| Botanical Name | Althaea officinalis L. | Origin | Iran |
| Family & Genus | Malvaceae, Althaea genus | Parts of Plant | Root |
| Agriculture | Conventional | Manufacturing Method | Direct collection |
| Appearance | Dried root long‑cylindrical, 10‑30 cm long, 0.5‑2 cm diameter. Light‑brown‑tan outer surface with deep longitudinal wrinkles. Tough fibrous texture. Fracture white‑pale yellow‑white, starchy, mucilage exudes at breakage. | Odour | very faint aroma, mild hay‑starchy‑tea‑like note. Virtually no floral or candy‑sweet scent. Mucilaginous texture when chewed, slightly sweet taste |
| Specific Components | Mucilage polysaccharides 5‑35 % (galacturonic acid, arabinose, rhamnose etc.), pectin, starch 25‑35 %, sucrose.Minor: flavonoids (kaempferol, quercetin), phenolic acids, phytosterols. | ||
Marshmallow Roots
Marshmallow, perennial herb of Malvaceae family, thriving in damp marshlands and river‑bank habitats. Dried taproots from 2‑3‑year‑old plants are commercially used. Rich in mucilage, traditionally applied in European, West‑Asian and Central‑Asian herbal medicine and herbal teas. Widely used as soothing cosmetic raw material.
