Liquorice

Herbal Actions

Medical Uses

DOSAGE

dry root or rhizome – 3 to 15g per day by infusion or decoction

tincture – 5 to 60ml per week of 1:3 tincture

CONSTITUENTS

Triterpenoid

Flavonoids

Phytosterols

KEY COMPOUNDS

Triterpenoid saponins (collectively termed glycyrrhizin: a mixture of potassium and calcium salts of glycyrrhizic acid a.k.a. glycyrrhizinic acid). Glycyrrhizin is about 50 times sweeter than sucrose. A wide range of flavonoids (such as liquiritin and isoflavones) which give the yellow colour to the root. Glycyrrhizic acid.

Body Systems

As an adrenal tonic, Liquorice is used for the effects of long-term stress. It is useful for fatigue, including chronic fatigue syndrome, and Addison’s disease. It is very useful to help with withdrawal from corticosteroid drugs.

As an immunomodulator, Liquorice can be used to stimulate immune system function where this is deficient, such as in some people with cancer or chronic fatigue syndromes, but also to reduce excessive immune response in autoimmune and chronic inflammatory disorders.

As a digestive demulcent and healing agent, Liquorice is useful for peptic ulceration, gastritis and mild constipation. It may help to protect against ulceration due to the use of NSAIDs.

It is extremely helpful locally as a treatment for mouth ulcers, as well as for ulcers further down the digestive tract.

Liquorice is mildly oestrogenic, and is useful for the treatment of menopausal problems, amenorrhoea and problems associated with PCOS.

As an anti-inflammatory, Liquorice is helpful for chronic inflammatory conditions such as eczema, rheumatoid arthritis and other auto-immune disease.

As a respiratory agent, Liquorice combines a soothing demulcent effect with an expectorant effect that will loosen thick sticky catarrh. It is therefore useful for a wide range of respiratory complaints, from dry irritated inflammatory coughs to asthma with thick sticky mucus.

Liquorice has also been found to have an antibacterial effect that may add to its effectiveness as a treatment for digestive and respiratory problems.