Altea

Althaea officinalis L.

Altea is a perennial plant with a sturdy stem, is widespread in northern and central Italy, prefers moist, cool places and the vicinity of waterways. It arrived in Europe from the distant plains of Asia more than two thousand years ago and has found in the Italian territory an excellent place to thrive. Throughout the Middle Ages it was one of the most widely used and exploited plants in monasteries. The parts used are the root harvested in autumn and the flowers in July and August. It is a plant rich in mucilage, mineral salts, Vit.C, glycosides, flavonoids and has cough sedative, emollient and soothing properties. 

It manifests positive action on the well-being of the throat and respiratory system. The macerate of the fresh root, which we use in our products, yields a considerable amount of mucilage, i.e., mucopolysaccharide components that have a soothing and inflammatory effect on the mucous membranes; this is particularly useful for sedating irritative, dry, constipated coughs, which are often resistant to any pharmacological treatment; by thickening the finished product, it also has the effect of increasing the contact of the mucous membranes of the first airways with the active components and thus enhancing the health-promoting activity of the same. Some studies have shown immunostimulant and anti-inflammatory properties.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Franz G (1966). Die Schleimpolysaccharide von Althaea officinalis und Malva silvestris. Planta Med., 14: 90-110.

Gudej J (1989). Determination of flavonoids in leaves, flowers and roots of Althaea officinalis L. Pharm. Pol., 46: 153-155.

Ionkova I (1992). Alternative sources of biological active substances from Althaea officinalis L. var. Rusalka. CR Acad. Bulg. Sci., 9: 137- 141.

Scheffer J, Wagner H, Proksch A (1991). Radix althaeae und Flores chamomillae Extrakte auf Entzündungsreaktionen humaner neutrophiler Granulozyten, Monozyten und Rattenmastzellen. In: Abstracts of the Third Phytotherapy Congress. Lübeck-Travemünde: Abstract P9.

Nosal'ova G, Saab BR, Pashayan N, El CS (1992). Antitussive efficacy of the complex extract and the polysaccharide of marshmallow (Althaea officinalis L. var. Robusta). Pharm., 47: 224-226

Hage-Sleiman R, Mroueh M, Daher CR. 2011. Pharmacological evaluation of aqueous extract of Althaea officinalis flower grown in Lebanon. Pharm Biol, 49: 327-333.