Marshmallow Root

In medieval times when a person stood accused of a crime, in order to prove their innocence the accused had to hold a red-hot iron bar. They were considered innocent if the person suffered no serious burns. Accounts from the Middle Ages state that anointing the palms with an ointment made from marshmallow would allow the accused, innocent or guilty, to remain unburned.

 Marshmallow has been used since 200BC under its Greek name, Althea which means ‘to heal’. It comes from the Greek word malake or ‘soft’ referring to the soft character of the plant. Hippocrates described the value of marshmallow in the treatment of wound.