Taxonomic class

Fabaceae

Common Trade Names

Multi-ingredient preparations : Alvita Teas Licorice Root, Alvita Teas Licorice Sticks, Full Potency Licorice Root Vegicaps, Gaia Herbs Licorice Root A/F, Gaia Herbs Licorice Root SFSE, Licorice ATC Concentrate, Licorice and Garlic, Licorice Root Extract, Licorice Root Tea, Natrol Licorice Root Capsules, Natural Arthro- Rx, Nature's Answer Licorice Root Low Alcohol and Alcohol Free, Nature's Herbs Licorice Phytosome Capsules, Nature's Herbs Licorice Power-Certified Potency Capsules, Solaray Licorice Root, Tea with Mint, Tubi's Organic Licorice Licorice Bars and Chews, Tummy Soother

Common Forms

Capsules: 100 to 520 mg licorice root

Liquid extracts: licorice extract, deglycyrrhizinized licorice extract

Tablets: 7 mg of licorice root and 333 mg of pure concentrated garlic

Also available in candy, chewing gum, herbal teas, throat lozenges, and tobacco products.

Source

Most medicinal products use the roots and dried rhizomes of Glycyrrhiza Zabra, a perennial herb or low-growing shrub. Spanish licorice, the most common variety, is derived from G. glabra var. typica. Licorice plants are native to the Mediterranean but widely cultivated in the United States, Russia, Spain, Turkey, Greece, India, Italy, Iran, and Iraq.

Chemical components

The rhizomes and roots contain 5% to 9% glycyrrhizin (glycyrrhizic acid), a glycoside that is 50 times sweeter than sugar. Hydrolysis of glycyrrhizin yields glycyrrhetic acid, which is not sweet. Other compounds include ammonia, oleane triterpenoids, glucose, mannose, and sucrose. Aqueous extracts of licorice contain 10% to 20% glycyrrhizin.

Actions

Glycyrrhizin is hydrolyzed by intestinal flora to the pharmacologically active form, glycyrrhetic acid. The main effect oflicorice is to potentiate, rather than mimic, endogenous steroids .

Studies in animals suggest that glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhetic acid have mild anti-inflammatory effects. Glycyrrhizin may stimulate gastric mucous synthesis through effects on prostaglandins, which may explain its ulcer-healing properties.

Anecdotally, licorice has effective demulcent (soothing) and expectorant properties and mild laxative and antispasmodic effects. A Chinese licorice preparation called Zhigancao has been found to have antiarrhythmic effects, including prolonged PR and QT intervals. Glycyrrhizin may also lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels and exert antianemic, antihepatotoxic, and immunosuppressive effects.

Reported Uses

Because of its anecdotal use for gastric irritation, licorice derivatives have been studied for antipeptic action. Licorice was also evaluated as a treatment for Addison's disease and was found to enhance mineralocorticoid activity but could not mimic it when adrenal activity was absent.

Glycyrrhizic acid has been used as a shampoo to reduce sebum secretion from the scalp and for cold sores, eczema, and mouth ulcers.

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