MARSHMALLOW Root (Althea officinalis) *Full of fabulous mucilage for optimal gut-soothing

Benefits of Marshmallow Root for Horses

Soft, soothing, and full of fabulous mucilage - marshmallow root wraps the gut in gentle relief.

Please note this is a nutritional, functional horse food supplement and not veterinary medicine. For more on this, see Dr Kellon's Horse Sense - Nutrition is not 'Alternative' Therapy.

Find Marshmallow Root in the EquiNatural range

Here’s where you’ll also find Marshmallow Root in our supplement support for horses:

• CalmTonic - natural organic calm for high-stress situations
• GutAminos - deep-level nutrition to nourish the gut’s natural barrier
• KolicTonic - colic digestive support
• UlsaTonic / UlsaCOMBO - supports Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS)

Feed Guide

💧Organic Marshmallow Root Tincture

Our human-grade, certified organic tinctures give you a ready-to-absorb potent source of phytonutrients at the highest-strength available, for immediate absorption straight into the bloodstream and to the body’s cells.

• Althea officinalis Radix
• Cold Macerated 1:3 35%
• Organic Cultivated

~ Feed Guide - marshmallow root tincture for horses

• 6ml/100kg bodyweight, daily in feed.

🌿Organic Ground Marshmallow Root

Grown, harvested and dried without the use of agri-chemicals, non-irradiated and GMO free - see our Quality page for Quality Management & Certification Documents.

• Althea officinalis Radix, Ground
• Wild Harvested
• Origin Albania

~ Feed Guide - ground marshmallow root for horses

• 5g/100kg bodyweight per day, i.e. 25g for a 500kg horse.

Footnotes

• Laboratory tested for identification and compliance to the British and European Pharmacopoeia standards.
• Human grade.
• Please be aware that if you're purchasing our dried botanicals for human use, our dried range is cut to appropriate sizes for feeding to horses.
• ♻️ Eco Note: Our packaging is recyclable and refillable.
• 🧊 Storage Tip: Keep cool and dry.

Functional Nutritional Value

Constituents: Mucilage, starch, pectin, flavonoids, phenolic acids, sucrose, asparagine, tannins.

Clinical Considerations

• Always seek veterinary advice for pregnant/nursing mares before feeding.
• Marshmallow's high mucilage levels may inhibit absorption of pharma drugs taken simultaneously.

Marshmallow Root in History & Tradition

Soft, silky, and soothing, marshmallow root( Althaea officinalis ) is the plant that inspired the original marshmallow sweet. And it makes sense - this herb is all about softness. Its velvety leaves, delicate flowers, and gooey, mucilage-rich roots are nature’s answer to irritation and inflammation, wrapping everything they touch in a protective, cooling hug.

The ancients adored marshmallow. Egyptian healers, Greek physicians, Roman herbalists, and Middle Eastern traditions all celebrated its ability to calm sore throats, soothe coughs, and ease digestive upset. Pliny himself proclaimed that “ whosoever shall take a spoonful of mallows shall that day be free from all diseases. ” (A bold claim, but it shows how highly it was prized!)

Culpeper praised it in 1653 for helping with “ all hot and sharp diseases, ” while Dr. Ellingwood, writing in 1919, noted its soothing effect on the intestines and bladder. From cough syrups to gut tonics, marshmallow has always been a go-to herb of comfort.

Why herbalists still love it

The magic of marshmallow lies in its mucilage - a gel-like substance released when steeped in water. This makes it:

• Demulcent – coating and soothing sore throats, dry coughs, and irritated lungs.
• Gut-friendly – easing acid reflux, ulcers, IBS, and inflammation in the GI tract.
• Cooling + moistening – perfect for hot, dry, irritated conditions inside or out.
• Diuretic – gently supporting kidney and bladder health.

Interestingly, the root is richer in mucilage, making it more useful for gut health, while the leaf is often chosen for respiratory complaints.

From food to pharmacy

Marshmallow wasn’t always 'just' a herb. For centuries it was eaten as food - high in calcium and rich in trace minerals like magnesium, selenium, and iron. Even today, some herbal traditions still treat it as both food and medicine.

And of course, it gave us the marshmallow sweet - though modern marshmallows are sadly more sugar than plant!

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