Symptom → Plant Sources
Mallow (Malva sylvestris) as a tool for helping with Skin irritation
Soothes irritated and inflamed skin and mucous membranes
A topical Malva sylvestris preparation reduced chronic skin inflammation in a preclinical model relevant to psoriasis, decreasing inflammatory infiltrate and oedema, supporting the use of common mallow for inflammatory skin conditions.
2 sources supporting Mallow for Skin irritation. Includes scientific publications, books, monographs and traditional-use references.
Mechanistic basis
This use is associated with the plant's anti-inflammatory, demulcent (soothing mucilage) actions. Further evidence for that pharmacology:
Malva sylvestris L., is commonly referred to as Mallow and is found in Europe, Asia and Africa. This has been traditionally used for inflammation, gastrointestinal disturbances, skin disorders, menstrual pains, and urological disorders. This review covers phytoconstituents and Pharmacological activities of M. sylvestris . The plant contains a large number of phytochemical constituents having diverse pharmacological activities. The plant contains many phenolic compounds responsible for its strong antioxidant activity. Coumarins from Mallow have a potential anticancer activity. Malva sylvestris also contains essential as well as non-essential elements and minerals. Many researchers have provided evidence that Malva sylvestris is a good candidate for use as a medicinal herb and has good nutritional value. The leaves, in particular, offer properties like anticancer, skin whitening, and anti-aging. Furthermore, the aqueous extract was recently shown to have an anti-ulcerogenic effect. Malva sylvestris has a high potential for use in cosmetics such as skin whitening and anti-aging treatments. Methanolic extracts of Malva sylvestris leaves, and flowers showed strong antibacterial activity against a common plant pathogen bacterium. The plant also contains Malvone A, which is responsible for antibacterial action. The plant also possesses anti-inflammatory, analgesic, wound healing properties and various other activities.
Malva sylvestris is a plant commonly found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. The leaves and flowers of this plant have been used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat various ailments such as cough, cold, diarrhoea, and constipation. Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were used to search for relevant material on the phytochemical profiling and pharmacologic activities of Malva sylvestris. The techniques used in phytochemical profiling and the pharmacologic activity of each compound were extracted from the included studies, including in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. The phytochemical analysis of Malva sylvestris revealed that the leaves and flowers are the most commonly used parts of the plant and contain various bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, mucilages, terpenoids, phenol derivatives, coumarins, sterols, tannins, saponins, and alkaloids. These phytochemicals are responsible for the many pharmacological activities of Malva sylvestris, such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, laxative, antiproliferative and antioxidant properties. This review has presented an overview of the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities and the cytotoxic effects of Malva sylvestris on different types of cancer cells. It has also summarised the work on developing copper oxide nanoparticles using Malva sylvestris leaf extract and its potential use in food and medicine. This review aims to highlight the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and safety of Malva sylvestris.
This review of common mallow (Malva sylvestris) summarises its ethnobotanical uses and scientific evidence, including its demulcent, emollient, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and laxative properties and its mucilage and phenolic constituents.
Malva sylvestris extract alleviated astrogliosis and neuro-inflammatory stress in LPS-induced depression model mice, reducing pro-inflammatory markers in the brain, demonstrating an anti-inflammatory effect of common mallow.
In an in vitro oral infection model, Malva sylvestris extract inhibited the inflammatory response of human cells, down-regulating pro-inflammatory cytokines, demonstrating an anti-inflammatory effect relevant to oral and mucosal inflammation.
In vitro, Malva sylvestris extract showed antioxidant, wound-healing and anti-inflammatory properties relevant to dry-eye disease, protecting ocular surface cells, illustrating the soothing, anti-inflammatory action of common mallow on irritated mucosa.
Malva sylvestris extract suppressed desferrioxamine-induced PGE2 and PGD2 release in differentiated U937 cells, providing a mechanistic basis (prostaglandin inhibition) for the anti-inflammatory use of common mallow.