Marshmallow is a perennial medicinal herb. For medicinal purposes, it finds its application as a plant containing mucus. Its most valuable parts are the root and rhizome. They have been used in medicine for more than one hundred years. The modern pharmacological industry produces various preparations from Althea, which are used both as internal and external agents.
These drugs are able to produce an enveloping effect on the lesions of the mucous membranes, stay on them for a long time and directly participate in processes that reduce inflammatory plaque and relieve pain.
Warns the drug and further irritation. The action of these drugs extinguishes the inflammatory process and accelerates tissue repair. The mucus contained in the preparations of Althea is able to slow down the absorption of various drugs into the body, which increases the time of their exposure and therapeutic effect. The emollient properties of the plant are used in dietary nutrition. Mucus can soothe excruciating cough and stomach pains, as well as promote sputum removal.
The most widely known is marshmallow syrup, the instructions for use of which introduce us to this drug. The composition of this therapeutic agent includes dry extract of the marshmallow root, in the amount of two grams. To improve the taste, ninety-eight grams of sugar syrup is added. Externally, this drug is a thick liquid with a yellow-brown color and a specific smell.
Marshmallow syrup, the instructions for use of which describe its main pharmacological properties, finds its application as a drug with an expectorant, emollient and anti-inflammatory effect. The main active substances that are part of medicinal raw materials are:
pectin, starch, mucus - contribute to the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, expectorant and softening effect;
Betaine - normalizes lipid metabolism in the liver;
Asparagine - has a cardioprotective property;
Minerals and vitamins - normalize the metabolism in the body;
β-phytosterol - reduces the likelihood of atherosclerosis.
Marshmallow syrup, the instructions for use of which describes its scope, is recommended for getting rid of respiratory diseases accompanied by difficult to separate sputum. Such ailments include bronchitis, tracheitis and tracheobronchitis. In addition, the healing properties of the components included in the root of the plant contribute to the cure for flu and colds, for pertussis and cough, and also find their application in the treatment of throat.
Althea syrup, the instruction for use of which warns of possible undesirable effects, can cause various kinds of allergic reactions. Patients with diabetes should be careful when using this medication. If there is an individual susceptibility to the components of the syrup, its use should be discarded. An overdose of the drug causes vomiting and nausea, to get rid of which it is necessary to carry out a gastric lavage procedure and stop taking the medicine. Together with other drugs that have an antitussive effect with codeine content, the syrup is not prescribed, since its use in this case will prevent the coughing up of separated sputum.
Marshmallow syrup is recommended for children with coughs, bronchitis, laryngitis and tracheitis. This drug is very popular in pediatrics, due to its taste. Treatment with them is quite effective, due to the enveloping and mild effect on inflammatory foci.
Althea syrup during pregnancy is recommended as a drug from plant materials. Instructions for using the product indicate a lack of data on his taking the medicine while the baby is waiting. Recommendations for the use of syrup should be given by a specialist.