Marshmallow extract – a systematic review for use in irritable cough

Irritative cough is common during the cold season, and aqueous extracts of marshmallow root are used for the treatment of this condition since ancient times and is also described in several monographs. It therefore seems important to summarise the presently available data on its use in patients. For this purpose, a systematic literature search was conducted in medical-scientific databases, supplemented by cross referencing.

Regarding studies on therapeutic use, a placebo-controlled trial on patients with irritable cough induced by ACE inhibitors was identified [1], in which a significant effect was described. A herbal medicine containing an aqueous extract of marshmallow, STW 42, four non-interventional studies (NIS) were identified for use in cold-related irritable cough [2] [3] [4] [5], including 599 and 313 children, respectively 822 and 126 patients of all age groups. Tolerability ranged from very good to good, as was the patients’ assessments of the effect, with rapid onset of action, usually within a few minutes.

In summary, the real world evidence documented in the present NIS provides very good evidence of the high value of marshmallow extracts in the treatment of irritable cough.

Acknowledgements: Special thanks to Kooperation Phytopharmaka, Bonn and to Ralph Mösges, Esther Raskopf and Kija Shah Hosseini, Cologne as well as to Alexa Göpfert, Darmstadt, Germany.

 

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• References

• 1 Rouhi H, Ganji F., Pak J. Nutr 2007; 6: 256-8
• 2 Bässler D.. Steigerwald Arzneimittelwerk GmbH 2005
• 3 Fasse M, Zieseniss E, Bässler D.. Paed 2005; 11: 3-8
• 4 Fink C. et al. Complement Med Res 2018; 25 (05) 299-305
• 5 Möller J. et al. ZPT 2019; 40: S35-S36

Publication History

Article published online:
16 November 2023