Licorice Herb Profile

Licorice is also known as Glycyrrhiza glabra and sweet wood.

Composition

Licorice refers to the dried root and extracts made from the root, which is rich in alkaloids.

Description and History

Licorice is a legume perhaps best known as a candy flavoring. It has a long medicinal history, with documentation in Egyptian records and Assyrian clay tablets. Traditionally, it was used for colds and flu. In a skin cream, it is highly effective against burns and irritations, including eczema. In trials, it fared better than traditional hydrocortisone creams. It contains many anti fungal compounds as well as multiple antibacterial compounds.

Cough

Its use for preventing and treating sore throat and cough due to intubation for surgical procedures was evaluated in a 2013 study, where patients consumed licorice lozenges or a placebo. Those with the lozenges were far less likely to complain of a sore throat and half as likely to have a post-operative cough when compared to the sugar lozenge group. Those in the treatment group consumed licorice lozenges as needed for the first 24 hours after intubation.

Eczema

Licorice can be used topically in gels or creams for eczema and other types of dermatitis. A
2003 study found that a 2% licorice cream is more effective than 1%, with effects evident in only 2 weeks.

Hot Flashes

Licorice has the ability to prevent hot flashes in menopausal women, according to several
studies. In a 2015 study evaluating the specifics by comparing licorice to HRT, it was found that licorice was more effective at reducing the frequency and duration, but HRT was more effective at reducing the severity (Menati L,, et al, 2014). The participants consumed 1140mg each day for 90 days.

Preparations

Licorice can be infused into an oil based cream for topical applications or extracted into a base for lozenges, capsules, tinctures, or other oral preparations.

Dose

Up to 1200mg/day can be used for up to 6 weeks in an otherwise healthy adult. Topical
applications should be limited in duration and applied in a 2-3% cream as needed.

Notes

Many people overdose on licorice regularly, attributing the effects to other causes (Hesham, et al, 2012). As a result, it should not be used longer than 6 weeks at a time (with an exception for DGL), and should always be used with close observation for warning signs such as water retention, low potassium levels, headache, and hypertension. These can occur with overdosage or prolonged usage.

REFERENCES

Gupta D, Agrawal S, & Sharma JP. (2013). Effect of preoperative licorice lozenges on incidence of postextubation cough and sore throat in smokers undergoing general anesthesia and endotracheal intubation. Middle East Journal of Anesthesiology. 22(2):173-8.
Hesham R. Omar, Irina Komarova, Mohamed El-Ghonemi, Ahmed Fathy, Rania Rashad, Hany D. Abdelmalak, Muralidhar Reddy Yerramadha, Yaseen Ali, Engy Helal, & Enrico M. Camporesi. (2012). Licorice abuse: time to send a warning message. Therapeutic Advances in Endocrinology and Metabolism. 3(4):125–138.
Menati L, Khaleghinezhad K, Tadayon M, & Siahpoosh A. (2014). Evaluation of contextual and demographic factors on licorice effects on reducing hot flashes in postmenopause women. Health Care for Women International. 35(1):87-99.
Saeedi M, Morteza-Semnani K, & Ghoreishi MR. (2003). The treatment of atopic dermatitis with licorice gel. Journal of Dermatological Treatment. 14(3):153-7.