Liquorice, Yashtimadhu, The Great Harmonizer, Grandfather Herb, Sweetwood,
Sweet Root, Liquiritiae radix, Spanish Licorice, Italian Licorice, Russian
Licorice, Persian Licorice, Kan Tsao, Kum Cho, Gan Cao, Gan Tsao, Sythian
root.
Licorice grows wild in some parts of Europe and Asia. A perennial that
grows 3 to 7 feet high, licorice has an extensive branching root system.
The roots are straight pieces of wrinkled, fibrous wood, which are long
and cylindrical and grow horizontally underground. Licorice roots are
brown on the outside and yellow on the inside. Licorice products are made
from the roots and underground stems of the plant.
Ancient cultures on every continent have used licorice root, the first
recorded use by the Egyptians in the 3rd century BC. The Egyptians and the
Greeks recognized the herb's benefits in treating coughs and lung disease.
Licorice was so valued in ancient Egypt that even King Tutankhamen was
buried with a supply. Licorice is the second most prescribed herb in
China, where it is suggested for treatment of the spleen, liver and
kidney. The Japanese use a licorice preparation to treat hepatitis. At one
time in Germany, licorice was a more popular gift to give than chocolate
as it was reputed to sexually arouse women.
The most common medical
use for licorice root is for treating upper respiratory ailments including
coughs, hoarseness, sore throat, and bronchitis. Glycyrrhizin stimulates
the secretion of the adrenal cortex hormone "aldosterone". This herb can
be as effective as codeine, and safer, when used as a cough suppressant.
Rhizomes in licorice have a high mucilage content which, when mixed with
water or used in cough drops, sooths irritated mucous membranes. The use
of licorice also has an expectorant effect which increases the secretion
of the bronchial glands.
Today, herbal preparations containing
licorice root are used to treat stomach and intestinal ulcers, lower acid
levels and coat the stomach wall with a protective gel. Rarely used alone,
licorice is a common component of many herbal teas as a mild laxative, a
diuretic, and for flatulence. It has also been known to relieve rheumatism
and arthritis, regulate low blood sugar, and is effective for Addison's
disease. The root extract produces mild estrogenic effects, and it has
proven useful in treating symptoms of menopause, regulating menstruation,
and relieving menstrual cramps.
The constituent glycyrrhizin is 50
times sweeter than sugar, making licorice a widely used ingredient in the
food industry. The distinctive flavor of licorice root makes it a popular
additive to baked confections, liqueurs, ice cream and candies. It is also
widely used in other medicines to mask bitter tastes and also to prevent
pills from sticking together.
Licorice has also been used in
poultices for treatment of dermatitis and skin infections. It helps to
open the pores and is used in combination with other cleansing and healing
herbs as an emollient. Ninety percent of the licorice imported into
America is used to flavor tobacco. Other uses of licorice include cattle
and horse feed. The common name "licorice" also includes the species
Glycyrrhiza uralensis, which is used interchangeably with Glycyrrhiza
glabra.
Licorice root consists of unpeeled, dried roots and stolons of Glycyrrhiza
glabra L. [Fam. Fabaceae], as well as their preparations in effective
dosage. The unpeeled roots contain at least 4 percent glycyrrhizic acid
and 25 percent water-soluble matter. Licorice root also consists of
peeled, dried roots and stolons of G. glabra L. [Fam. Fabaceae], as well
as their preparations in effective dosage. The peeled roots contain at
least 20 percent water-soluble matter.
The root contains several
flavonoids of flavanone and isoflavanone derivatives in addition to the
potassium and calcium salts of the glycyrrhizic acid. It also contains
phytosterols and coumarins.
Flavonoids: Flavonols and isoflavones
including formononetin, glabrin, glabrol, glabrone, glyzarin, glycyrol,
glabridin and derivatives, kumatakenin, licoflavonol, licoisoflavones A
and B, licoisoflavanone, licoricone, liquiritin and derivatives,
phaseollinisoflavan;(2) chalcones including isoliquiritigenin, licuraside,
echinatin, licochalcones A and B, neo
licuroside.(3)
Terpenoids: Glycyrrhizin glycoside
(1-24%) also known as glycyrrhizic or glycyrrhizinic acid yielding
glycyrrhetinic (or glycyrrhetic) acid and glucuronic acid following
hydrolysis;(4) glycyrrhetol, glabrolide, licoric acid, liquiritic acid and
beta-amyrin.
Volatile Oils: 0.047%.(5) More than 80
components identified including anethole, benzaldehyde, butyrolactone,
cumic alcohol, eugenol, fenchone, furfuryl alcohol, hexanol, indole,
linalool, delta-nonalactone, oestragole, propionic acid, alpha-terpineol
and thujone(5)
Other Constituents: Amino acids,
amines, gums, lignin, starch, sterols (beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol),
sugars and wax.
Other Plant Parts: Components documented
for the leaves of G. glabra include flavonoids (kaempferol and
derivatives, isoquercetin, quercetin and derivatives, phytoalexins),
coumarins (bergapten, xanthotoxin), phytoestrogen, beta-sitosterol and
saponaretin.(6)
Glycyrrhizin, one of the main active ingredients in licorice, is believed
to contribute to the herb's many healing properties. Laboratory studies
have shown that glycyrrhizin reduces inflammation, promotes secretion of
mucous (usually through coughing), soothes irritation, and stimulates the
activity of the adrenal glands. The roots also contain coumarins,
flavonoids, volatile oils, and plant sterols.
Animal studies and a
few clinical trials support the efficacy of licorice in conditions related
to ulcers, heart disease, hepatitis, encephalitis, and possibly HIV
replication. Further studies and consistent results are necessary to fully
understand the potential of licorice where health benefits are concerned.
It is also necessary to fully understand any side effects or drug
interactions since many possible adverse interactions are documented.
Animal studies and early trials in humans support the value of licorice
for stomach ulcers. One animal study recently found that aspirin coated
with licorice reduced the number of ulcers in rats by 50 percent. (High
doses of aspirin often cause ulcers in rats). Earlier studies in humans
have found that preparations containing glycyrrhizin (an active compound
in licorice) may be as effective as leading anti-ulcer medications in
relieving pain associated with stomach ulcers and preventing the ulcers
from recurring. In one study, licorice root fluid extract was used to
treat 100 patients with stomach ulcers (of which 86 had not improved from
conventional medication) for 6 weeks. Ninety percent of patients improved;
ulcers totally disappeared in 22 of these patients.
Active
compounds in licorice root are also used to help prevent and treat chronic
hepatitis (liver inflammation). In one study of Japanese patients with
hepatitis C, those who received intravenous treatment with glycyrrhizin,
cysteine, and glycine for an average of 10 years were significantly less
likely to develop liver cancer and cirrhosis (progressive liver failure)
than those who received placebo. In a second study of 57 patients with
hepatitis C, glycyrrhizin (in doses ranging from 80 to 240 mg/day)
significantly improved liver function after only one month. These effects
diminished after glycyrrhizin treatment was discontinued,
however.
Emerging studies are beginning to suggest that licorice
may also play a role in the treatment of heart disease. In one recent
study, people with high cholesterol experienced a significant reduction in
total cholesterol, LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and trigylceride levels after
taking licorice root extracts for one month. The extract also reduced
systolic blood pressure by 10 percent. These measures returned to their
previous, elevated levels when the participants stopped taking the
licorice supplements. Earlier studies in mice produced similar results.
Licorice root extract reduced the risk of atherosclerosis in these
animals.
Preliminary studies also suggest that licorice may play a
role in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Japanese
encephalitis. One early study of only 3 people with HIV suggested that
intravenous glycyrrhizin may prevent replication of HIV, but larger
studies have yet to duplicate these findings. A laboratory study found
that glycyrrhizin inhibited the growth of Japanese encephalitis virus in
test tubes, but further studies in humans are needed to confirm these
preliminary findings. Experimental studies also suggest that active
compounds in licorice may have estrogen-like effects. It is not clear at
this time whether such effects are helpful or harmful to people with
breast cancer.
Despite these promising findings, there is ongoing
debate in the scientific community regarding the value and side effects of
licorice products. People who regularly consume large amounts of licorice
(more than 20 g/day) may inadvertently raise blood levels of the hormone
aldosterone, which can cause serious side effects including headache, high
blood pressure, and heart problems. Further studies are needed.
Licorice root is not recommended if you are pregnant. Licorice may
increase blood pressure and cause water retention, though some people are
more sensitive to this effect than others. Long-term (more than two to
three weeks) intake of products containing more than 1 gram of
glycyrrhizin (the amount in approximately 10 grams of root, which is far
in excess of the daily dosage recommended by this product) is the usual
amount required to cause these types of effects. According to the German
Commission E monograph, Licorice supplements are contraindicated in people
with liver and kidney disorders.
Excessive Licorice can cause fluid retention and increase blood
pressure and it should therefore be avoided by anyone suffering from
hypertension. It should not be taken by those on digoxin-based
drugs.
If you are currently being treated with any of the following medications,
you should not use licorice without first talking to your healthcare
provider:
Ace-Inhibitors and Diuretics If you are taking
angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or diuretics (except
potassium-sparing diuretics) to regulate blood pressure, do not use
licorice products. Licorice could interfere with the effectiveness of
these medications or could worsen possible side
effects.
Aspirin Animal studies suggest that licorice may
reduce stomach irritation as well as the risk of stomach ulcers associated
with aspirin.
Digoxin Because licorice may dangerously
increase the risk of toxic effects from digoxin, this herb should not be
taken with this medication.
Corticosteroids Licorice may
increase the effects of corticosteroid medications. You should consult
with your doctor before using licorice with any
corticosteroids.
Insulin Licorice may enhance some of the
adverse effects of insulin.
Laxatives Licorice may cause
substantial potassium loss in people taking stimulant
laxatives.
Oral Contraceptives There have been reports of
women developing high blood pressure and low potassium levels when they
took licorice while on oral contraceptives. Therefore, you should avoid
licorice if you are taking birth control medications.
On prolonged use and with higher doses, mineralocorticoid effects may
occur in the form of sodium and water retention and potassium loss,
accompanied by hypertension, edema, and hypokalemia, and, in rare cases,
myoglobinuria.
For licorice with glycyrrhizin, look for products standardized to contain
22% glycyrrhizinic acid or glycyrrhizin.
For licorice without
glycyrrhizin, look for medications labeled DGL or
"deglycyrrhizinated."
For most disorders: Take 200
mg standardized extract in pill form three times a day, or 20 to 45 drops,
three times a day, of a 1:5 tincture. (The 1:5 tincture represents one
part herb is soaked in five parts liquid).
For cough and
congestion: Drink one cup of licorice tea three times a day. To make
the tea, pour 8 ounces of very hot (but not boiling) water over 2
teaspoons of the herb, steep for 10 minutes, and then strain. To make a
blended herbal tea for coughs, steep 1 teaspoon each of dried licorice and
slippery elm in very hot (but not boiling) water along with 2 teaspoons of
the herb marshmallow for 5 minutes. Drink one cup three times a day. Use
no longer than three weeks.
For hepatitis: Take 200 mg three
times a day for up to 10 days.
For PMS and menstrual
disorders: Take 200 mg three times a day for the 10 days before you
expect to start menstruating.
For skin irritations such as
eczema and shingles: Apply licorice cream (sometimes called
glycyrrhetinic acid cream) directly to the lesions three or four times a
day.
For canker sores: Chew one or two 380 mg DGL wafers
three or four times a day, between meals.
For heartburn:
Chew two 380 mg DGL wafers three or four times a day, as needed. The
wafers can safely be added to a regimen of prescription or
over-the-counter heartburn medications.
For flare-ups of
inflammatory bowel disorders such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative
colitis: Chew two 380 mg DGL wafers three times a day.
For ulcers: Chew one or two 380 mg DGL wafers three times a day.
For canker sores: Chew one or two 380 mg DGL wafers three or four times a
day, between meals.
For heartburn: Chew two 380 mg DGL
wafers three or four times a day, as needed. The wafers can safely be
added to a regimen of prescription or over-the-counter heartburn
medications.
For flare-ups of inflammatory bowel disorders such
as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis: Chew two 380 mg DGL wafers
three times a day.
For ulcers: Chew one or two 380 mg DGL
wafers three times a day.
1. Tawata M et al. Anti-platelet action of GU-7, a 3-arylcoumarin
derivative, purified from Glycyrrhizae radix. Planta Med 1990; 56:
259-263.(PubMed)
2. Mitscher LA et al. Antimicrobial agents from higher plants.
Antimicrobial isoflavanoids and related substances from Glycyrrhiza glabra
L. var. typica. J Nat Prod 1980; 43: 259-269.(PubMed)
3. Miething H, Speicher-Brinker A. Neolicuroside - A new chalcone
glycoside from the roots of Glycyrrhiza glabra. Arch Pharm (Weinheim)
1989; 322: 141-143.
4. Takino Y et al. Quantitative determination of glycyrrhizic acid in
liquorice roots and extracts by TLC-densitometry. Planta Med 1979; 36:
74-78.(PubMed)
5. Kameoka H, Nakai K. Components of essential oil from the root of
Glycyrrhiza glabra. Nippon Nogeikagaku Kaishi [J Ag Chem Soc Japan] 1987;
61: 1119-1121.
6. Jimenez J et al. Flavonoids of Helianthemum cinereum. Fitoterapia
1989; 60: 189.
Our thanks to the following information
resources: Viable-Herbal.com, Herbal-Supplements-Guide.com, University
of Matyland Medical Center, American Botanical Council (Herbalgram.org),
WholehealthMD.com, QuestHealthLibrary.com, and MedicinesComplete.com.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor.
