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Dietary supplement

Marshmallow Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Herbalist & Alchemist

Liquid Category: Botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Marshmallow is a dietary supplement by Herbalist & Alchemist with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for cough and sore throat, dry mouth and throat irritation, digestive upset and heartburn.Based on those ingredients, 2,040 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are dried Marshmallow root extract. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Marshmallow by Herbalist & Alchemist

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This liquid contains one active ingredient: dried marshmallow root extract. Marshmallow root has been used traditionally to soothe irritated tissues and support digestive and respiratory comfort.

The product also includes distilled water and ethyl alcohol as inactive ingredients that help deliver the extract.

Does it work?

Not established
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Not established

The graded evidence we hold for these ingredients covers different conditions than the ones this product is marketed for, so there's no established rating for its stated use — see Marshmallow's own graded uses on its monograph.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: balances gastric and intestinal mucous membranes.
  • We looked for evidence on: Constipation, Diarrhea, digestive inflammation, gastric irritation, intestinal irritation.
  • The closest evidence on file: Marshmallow is rated "Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate" for Constipation (Natural Medicines).
  • Also on file: Marshmallow is rated "Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate" for Diarrhea.

The evidence we hold rates marshmallow's effectiveness as insufficient to make a clear recommendation for the conditions it's used for—diarrhea, vaginal yeast infections, eczema, ulcers, and respiratory infections among them. That doesn't mean it doesn't work; it means rigorous human trials haven't been done or are too small to draw firm conclusions.

If you're considering this for a specific health issue, talk with your doctor or pharmacist about whether the evidence supports a trial.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Marshmallow

How safe is it?

Some data gaps
Safety Information · database check
Some gaps

Safety data exists for these ingredients, but with some important gaps.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 0 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Marshmallow is generally well tolerated for short-term use, though human safety data are limited. We don't have enough reliable information to say it's safe during pregnancy, so it's best avoided if you're pregnant.

The same applies to breastfeeding—there isn't enough data to know either way. If you're pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking this product.

No serious adverse effects were reported in the data we hold.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Marshmallow

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Marshmallow.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: anticoagulant / antiplatelet drugs; lithium.
  • For scale: 2,041 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Before taking this product, check with your pharmacist or doctor if you're on lithium—the interaction is Moderate, and your dose may need adjusting. Also mention it if you take blood thinners, antiplatelet drugs like aspirin, or any oral medications, since marshmallow may affect how they're absorbed.

The easiest step: use the medication checker on this page to verify your specific drugs.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with no established evidence rating for its marketed use. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and some safety-information gaps remain.

Marshmallow root extract is traditionally used to soothe irritation in the gut and throat, but the evidence for specific conditions is still unclear. The main caution is with lithium and other oral medications.

If you take either, clear marshmallow with your own doctor or pharmacist first. For most other people with no medication interactions, short-term use appears well tolerated, though long-term safety data are sparse.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Mar 23, 2018.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Marshmallow, straight from the product label.

Brand Herbalist & Alchemist
Barcode (UPC) 667056119430
Net contents 2 fl. Oz.; 60 mL
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Mar 23, 2018
DSLD ID 174434
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Liquid
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years), Kosher, Organic
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Marshmallow by Herbalist & Alchemist, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
3 mL
Maximum serving Sizes:
5 mL
Servings per container
12
UPC/BARCODE
667056119430
IngredientAmount% DV
dried Marshmallow root extract5 mL--

Other ingredients: distilled Water, Ethyl Alcohol

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Formula

Althaea officinalis

OK

General Statements

Balances gastric and intestinal mucous membranes

Botanical preparation ratio 1:7

FDA Statement of Identity

Herbal Supplement

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Suggested Use: 60-100 drops (3-5 mL) in juice or water. Take 4 times per day. Shake well before using.

Precautions

Keep out of children's reach

FDA Disclaimer Statement

This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

General

NO. MMW-2 1731TU

Seals/Symbols

OK

See for yourself

Marshmallow by Herbalist & Alchemist label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Marshmallow by Herbalist & Alchemist

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size3 mL Dosage formLiquid Servings per container12 Amounts shown are per serving.

Dried Marshmallow root extract

Interacts with
2,040 drugs
5 mL per serving

Marshmallow root is a traditional herb rich in soothing, gel-like fibers called mucilage, which is why it has long been used for coughs, sore throats,...

Dried Marshmallow root extract monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Distilled Water, Ethyl Alcohol. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Marshmallow by Herbalist & Alchemist Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Marshmallow?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
2,040Drugs
1 Moderate 2,039 Minor

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Marshmallow with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

dried Marshmallow root extract3 drug types · 2,040 drugs

Lithium

Theoretically, due to potential diuretic effects, marshmallow might reduce excretion and increase levels of lithium.
Marshmallow is thought to have diuretic properties. To avoid lithium toxicity, the dose of lithium might need to be decreased when used with marshmallow.

Likelihood Probable Evidence D
Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Theoretically, marshmallow flower might have antiplatelet effects.
Animal research suggests that marshmallow flower extract has antiplatelet effects. However, the root and leaf of marshmallow, not the flower, are the plant parts most commonly found in dietary supplements. Theoretically, use of marshmallow flower with anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs can have additive effects, and might increase the risk for bleeding in some patients.

Likelihood Unlikely Evidence D
Oral Drugs

Theoretically, mucilage in marshmallow might impair absorption of oral drugs.
Marshmallow contains mucilage which can affect oral drug absorption. To avoid changes in absorption, take marshmallow 30-60 minutes after oral medications.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Marshmallow, from the product label.

Herbalist & Alchemist

See all Herbalist & Alchemist products
Name
Herbalist & Alchemist, Inc.
City
Washington
State
NJ
ZipCode
07882
Phone Number
800-611-8235
Web Address
www.herbalist-alchemist.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Marshmallow by Herbalist & Alchemist: Common Questions

Does Marshmallow by Herbalist & Alchemist interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Marshmallow has a known interaction with 2,040 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Marshmallow contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
Is marshmallow root safe during pregnancy?
Not enough safety data exist to know either way. The facts we have advise against it in pregnancy. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking marshmallow if you're pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
Can I take marshmallow if I'm breastfeeding?
There isn't enough reliable safety information to say. It's best to avoid it while breastfeeding, or discuss it with your doctor or pharmacist first to weigh the pros and cons for your situation.
Does marshmallow actually work for sore throat or digestion?
Marshmallow root is used traditionally for both, but the evidence we hold is insufficient to rate how well it works. You might try it for short-term use since it's generally well tolerated, but talk with your doctor if symptoms don't improve.
Should I take marshmallow away from my other medications?
Yes. The mucilage in marshmallow can interfere with how your body absorbs oral drugs. Take marshmallow at least 30–60 minutes after any other medications to minimize this effect. If you take lithium, mention marshmallow to your prescriber first.
What's in this liquid besides the marshmallow extract?
The product contains distilled water and ethyl alcohol to deliver the extract. These are inactive ingredients and serve as the liquid base.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Not sure if Marshmallow is safe with your meds?

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Ask a pharmacist

Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Marshmallow label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Marshmallow's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 5 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Marshmallow 5 references
  1. Monographs on the medicinal uses of plant drugs. Exeter, UK: European Scientific Co-op Phytother, 1997.
  2. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
  3. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  4. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
  5. Hage-Sleiman R, Mroueh M, Daher CF. Pharmacological evaluation of aqueous extract of Althaea officinalis flower grown in Lebanon. Pharm Biol 2011;49(3):327-33.

See these in context on the Marshmallow monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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