Common names
- Chinese Licorice
- Gan Cao
- Kan-ts'ao
- Kuo-lao
- Licorice
- Licorice Root
- Ling-t'ung
- Liquorice
- Mei-ts'ao
- Mi-kan
- Mi-ts'ao
- Sweet Licorice
- Sweet Wood
- Yasti Madhu
Licorice refers to the roots and rhizome of a variety of plants belonging to the species Glycyrrhiza glabra L. of the family Fabaceae. This is a European species and possesses a sweet yellow wood. There are also Asian species of the plant like Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. and others. In the commercially available licorice in the US markets all these species are included since a significant part of licorice is imported from China and other Asian countries. The herb has expectorant and demulcent properties and has been used traditionally in the treatment of common
colds and
coughs. The medication is commonly called licorice root or glycyrrhiza and has also been in use as a flavoring agent. Licorice has been popular for long, in many parts of the world, not just in Europe but in China and Russia as well. The traditional Chinese healers have known its
herbal properties for ages and it is familiar as gan cao in Chinese. The species of licorice found in China and Russia is the G.uralensis and the scientific
name refers to its sweet taste. However, licorice roots and licorice candy, especially those available in the US, has nothing or very little to do with each other. These two are entirely different products but unfortunately there is a strong misconception regarding the two products among people. Licorice candy gets its flavor from
anise oil and contains very little or no licorice whatsoever. Anise oil has a flavor that is strikingly similar to that of licorice and because of this it is often confused with licorice, but the resemblance ends there. The properties are very different and where licorice roots are potentially toxic the other is quite common and harmless. Nonetheless, recently a case of licorice overdose was reported in the US and on further investigation it was found that the culprit was the popular candy Twizzlers. It appears that the black variety of the candy contains some licorice. Licorice is also found in candies imported from Europe, where they don't use
anise or other flavoring agents. Authentic licorice candy is very popular in Britain and in most parts of Europe, but not so much in America. Most of the licorice that reaches the United States is used to flavor tobacco products like cigarettes, pipe tobaccos, cigars and so on. It is estimated that 90 percent of the millions of pounds of licorice that is imported to the United States annually is used for this purpose. The perceptible sweetness and pleasant flavor that many commercial tobacco blends have is due to the presence of licorice. The amounts of licorice used to get the required flavor and sweetness is a trade secret and is never revealed by the tobacco companies. Another use for licorice is as an ingredient in throat lozenges and various other pharmaceutical products. Licorice gets its sweetness from glycyrrhizin, which is a saponin glycoside present in the roots. On an average 5 to 9 percent of the roots are made up of glycyrrhizin, which is fifty times sweeter than
sugar. It is otherwise known as glycyrrhizic acid and is commercially available in a form known as ammoniated glycyrrhizin. The structure and physiological effects of glycyrrhizin are related to
aldosterone or desoxycoticosterone. This is possibly why a condition which medical literature terms as pseudoaldostronosm is brought about in licorice by glycyrrhizin. This condition is similar to the one brought about by excessive secretion of aldosterone which is an adrenal cortex hormone. Excessive quantities of this in the human body can be disastrous. It can lead to
high blood pressure and in some cases even
heart failure and cardiac arrest. Other symptoms like
headache, lethargy,
sodium and water retention and excessive excretion of
potassium are also seen. High rate of consumption of licorice especially by people suffering from high
blood pressure or heart trouble could have serious consequences. With increased consumption, its toxic effects are apparent within a matter of days or a single week. There is for instance one popular herbal cough remedy available in the market which if over used could be really bad. It contains 1 ounce of licorice root per quart of
water and the directions suggest one half pint at bedtime. Also suggested are additional quantities as and when needed. This means that the daily amount might be doubled or even tripled depending on the person and the frequency of use. With each half pint easily containing 0.5 gram of glycyrrhizin, the amount of glycyrrhizin in the body could easily reach toxic proportions. Off late, deglycyrrhizinated licorice products have started to make their appearance in the American market as the toxicity associated with glycyrrhizin is quite well documented. These deglycyrrhizinated licorice products may have some residual activity, but with the principal constituent being removed, it will surely be less harmful. While its flavor might please a lot of people and it might be useful to a certain extend in the treatment of coughs, colds and certain other ailments, its potency and toxicity will always be a matter of concern. Its use in large doses and for an extended period of time is certainly not advisable. Its affinity for
the endocrine system makes licorice a most remarkable herb, which when used judiciously can be very helpful in treating many human ailments. Licorice has an anti-inflammatory, antiallergic and antiarthritic effect similar to that of cortisone but without its side effects. This is because of glycyrrhizin which has a structure similar to hormones produced by the
adrenal glands. Its antiallergic effect makes it very useful in treating allergic
rhinitis, hay fever, conjunctivitis and bronchial asthma. Licorice has mild estrogenic properties and can be very helpful during
menopause. It gets these properties from the steroid like compounds present in it which can change to
estrogen precursors like estradiol and estrone. Licorice can act as a mild laxative and can also relieve
indigestion and
heartburn by lowering stomach acid levels. The herb is popularly used to ease irritation and for
inflammation and spasm in the digestive tract. Licorice is reputed to heal
ulcers. The herb acts on the liver and helps increase
bile flow and it also helps lower
cholesterol levels. Licorice helps the body to built up resistance to
stress by acting on the adrenal glands. It has a soothing and healing effect on the respiratory system and helps to ease irritation and inflammation. Because of its expectorant properties it is used in treating colds, coughs,
asthma and chest
infections. Like aspirin, licorice is useful in relieving headaches and
fevers. The herb is handy for people coming off orthodox steroid medications as it has the effect of revitalizing or energizing the body. Anti-
allergenic effect of licorice is very useful for
hay fever, allergic rhinitis,
conjunctivitis and bronchial asthma. Licorice is quite useful in bringing back the liveliness when one is feeling tired or
fatigue especially after surgery or during
convalescence. It is a good stress reliever- both physical and emotional. Documentary and other scientific evidence suggest that licorice was known and was put to a variety of uses for many centuries, generally as medicine and as a flavoring agent of food and other medicinal herbs. From ancient literature, primarily those of Hippocrates and Pliny the elder, the herb's use as medicine is evident. The use of the dried roots and rhizomes of the plant as a digestive aid and for coughs and colds is clearly described. Further more, a piece of licorice dating back to the eighth century was recently discovered- it still contained active principles of the herb. One can find licorice mentioned in ancient Chinese texts as well. A wonderful summarization of the uses of licorice found in an ancient Chinese text says that it will "improve the tone of the 'middle Jiao' [digestive system] and replenish qi, to remove 'heat' and toxic substance, to moisturize the lungs and arrest coughing, and to relieve spasms and pain." Modern day uses for licorice remain more or less the same, although the terminology used might be different. Chinese researchers also agree with their ancient counterparts and vouch for the herbs effectiveness against cough and in treating
sore throat. In Europe, medical practitioners use the herb to treat coughs, colds and other respiratory infections. They say glycyrrhizinic acid present in licorice stops the growth of many
bacteria and of
viruses like
influenza A. It is also thought to stimulate the production of
interferon. Licorice is said to be extremely useful in the treatment of
stomach ulcers. Stomach ulcers heal quickly when there are high levels of prostaglandins in the stomach and the upper intestine. Licorice helps in bringing about higher levels of prostaglandins in the stomach and the upper intestine. This happens because licorice prevents the secretion of gastric acid and reduces the activity of
pepsin. This in turn curbs the
enzymes that dismantle prostaglandins. Studies done on rats also seem to corroborate this. Licorice protected the stomach tissue of rats from aspirin induced damage and it is surmised that its activity on the prostaglandin regulating enzymes must be the reason. A semisynthetic compound called carbenoxolone derived from licorice acts to protect the colon and is used to treat ulcerative
colitis in China. This compound is also seen to protect against colon
cancer but there are some serious side effects. To offset this researchers developed a deglycyrrhizinated licorice, DGL. If you frequently use antacids for heartburn or ulcer
pain, you should know that DGL is superior to over-the-counter and prescription antacids in several ways. Antacids work by reducing acid secretions in the stomach, which can interrupt normal
digestion and may cause problems later. In fact, it is very common for people with excess acid or ulcer pain to have frequent recurrences. However, DGL works by increasing the protective lining in the stomach and small intestine, providing a natural buffer against stomach acid, and this may actually help to prevent future problems. Several clinical studies concluded that DGL worked better than many popular prescription treatments for duodenal ulcers. In fact, patients taking DGL healed faster and had fewer relapses than those using other drugs. And unlike prescription or over-the-counter antacids, DGL does not cause unwanted side effects such as nausea,
diarrhea, or possible liver damage. Even better, it is much less expensive than many other medications. Physicians in Japan use licorice to treat
hepatitis B as glycyrrhizin interferes with the hepatitis B surface
antigen. Licorice is synergistic with interferon against
hepatitis A virus and it is also used at times to treat the
hepatitis C virus. The liver can be protected from the harmful effects of
chemotherapy with licorice, say researchers. Licorice at low doses can help lower serum cholesterol levels by stimulating the liver to manufacture cholesterol and excrete it in bile. Licorice has the ability to prolong and increase the action of the steroid hormone
cortisol produced by the adrenal glands. It does this by slowing down the conversion of cortisol into cortisone. Licorice can thus act more or less like a steroid. This property of the herb is the reason for many of its medicinal benefits. Unfortunately this can also lead to some undesirable effects. However, used judiciously, many of the side effects can be overcome. For example in Russia they administer licorice together with the prescribed cortisone, which allows for a lower dose of the medication. Like wise in China they treat mild cases of Addison's disease; in which the body produces too little of cortisol; by administering licorice alone or together with cortisol. Over use of glycyrrhizin can cause symptoms similar to aldostronism which is a serious condition because it inhibits an enzyme that inactivates aldosterone. China has found another use for licorice; licorice is used to treat
pesticide poisoning. They consider licorice a powerful antitoxin. It is thought that licorice can also curb the malaria causing
parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. The herb induces anti-inflammatory activity by its effects on adrenal
steroids. Another important use for licorice is in helping to prolong the survival time of transplanted tissues. LX immunosuppressant, which does this by reducing hypersensitivity reactions, is a constituent of licorice. The antioxidant and antitumor properties of glycyrrhizin is well known, but regular use is not encouraged because of serious side effects. Researchers thought that licorice attached to estrogen receptors would promote the growth of uterine
cells much like estrogen does. But in a study conducted, it failed to do so. In a more topical use, glycyrrhizin is made a constituent of certain
shampoo brands to treat excess oil secretion of the scalp. It is also a part of certain ointments to treat
skin diseases.
