Bulk Herbs: Marshmallow root - cut

Excerpts from Practical Herbalism

Many of the Mallows have been used as food by various cultures. A dish of Marshmallow was considered a great delicacy by the Romans. Dioscorides extolled it as a remedy for many ailments, and Pliny the Elder said that, “Whosoever shall take a spoonful of the Mallows shall that day be free from all diseases that may come to him.” Not only was Marshmallow valued as food and medicine, but it was used by both the Greeks and the Romans to decorate the graves of friends.

By Culpeper’s time, Marshmallow had exposed many of its virtues. He said: “The roots boiled in wine or water, or in broth with parsley or fennel roots, do help to open the body, and are very convenient in hot agues, or other distempers of the body, to apply the leaves so boiled warm to the belly. It not only voids hot, choleric, and other offensive humours, but eases the pains and torments of the belly coming thereby; and are therefore used in all clysters conducing to those purposes. The same used by nurses procures them store of milk. The decoction of the seed of any of the common Mallows made in milk or wine, doth marvelously help excoriations, the phthisic pleurisy, and other diseases of the chest and lungs, that proceed of hot causes, if it be continued taking for some time together. The leaves and roots work the same effects. They help much also in the excoriations of the bowels, and hardness of the mother, and in all hot and sharp diseases thereof. The juice drank in wine, or the decoction of them therein, do help women to a speedy and easy delivery. The syrup also and conserve made of the flowers, are very effectual for the same diseases, and to open the body, being costive. The leaves bruised, and laid to the eyes with a little honey, take away the imposthumations of them. The leaves bruised or rubbed upon any place stung with bees, wasps, or the like, presently take away the pain, redness, and the swelling that rise thereupon. A poultice made of the leaves boiled and bruised, with some bean or barley flower and oil of Roses added, is an especial remedy against all hard tumours and inflammations, or imposthumes, or swellings of the privities, and other parts, and eases the pains of them; as also against the hardness of the liver or spleen, being applied to the places. The juice of Mallows boiled in oil and applied, takes away all roughness of the skin, as also the scurf, dandruff, and dry scabs in the head, or other parts, if they be anointed therewith, or washes with the decoction, and preserves the hair from falling off. It is also effectual against scalding and burnings, St. Anthony’s fire, and all other hot, red, and painful swellings in any part of the body. The flowers boiled in oil or water (as every one is disposed) whereunto a little honey and alum is put, is an excellent gargle to wash, cleanse or heal any sore moth or throat in a short space.”

The Eclectic, Priest & Priest tell us that it is a soothing demulcent indicated for inflamed and irritated states of mucous membranes. They considered it particularly suitable for the elderly, when there were chronic inflammatory conditions effecting the gastro-intestinal system or genitor-urinary tract. They give the following specific indications: acute respiratory disease, gastro-enteritis, peptic ulcer, cystitis, urethritis, inflammation of mouth and throat, inflamed hemorrhoids, inflamed wounds, burns, scalds, bedsores, abscesses, boils, and ulcers.

Ellingwood considered it as the most mucilaginous of the diuretics, recommending it to soothe irritation in the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines as well as those of the urinary apparatus. In addition he recommends it for inflammation of the bowels, irritation of the bladder, and acute painful cystitis.

King said that Marshmallow...

“…will be found valuable, in the form of decoction, in diseases of the mucous tissues, as hoarseness, catarrh, pneumonia, gonorrhea, vesical catarrh, renal irritation, acute dysentery, and diarrhea. In strangury, inflammation of the bladder, hematuria, retention of the urine, some forms of gravel, and indeed in nearly every affection of the kidney and bladder, their use will be found advantageous. Much use is made of them combined with equal parts of spearmint, in urinary derangements. They are likewise efficacious in gastrointestinal irritation and inflammation. As the decoction soon decomposes, or becomes moldy or acid, it should always be made in small quantities, not more than 1 or 2 pints at a time, according to the temperature of the weather. Externally, Marshmallow root is very useful in the form of poultice, to discuss painful, inflammatory tumors, and swellings of every kind, whether the consequence of wounds, bruises, burns, scalds, or poisons; and has, when thus applies, had a happy effect in preventing the occurrence of gangrene. The infusion of decoction may be freely administered.”

In his renowned “Advanced Treatise in Herbology,” Dr. Edward Shook carried the exaltation of Marshmallow into the 20th century:

“This is an excellent remedy for all inflamed surfaces and organs, either internal or external, stomach, intestines, lungs, bronchi, and skin. It is especially good for fire burns, or bursn due to acid or strong alkali, inflamed or swollen joints or muscles, dry and hacking cough, inflammation of the chest, inflamed and swollen glands, and infected wounds. It is a find builder of bone and flesh in rachitic and weakly children, and a most remarkable treatment for chronic constipation with hard, dry stools. It gives prompt relief in gravel, as in inflammation of the kidneys and bladder. In fact, there is scarcely any form of inflammation in any part of the organism for which it is not beneficial.”

Though a confection and a sweet paste were once made of the root of the plant, commercial “Marshmallows” are a mixture of sugar, flour, gum, egg-albumin, etc. and contain no mallow.

Internal Uses:

External Uses:

Marshmallow root powder is very absorbent, and binds together when moistened. It does not contain any constituents that interfere with the action of other herbs. This makes an ideal medium for making pills and lozenges from other herbal extracts.

Excerpts from The How to Herb Book

Diuretic, Emollient, Laxative

Marshmallow is a common, completely edible plant. I have eaten the little round “cheesies” as we called them from the time I was a child. The leaves, stems, flowers, and roots are edible, but the root is most prized for remedies. The leaves are used in poultices, teas, and green drinks.

• Best known for kidney and bladder problems.
• It is mucilaginous; coats, soothes and heal inflamed areas in the body including genital and urinary areas, alimentary, respiratory and intestinal.
• Heals mucous membranes.
• Increases and enriches milk in nursing mothers.
• Contains lime and calcium.

Has been used in the following:

Case History

B.’s young daughter had scar tissue in her urinary passage from a urinary infection. The urinary passage had become almost closed so urination had become extremely painful. The doctor recommended surgery to correct the problem. B. wanted to try another alternative first. She gave her daughter Marshmallow and Red Raspberry tea mixed together in equal parts. Marshmallow tea is quite slimy (mucilaginous) to look at and her daughter didn’t want to drink it. When mixed with Raspberry it is a pleasant drink. She had her daughter drink a quart of this tea every day until the burning stopped. Then, a cup every morning and night; finally just a cup a day. She drank this for about 18 months. The burning and pain went away completely. The girl never had to have surgery and has had no more urinary trouble.

Excerpts from Nutritional Herbology

Marshmallow root is a member of the mallow family, a group of a thousand odd species with two common characteristics. They are edible and contain an abundance of mucilage. In fact, mucilage is so common in these plants that the roots of other mallow such as hollyhocks and hibiscus can be readily substituted for marshmallow as they possess similar qualities.

It is hard to pinpoint the earliest use of marshmallow since its first mention in written history refers to its already widespread use as a food. The Old Testament book of Job mentions it being eaten in times of famine. A dish of mallow was considered a delicacy by the ancient Romans and the Chinese also used a species of mallow for food.

Marshmallow inhabits salt marshes, river banks and other moist places. Its habitat and mucilage content accounts in part, for its above average content of sodium, since sodium salts of polysaccharides (mucilage) are soluble and are freely transported within the plant. Recently it has been shown that the mucilage content varies seasonally and is highest in fall and winter. Marshmallow also has substantial quantities of calcium and magnesium. These metals precipitate (harden) polysaccharides and further study would probably show an abundance of these minerals concentrated in the older structural cells of the root.

Marshmallow’s ability to bind and eliminate toxins allows the body to cleanse itself. For this reason, it is added to arthritis, laxative, infection, female tonic, vermifuge and other cleansing formulas. It is also a major constituent of poultices. Marshmallow is well known for treating kidney and bladder infections.

In diuretic formulas, marshmallow is traditionally thought o soothe the urinary tract. However, the polysaccharides are not absorbed from the digestive tract. The active principles for diuretic action are volatile acids, oils and tannins which irritate the urinary tract and stimulate the production of urine and mucous.

Marshmallow is also popular as an expectorant for the respiratory system. It must be used topically as a decoction to soothe the throat since the mucilage is not absorbed by the digestive tract.

Marshmallow root contains mucilaginous compounds that decrease the thickness while increasing the production of mucosal fluids, soothe inflamed tissue, heal wounds and increase the flow of urine. It is an excellent herbal source of trace minerals, especially chromium, iron, magnesium and selenium. Marshmallow has been used to treat allergies, gastritis, gastric ulcers, enteritis, coughs, cystitis and hay fever.

Volume Discounts on Bulk Herbs Only

• 5 lbs. - 9 3/4 lbs. = 5% off
• 10 lbs. - 24 3/4 lbs. = 10% off
• 25 lbs. - 39 3/4 lbs. = 20% off
• 40 lbs. - 59 3/4 lbs. = 30% off
• 60 lbs. + = 40% off
• Bulk Herbs may be mixed and matched

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