Plant Comparison
Bistort vs Mallow
A side-by-side comparison of two medicinal plants — every documented constituent, action, use, safety note and cited source, assembled automatically from the Omnia Sana database.
At a glance
Bistort and Mallow: they share 8 indicated uses (arthritis / joint pain, bruising, cancer (anticancer research), …); 4 pharmacological actions in common.
Evidence face-off — shared uses
| Condition | Bistort | Mallow | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthritis / joint pain | 1/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Bruising | 1/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Cancer (anticancer research) | 2/10 | 7/10 | Stronger for Mallow |
| Infection (general) | 1/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Inflammation (general) | 1/10 | 2/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Skin irritation | 1/10 | 2/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Sore throat | 1/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
| Wounds | 1/10 | 5/10 | Stronger for Mallow |
Evidence scores (1–10) are computed from the tier of each cited source. “Comparable” means the two scores are within one point. Follow a score to its detailed sources.
Key Constituents
Very high tannin content is the basis of the strong astringency.
Contribute to antioxidant and antibacterial activity.
The high mucilage content gives the demulcent, soothing action.
The blue-purple pigments and antioxidant constituents.
Phenolic constituents associated with antioxidant and reported antiproliferative (anticancer) activity in cell studies.
Pharmacological Actions
Anti-inflammatory gargle / mouthwash for inflammation of the mouth and throat (sore throat)
Bistorta officinalis (Polygonum bistorta) rhizome extract, rich in gallotannins and phenolic acids, shows cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic activity against hepatocellular and other cancer cells (preclinical).
Astringent for mild diarrhoea (tannins tighten the gut lining and reduce excess secretion)
Antibacterial (topical) - GC-MS-characterised extracts showed antibacterial activity
Astringent for mild diarrhoea (tannins tighten the gut lining and reduce excess secretion)
Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and wound-healing (preclinical)
Antibacterial / antimicrobial (methanolic leaf extracts; the naphthoquinone Malvone A)
Demulcent for irritation of the mouth or throat and associated dry cough (soothing mucilage); Mild laxative for occasional constipation (mucilage; traditional)
Mild laxative for occasional constipation (mucilage; traditional)
Traditional & Indicated Uses
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Polygonum bistorta (Bistorta officinalis) methanol-water and aqueous extracts inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma cells via ROS-induced ER stress and apoptosis (delaying xenograft tumour growth), with phenolic constituents driving the cytotoxicity (preclinical).
Astringent for mild diarrhoea (tannins tighten the gut lining and reduce excess secretion)
inferred from styptic action
inferred from antimicrobial action
Anti-inflammatory gargle / mouthwash for inflammation of the mouth and throat (sore throat)
inferred from astringent action
Anti-inflammatory gargle / mouthwash for inflammation of the mouth and throat (sore throat)
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from anticancer action
Mild laxative for occasional constipation (mucilage; traditional)
Demulcent for irritation of the mouth or throat and associated dry cough (soothing mucilage)
inferred from antimicrobial action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from analgesic action
Soothes irritated and inflamed skin and mucous membranes
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
Very tannin-rich: high or prolonged intake may cause stomach upset or constipation and can reduce the absorption of iron and some medicines taken at the same time.
Traditional use only; diarrhoea persisting beyond a few days, or mouth/throat inflammation that does not settle, needs medical assessment.
Safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding is not established; avoid medicinal doses.
Generally very well tolerated. Irritation of the mouth/throat or a cough that persists beyond about a week, or is accompanied by fever or breathlessness, needs medical assessment.
Use in pregnancy and breastfeeding is not recommended in the absence of adequate data.
External Ids
Botanical Description
Perennial herb rising from a thick, twisted, S- or snake-shaped rhizome (giving the names 'bistort' and 'snakeroot'), blackish outside and pink inside. The basal leaves are broadly oval to lance-shaped on long stalks; stem leaves are smaller and stalkless. A single dense, cylindrical spike of small, pale pink flowers is borne atop each unbranched flowering stem.[14]
Biennial or short-lived perennial herb, 30-120 cm tall, with erect or sprawling, branched, often reddish stems. Leaves are alternate, long-stalked and palmately lobed with 5-7 shallow rounded lobes and toothed margins. Flowers are pink-purple with darker veining, with five notch-tipped petals borne in small axillary clusters. The fruit is a flattened, disc-shaped schizocarp ('cheese') that splits into a ring of small single-seeded nutlets.[2]
Habitat
Grows in damp meadows, pastures, streamsides and mountain grassland on moist, often calcareous soils; native to Europe and temperate Asia, favouring cooler upland regions.[14]
Common on roadsides, waste ground, hedgebanks and field margins across Europe, North Africa and temperate Asia, and widely naturalised elsewhere; tolerates a wide range of soils, favouring sunny, disturbed, nitrogen-rich sites.[2]
Harvesting
The rhizome is dug in autumn or early spring, when tannin content is highest, cleaned and dried; aerial parts are gathered in summer while flowering.[14]
Leaves and flowers are gathered during the flowering period (summer) and dried quickly out of direct sun to preserve their mucilage content; fresh material can also be used directly for infusions or poultices.[11]
Traditional Uses
Bistort rhizome, one of the most tannin-rich temperate herbs, has a long European folk history as a powerful astringent for mild diarrhoea, as a gargle for sore throat and mouth inflammation, and topically as a vulnerary and styptic for minor wounds and bleeding; young leaves have also traditionally been eaten as a spring pot-herb ('Easter-ledge pudding').[13, 14]
Mallow leaf and flower have a long ethnobotanical history across Europe as a demulcent for irritated mucous membranes - soothing coughs, sore throat and mouth irritation - and for occasional constipation and skin irritation, reflecting the mucilage-rich leaf and flower. Modern phytochemical and pharmacological work confirms antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and wound-healing activity of its extracts.[2, 11]
Preparations
References
Lookalikes Review
Dosage
Not documented
EMA herbal-monograph guidance suggests roughly 1.5-2 g of dried leaf or flower per cup, taken as an infusion up to 3 times daily. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
References & Sources
- Pawłowska, K.A., Hałasa, R., Dudek, M.K., Majdan, M. et al (2020) 'Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity of bistort (Bistorta officinalis) aqueous extract and its major components: justification of the usage of the medicinal plant material as a traditional topical agent', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 260, pp. 113077. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2020.113077 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2020.113077 - Jovanović, M., Morić, I., Nikolić, B., Pavić, A. et al (2020) 'Anti-Virulence Potential and In Vivo Toxicity of Persicaria maculosa and Bistorta officinalis Extracts', Molecules, 25(8), pp. 1811. doi:10.3390/molecules25081811 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25081811 - Duwiejua, M., Zeitlin, I.J., Waterman, P.G. and Gray, A.I (1994) 'Anti-inflammatory activity of Polygonum bistorta, Guaiacum officinale and Hamamelis virginiana in rats', Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 46(4), pp. 286-290. doi:10.1111/j.2042-7158.1994.tb03795.x Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-7158.1994.tb03795.x - Esmaealzadeh, N., Abdolghaffari, A., Baeeri, M., Hasanpour, M., Iranshahi, M., Santarcangelo, C., Gholami, M. and Bahramsoltani, R (2024) 'Protective effect of freeze-dried extract of Persicaria bistorta Samp. on acetic acid-induced colitis model in rats: involvement of nitric oxide and opioid system', Inflammopharmacology, 32(6), pp. 3845-3861. doi:10.1007/s10787-024-01518-8 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-024-01518-8 - Klimczak, U., Wozniak, M., Tomczyk, M. and Granica, S (2017) 'Chemical composition of edible aerial parts of meadow bistort (Persicaria bistorta (L.) Samp.)', Food Chemistry, 230, pp. 281-290. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.02.128 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.02.128 - Manoharan, K.P., Benny, T.K.H. and Yang, D (2005) 'Cycloartane type triterpenoids from the rhizomes of Polygonum bistorta', Phytochemistry, 66(19), pp. 2304-2308. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2005.07.008 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2005.07.008 - Liu, X., Hua, H., Liu, J., Chen, F. and Wu, L (2006) 'A new tannin-related compound from the rhizome of Polygonum bistorta L', Journal of Asian Natural Products Research, 8(4), pp. 299-302. doi:10.1080/10286020500034956 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020500034956 - Yang, W., Qian, Z., Wu, M., Gao, J., Huang, Q., Zou, Y. and Tang, D (2023) 'Online microextraction coupled with HPLC-ABTS for rapid analysis of antioxidants from the root of Polygonum bistorta', Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2023, pp. 7496848. doi:10.1155/2023/7496848 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/7496848 - Bauer, I., Rimbach, G., Nevermann, S., Neuhauser, C., Schwarzinger, B., Schwarzinger, C., Weghuber, J. and Luersen, K (2023) 'In-vitro antidiabetic activity of a Bistorta officinalis Delarbre root extract can not be confirmed in the in-vivo models hen's egg test and Drosophila melanogaster', Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 74(1). doi:10.26402/jpp.2023.1.04 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.26402/jpp.2023.1.04 - Intisar, A., Zhang, L., Luo, H., Kiazolu, J.B., Zhang, R. and Zhang, W (2012) 'Anticancer constituents and cytotoxic activity of methanol-water extract of Polygonum bistorta L', African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 10(1), pp. 53-59. doi:10.4314/ajtcam.v10i1.9 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.4314/ajtcam.v10i1.9 - Liu, Y., Weng, Y., Lin, H., Tang, S., Chen, C., Liang, C., Ku, C. and Lin, J (2017) 'Aqueous extract of Polygonum bistorta modulates proteostasis by ROS-induced ER stress in human hepatoma cells', Scientific Reports, 7, pp. 41437. doi:10.1038/srep41437 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1038/srep41437 - Khan, S., Arshad, S., Masood, I., Arif, A., Abbas, S., Qureshi, A.W., Parveen, A. and Seemab Ameen, Z (2023) 'GC-MS Analysis of Persicaria bistorta: Uncovering the Molecular Basis of Its Traditional Medicinal Use', Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 196(4), pp. 2270--2288. doi:10.1007/s12010-023-04580-0 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-023-04580-0 - WebMD (n.d.) 'Bistort: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews'. Available at: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-75/bistort Traditional / reference
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-75/bistort - (2020) 'Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity of bistort (Bistorta officinalis) aqueous extract and its major components - justification of the usage of the medicinal plant material as a traditional topical agent', Journal of Ethnopharmacology. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2020.113077 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2020.113077
- Mousavi, S.M., Hashemi, S.A., Behbudi, G., Mazraedoost, S. and others (2021) 'A Review on Health Benefits of Malva sylvestris L. Nutritional Compounds for Metabolites, Antioxidants, and Anti-Inflammatory, Anticancer, and Antimicrobial Applications', Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2021, pp. 5548404. doi:10.1155/2021/5548404 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5548404 - Gasparetto, J.C., Martins, C.A., Hayashi, S.S., Otuky, M.F. and others (2012) 'Ethnobotanical and scientific aspects of Malva sylvestris L.: a millennial herbal medicine', Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 64(2), pp. 172-189. doi:10.1111/j.2042-7158.2011.01383.x Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-7158.2011.01383.x - Wu, Y., Qiu, A., Yang, Z., Wu, J. and others (2019) 'Malva sylvestris extract alleviates the astrogliosis and inflammatory stress in LPS-induced depression mice', Journal of Neuroimmunology, 336, pp. 577029. doi:10.1016/j.jneuroim.2019.577029 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroim.2019.577029 - Ben Saad, A., Rjeibi, I., Brahmi, D., Smida, A. and others (2016) 'Malva sylvestris extract protects upon lithium carbonate-induced kidney damages in male rat', Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 84, pp. 1099-1107. doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2016.10.026 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2016.10.026 - Zuo, H., Li, Y., Cui, Y. and An, Y (2017) 'Cardioprotective effect of Malva sylvestris L. in myocardial ischemic/reperfused rats', Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 95, pp. 679-684. doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2017.08.111 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2017.08.111 - Benso, B., Rosalen, P.L., Alencar, S.M. and Murata, R.M (2015) 'Malva sylvestris Inhibits Inflammatory Response in Oral Human Cells. An In Vitro Infection Model', PLoS One, 10(10), pp. e0140331. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0140331 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0140331 - Prudente, A.S., Sponchiado, G., Mendes, D.A.G.B., Soley, B.S. and others (2017) 'Pre-clinical efficacy assessment of Malva sylvestris on chronic skin inflammation', Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 93, pp. 852-860. doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2017.06.083 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2017.06.083 - Mohaghegh, Z., Golfakhrabadi, F., Faal Siahkal, S., Dastoorpoor, M. and others (2022) 'The Effect of Malva sylvestris Cream on Episiotomy Pain and Healing: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial', International Journal of Community Based Nursing and Midwifery, 10(4), pp. 248-258. doi:10.30476/IJCBNM.2022.95772.2082 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.30476/IJCBNM.2022.95772.2082 - Areesanan, A., Nicolay, S., Keller, M., Zimmermann-Klemd, A.M. and others (2023) 'Potential benefits of Malva sylvestris in dry-eye disease pathology in vitro based on antioxidant, wound-healing and anti-inflammatory properties', Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 168, pp. 115782. doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115782 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115782 - Martins, C.A., Weffort-Santos, A.M., Gasparetto, J.C., Trindade, A.C. and others (2014) 'Malva sylvestris L. extract suppresses desferrioxamine-induced PGE2 and PGD2 release in differentiated U937 cells', Biomedical Chromatography, 28(7), pp. 986-993. doi:10.1002/bmc.3106 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/bmc.3106 - European Medicines Agency (HMPC) (n.d.) 'European Union herbal monograph on Malva sylvestris L., folium and flos (Malvae folium / Malvae sylvestris flos)'. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/malvae-folium Traditional / reference
https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/malvae-folium - Paul, Z.A. and Malla, A.T. and Dar, M.A. and Masoodi, M.H (2024) 'Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Activity of Malva sylvestris L.: A Detailed Insight', Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening, 27(16), pp. 2309--2322. doi:10.2174/0113862073269336231009110313 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.2174/0113862073269336231009110313 - Batiha, G.E. and Tene, S.T. and Teibo, J.O. and Shaheen, H.M. and Oluwatoba, O.S. and Teibo, T.K.A. and Al-Kuraishy, H.M. and Al-Garbee, A.I. and Alexiou, A. and Papadakis, M (2022) 'The phytochemical profiling, pharmacological activities, and safety of Malva sylvestris: a review', Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology, 396(3), pp. 421--440. doi:10.1007/s00210-022-02329-w Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-022-02329-w
Generated automatically from the Omnia Sana plant database and its cited sources. For educational purposes only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants.