeling. The Marshmallow person tends to be rigid in their psychology, stuck in their particular modes of perception, ideologies, and ways of thinking. This leads to a certain inflexibility and narrow-mindedness as they are unable to see outside their own psychological boundaries. It’s worth noting here that according to the Greeks, the quality of dryness wasn’t just about moisture, but also about the establishment of boundaries. As Water and Moon represent emotions, as Marshmallow people are dry, they oftentimes have a difficult time expressing or even feeling their emotions. In this way, they can have a feeling of insensitivity about them, of not recognizing the feeling nature of another, as they are disconnected from their own feeling nature. They can thus feel hardhearted, closed-hearted, un-compassionate, un-empathetic, unsympathetic, and generally insensitive.
