Saturday, March 8, 2008

Mallow As Alternative Medicine

Mallow As Alternative Medicine

Since the times of ancient Greece and Rome mallow has been used as an alternative medicine and as a food. Hippocrates used it to treat blood loss and bruises. The Arabs also used its leaves as a poultice to reduce inflammation.

  1. It is a remedy for digestive complaints such as duodenal ulcers, gastroenteritis, peptic ulcers and colitis.
  2. It is effective in treating respiratory disorders such as dry coughs, larynx, bronchitis, colds and tonsils.
  3. It is a sedative for stress and anxiety.
  4. It is an effective topical treatment for boils, wounds, cuts, abscesses, varicose veins and burns.
  5. Its tea gives relief to rectum inflammation and hemorrhoids.

Mallow is generally taken internally in the form of tea, tincture and capsule. Teas can be made from the flowers, roots and leaves. For an infusion steep 2 teaspoonfuls of the dried herb in a cup of boiling water for 10 -15 minutes. Washing with mallow tea can soothe the burning and itching of skin allergies. A poultice of cayenne and mallow is effective for gangrene, eczema, bee stings and blood poisoning. Recommended dosage is one cup of tea three times a day. There are no side effects when not taken in excess.

Mallow is a very useful alternative medicine but most of us only known it to be a food and not a medicinal herb.

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