Althaea officinalis

Mtaea officinalis

Perennial herbaceous plant of the Malvian family. It grows in river floodplains in the European part of Russia, in Western and Eastern Siberia. His homeland, most likely, the countries of the Caspian Sea, the Black Sea and the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. As a medicinal plant is known since ancient times.

Description: a beautiful upright bush reaches a height of 1.5 m. It has a powerful root system consisting of a thick short rhizome, the main lignified root penetrating to a depth of more than 2 m, and lateral fleshy roots. Stems single, or they can be 6-10, weakly branched. Leaves alternate, on petioles, upper whole, ovate, middle and lower three- and five-tylate with elongated apex, along margin crenate-dentate. Flowers five-membered, regular, pink or white-pink, axillary, have a weak odor. Blossoms from June to September. The fruit is flat, discoid, many-seeded, ripens in July-October.

Types of the althea drug - althae Armenian ( A armeniaca Tep.),

altey taurine ( A. taurinen-sis DC.) and marshmallow ( A. cannabina) - grow in the Caucasus.

Composition: the roots contain mucous substances that determine the healing properties of the althea. In addition, the roots have a lot of starch, cane sugar and pectin substances.

Cultivation: prefers sunny warm patches with moist heavy soils -

mi. In general, a rather demanding plant. Reproduction is carried out by cuttings and sowing in the spring, on a fairly wide area( an average of 80 x 50 cm).

Collection: the roots are harvested early in the spring( March-May) before the intensive vegetation starts or in the fall( September-November).The dug roots are shaken off the ground, the stems and small roots are cut off, quickly washed in cold, preferably running water, without allowing mucus. Then they are cut into pieces with a length of 10-20 cm, and thick pieces are also along along 2-4 parts, and dried, first having been cleaned from rough cork skin. Dry raw materials can be in a warm ventilated room at a temperature of 35-40 ° C, in good weather - outdoors, in the open air. Keep it in a dry place, otherwise it quickly molds.

Medicinal properties: has anti-inflammatory, softening, enveloping and expectorant properties. It is prescribed mainly for catarrhal conditions of the pharynx and respiratory tract, inflammation of the urinary tract, acute inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. Mucous substances reduce inflammation in ulcerative processes.

Application: the dried roots of the drug althea are used in the form of powder, infusion or syrup. At home, cooked decoctions. It has a calming, healing and smoothing effect on cracked and inflamed skin, which is why it is often part of cosmetic creams, milks and lotions.