Country Mallow (Sida Cordifolia) Health Benefits, Facts, and Side Effects

Health Benefits of Country Mallow

Country mallow is a perennial herbal plant that grows up to 120 to 150 cm in height. The botanical name of this herbal plant is Sida Cordifolia, which is one of the important herbs used in Ayurveda. The native of this plant is Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and India. This herbal plant is widely used in Ayurveda to treat various health problems.

This country mallow is used as a rejuvenation to treat the muscular systems and muscle tissue. The combination of country mallow with other herbs will help to treat sinus problems, weight loss, asthma, allergies, and strengthen the weak bones. Consuming sugar and milk with the country mallow treats vaginal discharges and urinary urgency. The leaves of this plant are oblong, cordate, and downy on both surfaces of the leaves.

It has a long, hairy yellow-green stem. You can easily identify this herbal plant with its flower, which is small and yellow in color. The other common names of this herbal plant are flannel weed, Bala, mauve blanc, chikana, vatya, and heartleaf.

Common Names of Country Mallow

  • Tamil: Arivalmukku, Chitaamuttie, Kurunthotti, Arivalmanaippundu, Malaikkuruntali, Arivalmukkan, Arputavati, Kuperikai, Muttiver, Kucci, Cincirani
  • Malayalam: Velluppan, Kurumthotti, Anakurunthoti, Kattooram, Vellooram, Kurunthotti, katturam
  • Kannada: Cittuharalu, Kadeeru, Hettuti-gida, Vishagumbala, Kisangi, Hethuthi, Hetthtthi, Benne garaga
  • Hindi : Baryal, Bariara, barial, Kharinta, bariyar, bala, beej band
  • Telegu: Chirubenda, Mailmanikkam, Anthisa, Tutturabenda, Muttavapulagamu, Suvarnam, Tellagorra
  • Marathi: Karaiti, Chikana, Tupkaria
  • Gujarati: Jangli methi
  • Bengali: Berela
  • Punjabi: Simak, Kharenti
  • Nepali: Balu (बलु), Bariyar (बरीयार)
  • Oriya: Bajromuli, Bisiripi
  • Konkani: Thapkoti

Country Mallow Plant Descriptions


Country mallow is a long-lived herbaceous and velvety upright plant or it is also grown as a small undershrub that grows up to 20 to 79 inches in height. Most of the country mallow reaches up to 2 meters in height. In India, you can commonly find this herbal plant in sandy sea coasts, roadsides, slopes, wastelands, fallow fields, sandy localities, forest clearing, forest paths, grasslands, pastures, crops, open woodlands, roadsides, crops, gardens, disturbed sites.

Usually, this plant is grown in sandy and lighter soil. The root of this plant will grow up to 5 to 15 cm long and have some small lateral roots. The root of this plant is odorless and also has a slightly bitter taste. The stems are wiry, but it was slightly woody in nature. The leaves and stems are covered with soft whitish-colored hairs that give a felty texture to this plant. The leaves are arranged alternatively, and their length is 1 to 6cm.

The blades of the country mallow leaves are 2.5 to 6 cm in width and 3.5 to 7.5 cm in length. The leaves usually have rounded tips and toothed margins. Both sides of the leaves are velvety and are mixed with simple hairs. The flowers are thickly assembled on the top of the leaf forks or at the stem tips.

Each flower has five pale orange petals that are 8 to 10 mm in length. The flowers mostly bloom from August to December. The fruits are initially green and it will be brown when it becomes mature. When the fruits are fully matured, they will split 8 to 10 seed segments.

Health Benefits of Country Mallow

Get Relief From Pain

Country mallow is a good remedy to treat sciatica pain. Regularly consuming the infused leaf drink twice per day is a good remedy for this problem. You can use this medicine to treat all kinds of nerve inflammation and nerve pain. 

Respiratory Tract Infections

Preparing medicines by using country mallow is a great remedy to treat respiratory tract infections. Due to the antibacterial properties of this herbal plant, this provides better relief from flu, cold, swine flu, bronchial asthma, wheezing, and nasal congestion. Consuming tea prepared by using country mallow leaves twice per day will help to ease these symptoms.

Good for Cancer

The extract of the country mallow plant is rich in anti-cancer properties, so regular consumption of country mallow will help patients to speed up cancer treatment. You can use this plant extract before and after the chemotherapy that helps to improve the patient’s condition.

Treat Weight Loss

People who are suddenly losing their weight without any reason can use the country mallow to maintain their weight. Consuming the water infused with roots and leaves of country mallow in the morning on an empty stomach will help to stop weight loss and maintain your weight.

Treat Throat Disease

Gargling the water in the morning that is infused with the country mallow plant will help to cure throat problems. It will effectively fight against pathogens and helps to keep your mouth clean. 

Treat Allergies

Country mallow is a good medicine for people who are suffering from allergies. It reduces the onset of allergies and helps to cure symptoms by constantly applying it to the skin. 

Treat Erectile dysfunction

Regularly consuming the country mallow in the morning and evening will treat erectile dysfunction. This will give a positive impact on the nerves that helps to improve health.

Helps To Urinary infection

Applying the paste of the country mallow leaves on the infected area will help to get better relief from the infection in the urinary tract. Regular consumption of decoction prepared by using country mallow will help to speed up the recovery process.

Treat Diabetes

Some Research proves that the country mallow will help to maintain blood sugar levels. In Ayurveda, country mallow is traditionally used to treat diabetes. Due to the medicinal properties of country mallow, it will effectively reduce the blood sugar level. Ayurvedic doctors are recommended to consume 1/2 tsp of country mallow extract thrice a day will help to maintain blood sugar levels.

Antioxidant Properties

The extract of the country mallow plant is rich in antioxidant properties. It will effectively fight against free radicals in the body. These antioxidant properties will help to treat various health problems. For a better result, you have to consume 5 ml of country mallow extract twice per day. 

Good to Treat inflammation

In Ayurveda, the leaves and roots of the country mallow are a great remedy for inflammation. Boil the milk with the country mallow root, until the water content evaporates, then consuming the milk with castor oil will help to get better relief from constipation. Due to the anti-inflammatory properties, you can apply the paste of the country mallow leaves to treat inflammation.

Improve Sweating

Regular consumption of country mallow will increase the amount of sweating. It will help to remove the excess amount of salt, alcohol, and cholesterol from the body. Improving sweating will help to avoid many health problems and lead to a healthy and refreshing life. 

Treat Headaches

In the traditional way, country mallow is a good remedy for headaches. The decoction prepared using country mallow helps to get relief from headaches. It is also used to treat chills.

Maintain Heart Health

Due to the medicinal properties of the country mallow, it will improve the blood condition. By maintaining the correct amount of red blood cells, it helps to maintain heart health. Consuming the country mallow leaves in the form of tea twice per day will improve heart conditions. 

Good for Bone Strength

Having the tonic or syrup prepared by using country mallow will help to improve bone strength. This herbal plant is rich in nourishing properties, so it will improve bone health. 

Treat Skin Problems

The leaves and roots of the country mallow are rich in antibacterial and antifungal properties, so it is used as good medicine to treat various skin problems. Applying the paste prepared by using country mallow leaves and roots will help to treat itching, numbness, tingling, etc.

Treat Fever

The chemical compounds of the country mallow are good to treat fever. Preparing the medicines by using country mallow and ginger will effectively reduce the body temperature. In Ayurveda, this herbal plant is used to cure fever. 

Relief Muscular Pain

The Country mallow helps to treat all kinds of muscular pain. Applying the country mallow leaf paste on the affected part will help to get better relief from muscular pain.

Treat Swelling

Massaging the oil prepared by using country mallow is good for swelling. The paste of the country mallow is also used for wound dressing.

Traditional Uses of Country Mallow

  • Due to the anti-inflammatory properties of country mallow, it is good to treat joint pain and arthritis.
  • Applying country mallow paste will reduce swelling.
  • It also helps to calm the nervous system and relieve anxiety.
  • In Ayurveda, this herb is used to cure eye inflammation.
  • The country mallow oil is used to treat facial paralysis, cervical spondylosis.
  • The country mallow increases blood circulation.
  • The juice extract of the whole plant is used for premature ejaculation.
  • This is a powerful herbal medicine for male infertility and increases sperm count.
  • It acts as a blood purifier, so helps to treat bleeding disorders.
  • Applying the paste of the country mallow leaves will treat elephantiasis.
  • Applying the paste prepared by using country mallow, Amalaki, Jatamansi, and Kushtha promotes hair growth.
  • It maintains blood pressure level that improves cardiac irregularity.
  • The extract of the country mallow will treat rheumatism, spermatorrhoea.
  • The decoction prepared by using country mallow will help to relieve itching.
  • Traditionally, this herb is used to treat chickenpox irritation.
  • The powder of the country mallow is used to treat leucorrhoea.
  • This herb is good to treat chest congestion.
  • Generally, the cooked country mallow leaves are used to treat bleeding piles.
  • The decoction prepared by using country mallow and milk will cure sexual disability.
  • The country mallow root decoction is good for tuberculosis.

Other Facts of Country Mallow

  • In ancient times, there was a belief that the country mallow would increase the king and queen’s beauty.
  • The dried stems are tied into bundles to make a broom.
  • Bark has a good amount of fiber that is used to make cordage.
  • Due to the good amount of fiber of this plant, it is used like jute.
  • In Nigeria, this herb is used as an ingredient to prepare arrow poison.
  • The pounding leaves are used as glue to seal leaking pots.
  • In Congo, the stem of this country mallow is used in basketry.

Nutritional Facts of Country Mallow

Country mallow has some important nutrients that help to improve human health. The biochemical substances of the country mallow are phytosterol, fatty oils, resin acids, resin, potassium nitrate, mucin, pseudoephedrine, ephedra, sterculic acid, saponins, malvalic acid, palmitic acid, hypaphroine, stearic acid, etc.

Recommended Dosage for Country Mallow

  • It is recommended to consume fresh country mallow juice 3 to 6 tsp per day.
  • Doctors recommended taking 1 to 5 grams of dry country mallow root powder per day.

Ayurvedic Properties of Country Mallow

Taste: Sweet

Potency: Cold

Physical Properties: Sticky and Light

Attributes: Unctuous, Heavy, and Slimy

Metabolic Activity: Sweet

Dosha: Pitta and Alleviates vata

Action: Rejuvenating, Tonic, Augments Ojas, Aphrodisiac

Side Effects of Country Mallow

In Ayurveda, country mallow is a common plant that is used to treat various health problems. You can consume this country mallow on a daily basis. Consuming this herb at a moderate level is completely safe for health, but you should avoid a high amount of this herb. The nursing and pregnant mother should avoid the consumption of country mallow. It is better to avoid it with other products like caffeine. The people should avoid consuming country mallow if they use ant anti-depressant medicine. 

Consuming high dose country mallow for the long term will cause a lack of appetite, strokes, urinary problems, irregular heartbeat, vomiting, nausea, and tingling. Heart patients should avoid consuming this country mallow. It will disturb the regular heartbeat that causes arrhythmia, palpitations, and tachycardia. People who have high blood pressure should avoid the consumption of country mallow that causes thyroid problems and prostate. People who have kidney stones should avoid the consumption of country mallow, it may develop kidney stones.

Final Words

The country mallow is an ayurvedic herb that has numerous medicinal properties. In Ayurveda, it is considered an important herb to cure various health problems. But it is better to consider the doctor before using it, because it may cause some side effects for some people. This herb is also used with the Ashoka and Shatavari to enhance the health benefits.

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