Botanical name of mallow: Malva sylvestris L.
Plant family: alve family / Malvaceae
Main botanical characteristics: Annual or perennial, up to 120 cm tall, with hairy, upright, round stems and 3-7 green, notched, hairy leaves. Flowers curl into a cone-like shape before blooming, borne on long stalks from the leaf axils, with five violet-pink flowers each with three stripes in the petal. All mallow species are used medicinally: the small mallow, the garden mallow, and also the red mallow (Hibiscus).
Flowering time: June-October, Harvest: June-September
Plant parts used: Flowers / Flos Malvae, leaves / Folium Malvae
Ingredients: Mucilage, essential oil, tannins, color (anthocyanins)
Effect: Soothing, expectorant, anti-inflammatory, wound healing.
Indications: Inflammation of the mucous membranes, mouth, throat, stomach, intestines, airways, uterus (endometriosis)
Dry, tickly cough, hoarseness, bronchitis, tonsillitis, gastritis, irritable stomach
Contraindications and side effects :: No
Preparation and dosage form:
- Infusion (2-4 times/day)
- Gargle solution (with infusion)
- Tincture (2-5x/day 15-20 drops)
- Sitz baths (endometritis)
- Partial baths (circulation)
Effect of mallow in the context of TCM:
- kühle
- Softens mucus stagnation and is used as an expectorant
- Nourishes the large intestine yin
- Lowers the lung qi
