Omnia SanaSymptom → Plant Sources
Marshmallow Root (Althaea officinalis) and Sore throat: evidence and sources
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.
← Back to Symptom-to-Plant Lookup
Full Marshmallow Root monograph →All plants for sore throat →
1 source supporting Marshmallow Root for Sore throat. 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:
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.
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.