Phytochemical Profile and Biological Activities of Malva sylvestris L. as a Basis for Improving Food Quality: A Review

Open Access

Issue		BIO Web Conf. Volume 236, 2026 72^nd International Scientific Conference “FOOD SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY – 2025”


Article Number		01023
Number of page(s)		14
Section		Food Science and Technology
DOI		https://doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/202623601023
Published online		25 May 2026

V. Tešević, V. Vajs, S. Lekic, I. Đorđević, M.M. Novaković, L.V. Vujisić, M. Todosijević, Lipid composition and antioxidant activities of the seed oil from three Malvaceae species. Archives of biological sciences, 64, 221 (2012). https://doi.org/10.2298/ABS1201221T [Google Scholar]
A. Usami, Y. Kashima, S. Marumoto, M. Miyazawa, Characterization of aroma-active compounds in dry flower of Malva sylvestris L. by GC-MS-O analysis and OAV calculations. Journal of Oleo Science, 62, 563 (2013). https://doi.org/10.5650/jos.62.563 [Google Scholar]
A. Azab, Malva: Food, medicine and chemistry. European Chemical Bulletin, 6, 295 (2017). https://doi.org/10.17628/ecb.2017.6.295-320 [Google Scholar]
S.M. Razavi, G. Zarrini, G. Molavi, G. Ghasemi, Bioactivity of Malva sylvestris L., a medicinal plant from iran. Iran J Basic Med Sci., 14, 574 (2011). https://doi.org/10.22038/IJBMS.2011.5058 [Google Scholar]
E. Cristiani, A. Radini, M. Edinborough, D. Borić, Dental calculus reveals Mesolithic foragers in the Balkans consumed domesticated plant foods. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113, 10298 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1603477113 [Google Scholar]
L. Barros, A.M. Carvalho, I.C. Ferreira, Leaves, flowers, immature fruits and leafy flowered stems of Malva sylvestris: a comparative study of the nutraceutical potential and composition. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 48, 1466 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2010.03.012 [Google Scholar]
M. Leonti, L. Casu, F. Sanna, L. Bonsignore, A comparison of medicinal plant use in Sardinia and Sicily—De Materia Medica revisited ?. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 121, 255 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2008.10.027 [Google Scholar]
Y. Dogan, I. Ugulu, Medicinal plants used for gastrointestinal disorders in some districts of Izmir Province, Turkey. Studies on Ethno-Medicine, 7, 149, (2013). https://doi.org/10.1080/09735070.2013.11886456 [Google Scholar]
Ł. Łuczaj, P. Köhler, E. Pirożnikow, M. Graniszewska, A. Pieroni, T. Gervasi, Wild edible plants of Belarus: from Rostafiński’s questionnaire of 1883 to the present. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, 9, 21 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-4269-9-21 [Google Scholar]
M. Mosaddegh, S. Esmaeili, A. Hassanpour, M. Malekmohammadi, F. Naghibi, Ethnobotanical study in the highland of Alvand and Tuyserkan, Iran. Research Journal of Pharmacognosy, 3, 7 (2016) [Google Scholar]
J.C. Gasparetto, C.A. Martins, S.S. Hayashi, M.F. Otuky, R. Pontarolo, Ethnobotanical and scientific aspects of Malva sylvestris L.: a millennial herbal medicine. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 64, 172 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-7158.2011.01383.x [Google Scholar]
A. Di Cerbo, B. Palmieri, F. Chiavolelli, G. Guidetti, S. Canello, Functional foods in pets and humans. International Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine, 12, 192 (2014) [Google Scholar]
A. Abbasi, S. Sabahi, S. Bazzaz, A.G. Tajani, M. Lahouty, R. Aslani, H. Hosseini, An edible coating utilizing Malva sylvestris seed polysaccharide mucilage and postbiotic from Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii for the preservation of lamb meat. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 246, 125660 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125660 [Google Scholar]
A. Haleem, S. Rehman, A. Latif, A. Rauf, N. Siddiqui, Standardization of Khubazi-a fruit of Malva sylvestris Linn.–A Unani Drug. International Journal, 3, 2459 (2015) [Google Scholar]
S. Al-Quran, Used Ethnobotany of medicinal plants by inhabitants of Al-Mafraq, Jordan. Arnaldoa, 21, 119 (2014) [Google Scholar]
S.G. Oliveira, E. Piva, R.G. Lund, The possibility of interactions between medicinal herbs and allopathic medicines used by patients attended at basic care units of the Brazilian unified health system. Nat. Prod. Chem. Res., 3, 2 (2015) [Google Scholar]
S. Boubakr, L. Ali, M. Zoheir, H. Zahra, D. Mohamed, A. Boukeur, Floristic, Ethnobotanical and Phytotherapy Studies of Medicinal Plants Spontaneous in the Area of Mountains Tessala, Western Algeria. Global journal of medicinal plant research, 3, 1 (2015) [Google Scholar]
M.S. Amiri, P. Jabbarzadeh, M. Akhondi, An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by indigenous people in Zangelanlo district, Northeast Iran. J Med Plants Res., 6, 749 (2012) [Google Scholar]
S.A. Natnoo, J. Mohammed, Reference flora—A source of traditional medicine in jammu and kashmir. International Journal of Recent Scientific Research, 5, 2286 (2014) [Google Scholar]
M.A. Jabri, D. Wannes, N. Hajji, M. Sakly, L. Marzouki, H. Sebai, Role of laxative and antioxidant properties of Malva sylvestris leaves in constipation treatment. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy, 89, 29 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2017.02.070 [Google Scholar]
R. Alarcόn, M. Pardo-de-Santayana, C. Priestley, R. Morales, M. Heinrich, Medicinal and local food plants in the south of Alava (Basque Country, Spain). Journal of ethnopharmacology, 176, 207 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2015.10.022 [Google Scholar]
R. Tabaraki, Z. Yosefi, G.H. Asadi, Chemical composition and antioxidant properties of Malva sylvestris L.. Research in agricultural science, 8, 59 (2012) [Google Scholar]
A.S. Prudente, A.M. Loddi, M.R. Duarte, A.R. Santos, M.T. Pochapski, M.G. Pizzolatti, S.S. Hayashi, F.R. Campos, R. Pontarolo, F.A. Santos, D.A. Cabrini, Pre-clinical anti-inflammatory aspects of a cuisine and medicinal millennial herb: Malva sylvestris L.. Food and chemical toxicology, 58, 324 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2013.04.042 [Google Scholar]
N.A. Jaradat, M. Abualhasan, I. Ali, Comparison of anti-oxidant activities and exhaustive extraction yields between wild and cultivated Cyclamen persicum, Malva sylvestris and Urtica pilulifera leaves. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, 5, 101 (2015). https://doi.org/10.7324/JAPS.2015.50417 [Google Scholar]
S. İlgün, D.Ç. Polat, G.Ş. Karatoprak, Phytochemical composition, antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory and cytotoxic activities of flowers and leaves of Malva sylvestris L.. Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai, Chemia, 69, 69 (2024). https://doi.org/10.24193/subbchem.2024.1.05 [Google Scholar]
F. Dahmani, H. Gnaouat, H. El Hassouni, S. El Hani, B. Bouabid, M. Sobh, A. Hammoumi, L.A. Lrhorfi, R. Bengueddour, To study the antioxidant extracts of plant foods Malva sylvestris L. et Rumex palustris Sm. BTAIJ., 11, 469 (2015) [Google Scholar]
M.R. Loizzo, A. Pugliese, M. Bonesi, M.C. Tenuta, F. Menichini, J. Xiao, R. Tundis, Edible flowers: a rich source of phytochemicals with antioxidant and hypoglycemic properties. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 64, 2467 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5b03092 [Google Scholar]
S. Mohajer, R.M. Taha, R.B. Ramli, M. Mohajer, Phytochemical constituents and radical scavenging properties of Borago officinalis and Malva sylvestris. Industrial Crops and Products, 94, 673 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2016.09.045 [Google Scholar]
S. Fahimi, M. Abdollahi, S.A. Mortazavi, H. Hajimehdipoor, A.H. Abdolghaffari, M.A. Rezvanfar, Wound healing activity of a traditionally used poly herbal product in a burn wound model in rats. Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal, 17, 19960 (2015). https://doi.org/10.5812/ircmj.19960 [Google Scholar]
K.A. Shadid, A.K. Shakya, R.R. Naik, N. Jaradat, H.S. Farah, N. Shalan, N.A. Khalaf, G.A. Oriquat, Phenolic content and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Malva sylvestris L., Malva oxyloba Boiss., Malva parviflora L., and Malva aegyptia L. leaves extract. Journal of Chemistry, 2, 1, (2021). https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/8867400 [Google Scholar]
A.D. Ozsahin, O.A. Kirecci, Z. Gokce, G. Balci, O. Yilmaz, Some plant extracts that prevent lipid peroxidation and protect the unsaturated fatty acids in the fenton reagent environment. Bitlis Eren University Journal of Science and Technology, 2, 52 (2012). https://doi.org/10.17678/beuscitech.47141 [Google Scholar]
A.B. Saad, I. Rjeibi, H. Alimi, S. Ncib, A. Smida, N. Zouari, L. Zourgui, Lithium induced, oxidative stress and related damages in testes and heart in male rats: The protective effects of Malva sylvestris extract. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 86, 127 (2017) [Google Scholar]
A.B. Saad, I. Rjeibi, D. Brahmi, A. Smida, S. Ncib, N. Zouari, L. Zourgui, Malva sylvestris extract protects upon lithium carbonate-induced kidney damages in male rat. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy, 84, 1099 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2016.10.026 [Google Scholar]
N.H. Sleiman, C.F. Daher, Malva sylvestris water extract: a potential anti-inflammatory and anti- ulcerogenic remedy. Planta medica 75, 10 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0029-1234727 [Google Scholar]
C.A. Martins, A.M. Weffort‐Santos, J.C. Gasparetto, A.C. Trindade, M.F. Otuki, R. Pontarolo, Malva sylvestris l. Extract suppresses desferrioxamine‐induced pge2 and pgd2 release in differentiated u937 cells: The development and validation of an lc‐ms/ms method for prostaglandin quantification. Biomedical Chromatography, 28, 986 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1002/bmc.3105 [Google Scholar]
A. Boudjelal, C. Henchiri, M. Sari, D. Sarri, N. Hendel, A. Benkhaled, G. Ruberto, Herbalists and wild medicinal plants in M'Sila (North Algeria): An ethnopharmacology survey. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 148, 395 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2012.11.048 [Google Scholar]
A. Hamedi, H. Rezaei, N. Azarpira, M. Jafarpour, F. Ahmadi, Effects of Malva sylvestris and its isolated polysaccharide on experimental ulcerative colitis in rats. Journal of evidence-based complementary & alternative medicine, 21, 14 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1177/2156587215589184 [Google Scholar]
A. Daniela, E. Pichichero, L. Canuti, R. Cicconi, D. Karou, G. D’Arcangelo, A. Canini, Identification of phenolic compounds from medicinal and melliferous plants and their cytotoxic activity in cancer cells. Caryologia, 60, 90 (2007) [Google Scholar]
L. Hussain, J. Ikram, K. Rehman, M. Tariq, M. Ibrahim, M.S. Akash, Hepatoprotective effects of Malva sylvestris L. against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity. Turkish Journal of Biology, 38, 396 (2014). https://doi.org/10.3906/biy-1312-32 [Google Scholar]
W. Marouane, A. Soussi, J.C. Murat, S. Bezzine, A. El Feki, The protective effect of Malva sylvestris on rat kidney damaged by vanadium. Lipids in health and disease, 10, 65 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-511X-10-65 [Google Scholar]
A.G. Pirbalouti, M. Yousefi, H. Nazari, I. Karimi, A. Koohpayeh, Evaluation of burn healing properties of Arnebia euchroma and Malva sylvestris. Electronic Journal of Biology, 5, 62 (2009) [Google Scholar]
A.C. Kovalik, P. Bisetto, M.T. Pochapski, E.B. Campagnoli, G.L. Pilatti, F.A. Santos, Effects of an orabase formulation with ethanolic extract of Malva sylvestris L. in oral wound healing in rats. Journal of medicinal food, 17, 618 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1089/jmf.2013.0001 [Google Scholar]
G.D. Phillips, R.A. Whitehead, D.R. Knighton, Initiation and pattern of angiogenesis in wound healing in the rat. American journal of anatomy, 192, 257 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1002/aja.1001920305 [Google Scholar]
P.A. Ghasemi, A. Koohpayeh, I. Karimi, Effect of natural remedies on dead space wound healing in wistar rats. Pharmacognosy Magazine, 5, 433 (2009) [Google Scholar]
V. Samavati, A. Manoochehrizade, Polysaccharide extraction from Malva sylvestris and its anti- oxidant activity. International journal of biological macromolecules, 60, 427 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2013.04.050 [Google Scholar]
P.F. Esteves, A. Sato, M.A. Esquibel, F. de Campos-Buzzi, A.V. Meira, V. Cechinel-Filho, Antinociceptive activity of Malva sylvestris L.. Lat Am J Pharm. 28, 454 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2530 [Google Scholar]
A. Irfan, M. Imran, M. Khalid, M.S. Ullah, N. Khalid, M.A. Assiri, R. Thomas, S. Muthu, M.A. Basra, M. Hussein, A.G. Al-Sehemi, Phenolic and flavonoid contents in Malva sylvestris and exploration of active drugs as antioxidant and anti- COVID19 by quantum chemical and molecular docking studies. Journal of Saudi Chemical Society, 25, 101277 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jscs.2021.101277 [Google Scholar]
M. Elsagh, M.R. Fartookzadeh, M. Kamalinejad, M. Anushiravani, A. Feizi, F.A. Behbahani, R. Rafiei, A. Arjmandpour, P. Adibi, Efficacy of the Malva sylvestris L. flowers aqueous extract for functional constipation: A placebo-controlled trial. Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 21, 105 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2015.02.003 [Google Scholar]
S. Massaro, J. Sica, G. Ghion, C. Nadai, S. Vincenzi, D. Porcellato, V. Corich, A. Giacomini, A. Tarrah, Enhancing Malva sylvestris extract properties through lactic acid bacteria fermentation: impact on phytochemical profile and bioactivity. Food Production, Processing and Nutrition, 7, 40 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43014-025-00315-2 [Google Scholar]
G. Rashidian, K. Kajbaf, M.D. Prokić, C. Faggio, Extract of common mallow (Malvae sylvestris) enhances growth, immunity, and resistance of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fingerlings against Yersinia ruckeri infection. Fish & shellfish immunology, 96, 254 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2019.12.018 [Google Scholar]
M.T. Banday, M.A. Wani, H.A. Alqhtani, M. Bin-Jumah, H.A. Rudayni, A.A. Allam, U.B. Algopishi, S. Adil, Malva sylvestris leaf powder as a feed additive affects the performance, carcass traits, meat quality attributes, serum antioxidants, stress physiology, intestinal bacterial counts, and gut morphology of broiler chicken. Frontiers in Physiology, 15, 1462018 (2024). https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2024.1462018 [Google Scholar]
N. Memdueva, M. Tzanova, Z. Yaneva, N. Rusenova, N. Grozeva, T. Dinev, Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent-Based Extraction of Malva sylvestris L.: Phytochemical Content, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Potential. Separations, 12, 187 (2025). https://doi.org/10.3390/separations12070187 [Google Scholar]
A.G. Pirbalouti, S. Azizi, A. Koohpayeh, B. Hamedi, Wound healing activity of Malva sylvestris and Punica granatum in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Acta Pol Pharm., 67, 511 (2010) [Google Scholar]
Y. Kumarasamy, P.J. Cox, M. Jaspars, L. Nahar, S.D. Sarker, Screening seeds of Scottish plants for antibacterial activity. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 83, 73 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-8741(02)00214-3 [Google Scholar]
M.C. Beghdad, C. Benammar, F. Bensalah, F.Z. Sabri, M. Belarbi, F. Chemat, Antioxidant activity, phenolic and flavonoid content in leaves, flowers, stems and seeds of mallow (Malva sylvestris L.) from North Western of Algeria. African Journal of Biotechnology, 13, 3 (2014). [Google Scholar]
H. Rostami, S.M. Gharibzahedi, Cellulase-assisted extraction of polysaccharides from Malva sylvestris: Process optimization and potential functionalities. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 101, 196 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2017.03.078 [Google Scholar]
N. Petkova, A. Popova, I. Alexieva, Antioxidant properties and some phytochemical components of the edible medicinal Malva sylvestris L.. Medicinal Plants Studies, 7, 96 (2019) [Google Scholar]
A.A. Azab, Top edible wild plants of the eastern Mediterranean region. Part vi: various activities. World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 13, 942 (2024) [Google Scholar]
B. Tosi, B. Tirillini, A. Donini, A. Bruni, Presence of scopoletin in Malva sylvestris. International journal of pharmacognosy, 33, 353 (1995). https://doi.org/10.3109/13880209509065394 [Google Scholar]
S. Redžić, M. Tuka, Plant pigments (antioxidants) of medicinal plants Malva silvestris L. and Malva moschata L.(Malvaceae). Bosnian journal of basic medical sciences, 5, 53 (2005) [Google Scholar]
M. Tomoda, R. Gonda, N. Shimizu, H. Yamada, Plant mucilages. XLII.: an anti-complementary mucilage from the leaves of Malva sylvestris var. mauritiana. Chemical and pharmaceutical bulletin, 37, 3029 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1248/cpb.37.3029 [Google Scholar]
M. Unver, I. Ugulu, N. Durkan, S. BAŞLAR, Y. DOĞAN, Heavy metal contents of Malva sylvestris sold as edible greens in the local markets of Izmir. Ekoloji, 24, 13 (2015). https://doi.org/10.5053/ekoloji.2015.01 [Google Scholar]
S. Belabed, B. Lotmani, A. Romane, Assessment of metal pollution in soil and in vegetation near the wild garbage dumps at Mostaganem region. J. Mater. Environ. Sci., 5, 1551 (2014) [Google Scholar]
B. Ramavandi, A. Rahbar, S. Sahebi, Effective removal of Hg2+ from aqueous solutions and seawater by Malva sylvestris. Desalination and Water Treatment, 57, 23814 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1080/19443994.2016.1207073 [Google Scholar]
A. Mustafa, M. Ali, New steroidal lactones and homomonoterpenic glucoside from fruits of Malva sylvestris L. L. Acta Pol Pharm., 68, 393 (2011) [Google Scholar]
N.R. Sudhanshu, M. Sandhya, E. Menghani, Phytochemical screening and antioxidant activity of Malva sylvestris. International Journal of Current Research and Review, 4, 67 (2012) [Google Scholar]
F. Cutillo, B. D’Abrosca, M. DellaGreca, A. Fiorentino, A. Zarrelli, Terpenoids and phenol derivatives from Malva silvestris. Phytochemistry, 67, 481 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2005.11.023 [Google Scholar]
I. Matławska, M.A. Sikorska, Flavonoids from flowers of Malva crispa L.(Malvaceae). Acta poloniae pharmaceutica, 61, 65 (2004) [Google Scholar]
O. Veshkurova, Z. Golubenko, E. Pshenichnov, I. Arzanova, V. Uzbekov, E. Sultanova, S. Salikhov, H.J. Williams, J.H. Reibenspies, L.S. Puckhaber, R.D. Stipanovic, Malvone A, a phytoalexin found in Malva sylvestris (family Malvaceae). Phytochemistry, 67, 2376 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2006.08.010 [Google Scholar]
A. Ameri, G. Heydarirad, J.M. Jafari, A. Ghobadi, H. Rezaeizadeh, R. Choopani, Medicinal plants contain mucilage used in traditional Persian medi- cine (TPM). Pharmaceutical biology, 53, 615 (2015). [Google Scholar]

Current usage metrics show cumulative count of Article Views (full-text article views including HTML views, PDF and ePub downloads, according to the available data) and Abstracts Views on Vision4Press platform.

Data correspond to usage on the plateform after 2015. The current usage metrics is available 48-96 hours after online publication and is updated daily on week days.

Initial download of the metrics may take a while.