Marshmallow Root

Althaea officinalis · Althaea root

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Oral or pharyngeal irritation¹ Dry cough^{2, 3} Mild gastrointestinal discomfort¹ Atopic dermatitis (topical)⁴ Vulvovaginal candidiasis (adjunct)⁵ Acute tonsillitis symptoms⁶	Hypersensitivity to marshmallow root¹ Pregnancy or nursing⁷

Marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis) is a mucilage-rich herb whose polysaccharides carry antitussive activity⁸. It is taken as a demulcent, a soothing preparation for irritated mucosa.¹ In the European Union (EU) herbal monograph, traditional use covers oral or pharyngeal irritation with dry cough and mild gastrointestinal discomfort¹. The monograph's gastrointestinal indication is also traditional use¹. Topical use for skin and vaginal conditions has also been tested.

Human research is limited to about four small trials, covering tonsillitis in children, atopic dermatitis, vulvovaginal candidiasis, and breast engorgement. For dry cough, a review reports support from animal and clinical studies of marshmallow extract. Users of an aqueous root extract reported rapid symptom relief and good tolerability in non-interventional surveys. The EU monograph rests on long-standing use rather than trials¹. A 2023 randomized trial in women with vulvovaginal candidiasis found that adding marshmallow extract cream to clotrimazole cream reduced itching more than clotrimazole alone, and its authors call for larger trials⁵. Many products list marshmallow root, spanning liquid extracts, capsules, and powders; see Form comparison.

The one contraindication in the EU monograph is hypersensitivity to the plant¹. Per the monograph, absorption of concomitant medicines may be delayed, and it advises separating marshmallow root from other medicinal products by half an hour to an hour¹.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

30 sources, 15 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources