Mallow soothes irritating coughs and soothes mucous membranes, it is often distributed in the form of tea or infusion. This tea is commonly consumed and known, but it is generally made wholly or partially from hibiscus.
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The medicinal plant of wild mallow (Malva sylvestris)
- It relieves irritating coughs, soothes the mucous membranes in the oropharynx, throat, stomach, and intestines, inhibits inflammation, and is mildly astringent.
- Mallow tea sometimes contains hibiscus. These mixtures should not be used by pregnant women due to the risk of uterine contractions.
- Has no known side effects
- Do not drink it with other medications at the same time. Wait about 2 hours between drinking tea and taking the recommended medication.
- Use during: Cough, irritating and inflammatory diseases of the mouth, swollen throat, irritated stomach and intestine; slight diarrhea.
Mallow tea with hibiscus: dangerous for pregnant women
Mallow and hibiscus are medicinal plants with similar effects. Both plants contain a lot of mucilage and tannins. Therefore, both are suitable for respiratory diseases, and with limited use during diarrhea.
However, there is an important difference: hibiscus can lower blood pressure and also appears to promote uterine contractions. As a precautionary measure, pregnant women should refrain from fruit teas that contain hibiscus.
Mallow-containing skin care preparations
The tea prepared with this medicinal plant uses a wild mallow, and is not used in medicine. However, there are some skin and hair care products on the market that contain mallow oil or extracts of the mallow flower.
Active compounds in mallow
The flowers and leaves of the mallow contain many of the so-called mucilages. These are in this case long-chain sugar molecules of glucose and galactose. The flowers also contain so-called anthocyanins such as Malvina.
Making fresh mallow tea
Pour 2 teaspoons of dried flowers or leaves (as you choose) with 250 ml of warm water and let it soak for at least 6 hours. Then drain and reheat to a drinkable temperature (not boiling).
For dry coughs and inflammatory diseases of the oropharynx and irritating gastrointestinal complaints, drink 2 to 3 cups a day. A little honey enhances the taste of mallow tea. Diabetics should refrain from honey.
How mucilage and Malvina work
Mucous matter forms a film on contact with moisture. In the mouth and pharynx, this creates a kind of protective coating on the mucous membranes. This is especially noticeable in the case of a dry cough. The protective film soothes the mucous membrane and relieves cough, often tormenting and painful. The protective effect also explains the soothing effect on a sore throat.
A protective layer is also formed on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, people with a sensitive or irritated stomach often feel relief from discomfort after enjoying mallow tea.
Furthermore, the mucous membranes protected by the mucilage film are more difficult to penetrate by inflammatory pathogens. This relieves the symptoms of irritable cough, as well as inflammation of the oropharynx or the gastric and intestinal mucosa.
Anti-inflammatory and astringent effect
Furthermore, the malvin dye and other phenolic compounds in malt have anti-inflammatory effects and therefore support the effect of mucous substances.
The active ingredients in mallow are also said to have a slightly astringent effect. This may explain the relief from diarrhea. As the mucous membranes of the intestine contract, less fluid passes from the body to the intestine.
The mallow is a generally well tolerated medicinal plant. Side effects are not expected as long as adequate amounts of mallow tea are taken. Even external application in skin care or as a shampoo does not cause complications.
Mucous substances reduce the absorption of drugs in the intestine
A word of warning should be made: mucous substances such as mallow slow down or sometimes hinder the effect of drugs that enter the blood through the intestine. Therefore, at least 120 minutes must elapse between drinking mallow tea and taking any medication.
How to harvest mallow
If you want to harvest mallow it is something particularly easy to do. This medicinal plant loves sunny spots on roadsides, on slopes or on walls. The hollyhock can also do relatively poorly on the margins of fields and meadows.
The best harvest time is from June to August. The flowers are collected with a calyx but without a stem. Flowers and grass can easily be dried in the air and in the shade. In a closed, opaque container, the dried medicinal plant can last for many months.