Herb Descriptions:  M - N
(In alphabetical order, scroll down the page)

      Marshmallow:  Botanical name: Althea officinalis.  The marshmallow plant thrives in wet areas and grows primarily in marshes. Originally from Europe, it now grows in the United States as well. The root and leaves are used medicinally.

Marshmallow has been used in connection with asthma, the common cold/sore throat, cough, Crohn’s disease, diarrhea, gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), indigestion, abnormal pap smear, peptic ulcer, and ulcerative colitis.

Marshmallow (not to be confused with confectionery marshmallows) has long been used by herbalists to treat coughs and sore throats.  Due to its high mucilage content, this plant is soothing to inflamed mucous membranes. Marshmallow is also used by herbalists to soothe chapped skin, chilblains (sores caused by exposure to cold), and minor wounds.

Active constituents: Mucilage, made up of large carbohydrate (sugar) molecules, is though to be the active constituent in marshmallow. This smooth, slippery substance is believed to soothe and protect irritated mucous membranes. Marshmallow has primarily been used as a traditional herbal soothing agent for conditions of the respiratory and digestive tracts.

The German Commission E monograph suggests 1 1/4 teaspoon (6 grams) of the root per day. Marshmallow can be made into a hot or cold water tea. Often 2–3 teaspoons (10–15 grams) of the root and/or leaves are used per cup (250 ml) of water. Generally, a full day’s amount is steeped overnight when making a cold water tea, 6–9 teaspoons (30–45 grams) per three cups (750 ml) of water, or for fifteen to twenty minutes in hot water. Drink three to five cups (750–1250 ml) a day. Since the plant is so gooey, it does not combine well with other plants. Nevertheless, it can be found in some herbal cough syrups. Herbal extracts in capsules and tablets providing 5–6 grams of marshmallow per day can also be used, or it may be taken as a tincture—1–3 teaspoons (5–15 ml) three times daily.

Marshmallow is generally safe with only rare allergic reactions reported.  At the time of writing, there were no well-known drug interactions with marshmallow.

      Meadowsweet:  Botanical name: Filipendula ulmaria.  Meadowsweet is found in northern and southern Europe, North America, and northern Asia. The flowers and flowering top are primarily used in herbal preparations, although there are some historical references to using the root.  Meadowsweet is used to treat the common cold, influenza, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Meadowsweet was used historically by herbalists for a wide variety of conditions, including treating rheumatic complaints of the joints and muscles.   Nicholas Culpeper, a 17th-century English pharmacist, mentioned its use to help break fevers and promote sweating during a cold or flu. Traditional herbal references also indicate its use as a diuretic for people with poor urinary flow. It was also thought to have antacid properties and was used by herbalists to treat stomach complaints, including heartburn.

Active constituents: While the flowers are high in flavonoids, the primary constituents in meadowsweet are the salicylates, including salicin, salicylaldehyde, and methyl salicylate.  In the digestive tract, these compounds are oxidized into salicylic acid, a substance that is closely related to aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid). While not as potent as willow, which has a higher salicin content, the salicylates in meadowsweet may give it a mild anti-inflammatory effect and ability to reduce fevers during a cold or flu. However, this role is only based on historical use and knowledge of the chemistry of meadowsweet’s constituents, and to date, no human trials have examined the therapeutic potential of meadowsweet.

The German Commission E monograph recommends 2.5–3.5 grams of the flower or 4–5 grams of the herb—often in a tea or infusion—per day.  Unfortunately, to achieve an aspirin-like effect, one would realistically need to consume about 50–60 grams of meadowsweet daily. This means that willow bark extracts standardized to salicin are a far more practical as a potential herbal substitute for aspirin for minor aches and pains or mild fevers. Tinctures, 2–4 ml three times per day, may alternatively be used.

People with sensitivity to aspirin should avoid the use of meadowsweet. It should not be used to lower fevers in children as it may possibly lead to Reye’s syndrome.  Certain medications may interact with meadowsweet. Refer to the drug interactions safety check for a list of those medications.

      Milk Thistle: The seeds, fruit, and leaves of Milk Thistle have been used since the Roman times as a liver tonic. Also known as Marian, St. Mary's, and Our Lady's thistle, the herb is native to Europe. Originating in the Mediterranean region and grown and used as a vegetable throughout Europe, it was brought to the United States and has adapted to life in the wild in California and along the East Coast. It is a tall plant with large prickly leaves and a reddish purple flower. The white spots along the ribs of the leaves were said to have been drops of the Virgin Mary's milk. The medicinal use of milk thistle goes back two thousand years. Medieval herbalists also made use of this, and in the sixteenth century English herbalists adopted it. It did not maintain its popularity, however, and by the early twentieth century only homeopaths were familiar with it. With a renewal of interest in herbal medicines, researchers started to investigate milk thistle scientifically in the 1950s. The part of the plant that is used is the small hard fruit, without the fuzz, and the seeds, which contain fatty acids and flavonoids.

Milk Thistle helps maintain healthy liver function. This is important because the liver performs more than 500 functions in the body per day and is the last line of defense in handling toxins. The liver detoxifies poisons (such as alcohol and pollutants) that enter our bloodstream. Milk Thistle's silymarin stimulates the flow of bile from the liver, the primary function of which breaks down poisons and fats. This herb is generally highly recommended by herbalists as a "staple" in the herbal medicinal chest.

Milk Thistle extracts contain 70 to 80% silymarin. Many clinical studies have shown silymarin has therapeutic effects in treating several types of liver disorders such as cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, and fatty infiltration of the liver. Milk thistle is used to treat a number of liver conditions including slowing the advancement of liver cirrhosis. It may be helpful in treating Hepatitis B. It has been shown to stimulate protein synthesis within the liver, leading to tissue regeneration, fights pollutants, inhibits free-radical damage, and helps skin conditions related to poor liver function. Biopsies and laboratory studies have demonstrated that silymarin protects the liver from the damaging effects of alcohol and toxic chemicals and stimulates the production of new liver cells to replace damaged ones. Silymarin may also help prevent or treat gallstones by increasing the solubility of the bile. Milk thistle extracts have shown very low toxicity, even when taken over a long period of time however, any serious medical condition requires professional care and anyone being treated for liver ailments should ask their doctor prior to taking any herb or herbal preparation.

The herb has also been used historically to treat depression and to increase breast milk production. Today it is a staple of alternative medicine for pregnant and nursing mothers. However, pregnant women and nursing mothers should also always seek professional guidance prior to using any herb or supplement.

Milk thistle should not be administered as a tea or as dried herb because silymarin is neither water-soluble nor readily absorbed from the intestinal tract. Proprietary products standardized to 70 percent silymarin are utilized in Europe at a usual dose of 420 mg daily. Treatment normally lasts four to eight weeks at a minimum. Trials of three and six months are common.

      Mullien:  (pronounce Mullen)  It grows almost everywhere, has velvety leaves, a rodlike stem and beautiful yellow flowers. Mullein has a long medicinal herbal history.  Early on, this herb attained a reputation as a respiratory remedy.  Native Americans used to inhale smoking leaves to relieve congestion.  Research says it soothes not only the respiratory tract but also the digestive system.  You can also crush a few leaves in your hand and apply it on stings and scrapes as a poultice. It's soothing. 

To brew a medicinal cup of tea, use 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried leaves per cup of boiling water. Steep for ten minutes. Drink up to three cups per day. Mullein has a bitter taste, so add sugar or honey and lemon, or mix it with other herbs. In a tincture, take 1/2 to 1 teaspoon up to three times a day. Considered a safe herb, there have been no reports of mullein causing adverse effects.

      Myrrh:  Botanical name: Commiphora molmol.  Myrrh grows as a shrub in desert regions, particularly in northeastern Africa and the Middle East. The resin obtained from the stems is used in medicinal preparations for gingivitis (periodontal disease) (as mouthwash, in combination with sage, peppermint oil, menthol, chamomile tincture, expressed juice from echinacea, clove oil, and caraway oil), canker sores, cold sores, common cold/sore throat, halitosis (rinse), infection, abnormal pap smear, and ulcerative colitis. 

In ancient times, the red-brown resin of myrrh was used to preserve mummies. It was also used as a remedy for numerous infections, including leprosy and syphilis. Myrrh was also recommended by herbalists for relief from bad breath and for dental conditions.  In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it has been used to treat bleeding disorders and wounds.

Active constituents: The three main constituents of myrrh are the resin, the gum, and the volatile oil. All are thought to be important in myrrh’s activity as an herbal medicine. The resin has reportedly been shown to kill various microbes and to stimulate macrophages (a type of white blood cell) in test tube studies.  Myrrh also has astringent properties and has a soothing effect on inflamed tissues in the mouth and throat. Studies continue on the potential anticancer and pain-relieving actions of myrrh resin.  Human clinical trials are lacking to confirm most uses of myrrh.

The German Commission E monograph recommends that persons either dab the undiluted tincture in the mouth or gargle with 5–10 drops of tincture in a glass of water three times daily.5 In addition, tincture of myrrh, 1–2 ml three times per day, can be taken. The tincture can also be applied topically for canker sores. Due to the gummy nature of the product, a tea cannot be made from myrrh. Capsules, containing up to 1 gram of resin taken three times per day, can be used as well.

No adverse effects from myrrh usage have been reported.  At the time of writing, there were no well-known drug interactions with myrrh.

      Nettle:  Botanical name: Urtica dioica.  Nettle is a leafy plant that is found in most temperate regions of the world. The Latin root of Urtica is uro, meaning “I burn,” indicative of the small stings caused by the little hairs on the leaves of this plant that burn when contact is made with the skin. The root and leaves of nettle are used in herbal medicine for benign prostatic hyperplasia (root extract), osteoarthritis, hay fever, pregnancy and postpartum support, rheumatoid arthritis, and urinary tract infection.

Nettle has a long history of use. The tough fibers from the stem have been used to make cloth and cooked nettle leaves were eaten as vegetables. From ancient Greece to the present, nettle has been documented for its traditional use in treating coughs, tuberculosis, and arthritis and in stimulating hair growth.

Active constituents: There has been a great deal of controversy regarding the identity of nettle’s active constituents. Currently, it is thought that polysaccharides (complex sugars) and lectins are probably the active constituents. Test tube studies suggest the leaf has anti-inflammatory actions. This is thought to be caused by nettle preventing the body from making inflammatory chemicals known as prostaglandins.  Nettle’s root affects hormones and proteins that carry sex hormones (such as testosterone or estrogen) in the human body. This may explain why it helps benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).  Although less frequently used alone like saw palmetto or pygeum, some limited clinical trials suggest benefit of nettle root extract for men with milder forms of BPH.

A preliminary trial reported that capsules made from freeze-dried leaves reduced sneezing and itching in people with hay fever.  Further studies are needed to confirm this finding, however.

The historical practice of intentionally applying nettle topically with the intent of causing stings to relieve arthritis has been assessed by a questionnaire in modern times.  The results found intentional nettle stings safe, except for a sometimes painful, sometimes numb rash that lasts 6–24 hours. Additional trials are required to determine if this practice is therapeutically effective.

During the allergy season, two to three 300 mg nettle leaf capsules or tablets or 2–4 ml tincture can be taken three times per day. For BPH, 120 mg of a concentrated root extract in capsules can be taken two times per day.  Many products for BPH will combine nettle root with saw palmetto or pygeum extracts. Intentional stinging with nettles should only be undertaken after consultation with a physician knowledgeable in botanical medicine.

Nettle may cause mild gastrointestinal upset in some people. Although allergic reactions to nettle are rare, when contact is made with the skin, fresh nettle can cause a rash secondary to the noted stings.  Nettle leaf is considered safe for use in pregnancy and breast-feeding.  Certain medications may interact with nettle. Refer to the drug interactions safety check for a list of those medications.

Next...