Omnia SanaSymptom → Plant Sources
Marshmallow Root (Althaea officinalis) and Cough: evidence and sources
Antitussive (calms dry, irritating cough) - in animal studies the root rhamnogalacturonan suppresses the cough reflex dose-dependently, comparably to codeine, via 5-HT2 receptors rather than bronchodilation; Demulcent for irritation of the mouth or throat and associated dry cough (mucilage coats and soothes)
For educational purposes only, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants, especially alongside prescribed medication, during pregnancy, or for a serious condition.
Althaea officinalis has been traditionally used for management of cough and other respiratory problems. The aim of this review article was to evaluate its efficacy in modern research according to its traditional beliefs. All information was extracted from scientific resources of PubMed Central, ScienceDirect, Wiley, Springer, SID, accessible books, reports, and theses. The results of animal and clinical studies confirmed the efficacy of A. officinalis extracts alone in treatment of dry cough, while combination of A. officinalis with Zataria multiflora, Zingiber officinalis, or Helix hedera increased the efficacy of A. officinalis and improved all kinds of cough. Different mechanisms are involved in expectorant and antitussive effects of A. officinalis in treatment of cough. Therefore, A. officinalis in combination with other plant extracts in different forms of drug could be a good choice for cough, sore throat, and other respiratory ailments.
Aim The presented studies were aimed on experimental confirmation of Althaea officinalis polysaccharide rhamnogalacturonan antitussive effect and its changes in conditions of allergic inflammation. Methods We have tested whether rhamnogalacturonan inhibits cough reflex and modulates airways reactivity of guinea pigs in vivo. The cough in guinea pigs was induced by 0.3 M citric acid (CA) aerosol for 3 min interval, in which total number of cough efforts (sudden enhancement of expiratory flow accompanied by cough movement and sound) was counted. Specific airway resistance and its changes induced by citric acid aerosol were considered as an indicator of the in vivo reactivity changes. Results 1) Althaea officinalis polysaccharide rhamnogalacturonan dose- dependently inhibits cough reflex in unsensitized guinea pigs. Simultaneously, plant polysaccharide shortened the duration of antitussive effect when it was been tested in inflammatory conditions. 2) Rhamnogalacturonan did not influence airways reactivity in vivo conditions expressed as specific resistance values neither sensitized nor unsensitized groups of animals. 3) The antitussive activity of codeine (dose 10 mg.kg(-1) b.w. orally) tested under the same condition was comparable to higher dose of rhamnogalacturonan in unsensitized animals. 4) The characteristic cellular pattern of allergic airways inflammation was confirmed by histopathological investigations. Conclusion Rhamnogalacturonan isolated from Althaea officinalis mucilage possesses very high cough suppressive effect in guinea pigs test system, which is shortened in conditions of experimentally induced airways allergic inflammation (Tab. 1, Fig. 4, Ref. 25). Full Text in free PDF www.bmj.sk.
The rhamnogalacturonan, isolated from the roots of medicinal plant Althaea officinalis L., showed various biological effects on the citric acid-induced cough reflex and reactivity of airways smooth muscle in vitro and in vivo conditions. It possessed dose-dependent cough suppression effect comparable with opioid agonist codeine. However, reactivity of the airways smooth muscle, measured in vitro as well as in vivo conditions was not significantly affected by rhamnogalacturonan and thus bronchodilatory activity did not participate in the cough suppression effect of polysaccharide tested. Moreover, the cough suppression effect of the polymer was not significantly modified by pretreatment of K(+)(ATP) ion channels with selective antagonist and therefore activation of this type of ion channels is not involved in the mechanism of rhamnogalacturonan cough suppressive ability. On the contrary, pretreatment of animals with selective 5-HT(2) receptors antagonist significantly decreased rhamnogalacturonan antitussive efficacy. From this point of view it seems that the cough suppression effect of the polymer is associated with the serotonergic 5-HT(2) receptor's function.
5 sources supporting Marshmallow Root for Cough. Includes scientific publications, books, monographs and traditional-use references.
Mechanistic basis
This use is associated with the plant's demulcent (soothing mucilage) action. Further evidence for that pharmacology:
Introduction: Althaea officinalis L.'s root extract (REA) has been used as a medicinal plant since ancient times to treat a cough. Applying REA leads to a protective film that induces a faster regeneration of the lesioned laryngopharyngeal mucosa caused by dry coughs. The buccopharyngeal mucosa is a highly vascularized tissue. In this regard, anti-inflammatory/-oxidant phytochemicals that improve the repair of the lesion site, e.g., neovascularization in the wound, are critical for promoting healing. For this reason, it is essential to investigate the effects of Phytohustil ® and REA on different cellular components of the mucosa under conditions similar to those found in the injured mucosa. Thus, this in vitro study investigated the anti-inflammatory/oxidative and pro-migratory properties of Phytohustil ® cough syrup on vascular endothelial cells. Methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were pretreated (24 h) with Phytohustil ® , its excipients, or REA, followed by incubation with hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ; 1 h; pro-oxidative) or with lipopolysaccharides (LPS; 3 h; pro-inflammatory). Viability and cytotoxicity were measured by PrestoBlue ® assay. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were quantified with 20-70-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA). The release of interleukin 6 (IL6) was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The migratory capacity of HUVEC was measured using a scratch assay. Results: Our results show that Phytohustil ® , its excipients and REA were not cytotoxic. Pretreatment of HUVEC (24 h) with Phytohustil ® or REA inhibited the LPS-activated IL6 release. Phytohustil ® or REA inhibited the H 2 O 2 -induced cytotoxicity and intracellular ROS production. Phytohustil ® and REA significantly stimulated wound closure compared to the control. Conclusion: Our data show that Phytohustil ® and REA have anti-inflammatory/-oxidant properties and improve the migratory capacity of vascular endothelial cells. These properties may contribute to the healing characteristics of Phytohustil ® and support the benefit of Phytohustil ® in patient's treatment of irritated oral mucosa.