The evaluation ofefficacy and safety of Cough (EMA) granules used for upper respiratory disorders.
The study recommends that Cough (EMA) granules can be used effectively in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infection.PubMed 30587469 ↗
Open Source Apothecary At Home / The herbs
Marshmallow
A mucilage herb for irritated throats and gut — gentle, soothing, and genuinely demulcent. — Althaea officinalis
remedyMarshmallow root (Althaea officinalis) is a mucilage plant: its root and leaf release a slippery polysaccharide gel that coats and soothes irritated mucous membranes. This is a physical, mechanical effect rather than a pharmacological one, and it is the reason marshmallow appears in nearly every traditional throat and gut-soothing formula.
What it is good for. Dry, irritated cough; sore throat; and irritated gut lining. It is a demulcent, not an antimicrobial and not an anti-inflammatory in the drug sense.
How to use it properly. Mucilage is destroyed by heat in a strong decoction. Cold infusion is the correct method — cold water overnight extracts the gel without degrading it. This is the single most useful practical fact about marshmallow, and most instructions get it wrong.
It is genuinely easy to grow, a tall handsome perennial of damp ground, and the root is harvested in autumn of the second or third year.
What the studies found
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of CofNovex plus (EMA) syrup.
The new treatment CofNovex plus (EMA) syrup was safe and well tolerated in patient at given specific age group.PubMed 28650326 ↗
Growing it
| | | |---|---| | Life | Herbaceous perennial | | Propagation | Seed, or root division | | Light | Full sun | | Soil | Moist ground; tolerates damp | | Spacing | 60 cm — a tall plant | | Harvest root | Autumn, year 2-3 | | Dry | 45-55 C, sliced | | Harvest leaf | Summer, before flowering |
Grow it where the ground stays damp — it is one of the few medicinals that likes wet soil.
Preparation
Cold infusion (the correct method) — 1-2 tablespoons dried root in 500 mL cold water, left 6-8 hours or overnight. Strain. The liquid should be visibly slippery.
Hot infusion (less effective) — works, but heat degrades the mucilage. Use if you must.
Tea blends — marshmallow is the demulcent base in cough and throat formulas.
Fresh root — can be chewed, and children often will; it is bland and slippery.
Powder — added to food or water for gut soothing.
Cautions and interactions
- Marshmallow coats the gut and can slow the absorption of oral medicines — take it at least two hours apart from other medication.
- Not for infected throats or productive coughs — it soothes irritation, it does not treat infection.
- Mucilage is destroyed by strong heat — cold infusion is correct.
- Avoid in pregnancy without advice.
When this is not a self-care problem — get help
- A sore throat with difficulty swallowing saliva, drooling or breathing difficulty — emergency care.
- A cough with breathlessness, chest pain or blood — medical assessment.
Known interactions
- May reduce or delay absorption of oral drugs — separate doses by at least 2 hours.
Related
Sources
- The evaluation ofefficacy and safety of Cough (EMA) granules used for upper respiratory disorders. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences 2018; PubMed 30587469
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of CofNovex plus (EMA) syrup. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences 2017; PubMed 28650326