Licorice is a native European and Asian plant that spreads through horizontal underground stems called rhizomes. Above ground, the plant reaches up to 7 feet in height. Below, it produces fibrous brown roots with a yellow core. These sweet-tasting roots are harvested as a home remedy. Licorice contains several chemicals, but it does not contain vitamin K. Consult your doctor before taking licorice supplements.
Licorice Composition
A chemical compound called glycyrrhizin and a group of flavonoids are present in licorice. Glycyrrhizin is made of potassium and calcium salts of glycyrrhitinic acid. Despite being used in healing, the substance can induce harmful side effects, raising your blood pressure, causing your body to retain water and making it leach potassium. Some manufacturers use licorice root with the glycyrrhizin removed -- called deglycyrrhizinated licorice or DGL -- in their supplements to prevent those side effects. Licorice also contains flavonoids, which are chemical compounds of plant origin. They control cell function and act as antioxidants neutralizing free radicals that form in your body. Free radicals damage cells in the body and can cause disease.
Licorice Uses and Evidence
Licorice is 50 times sweeter than regular sugar and used to sweeten and flavor foods. Traditional Asian medicine practitioners prescribe licorice root to remove toxins from your body. In herbal formulas, licorices bring out the healing powers of the other herbs in the supplement. In Indian medicine, licorice serves as a tonic and cough treatment. According to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, nonhuman scientific studies reveal that licorice can kill bacteria and relieve inflammation. It also seems licorice root can enhance the effects of cancer chemotherapy. Licorice mixed with antacids and licorice liquid extract by itself relieved stomach ulcers in individuals. A gel made of 2 percent licorice reduced eczema on the skin of study participants. There's also some evidence that licorice can decrease weight and body fat, and lower cholesterol. Science has not proved that licorice is effective against coughs.
Cautions
Licorice supplements that contain glycyrrhizin can interfere with adrenal hormones. Possible effects range from fatigue to a heart attack. Take licorice only under your doctor's supervision. The University of Maryland Medical Center also recommends limiting your intake of the herb to 6 weeks. Do not supplement your diet with licorice if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, suffer from heart, kidney and liver problems or have diabetes.
Drug Interactions
Besides causing potential side effects, licorice can interact adversely with certain medications. The University of Maryland Medical Center cautions you against taking licorice with hypertension drugs, including diuretics. The herb increases the risk of drug side effects. Digoxin is a medicine that can cause toxicity if you take it with licorice supplements. This natural remedy also intensifies the effects of antidepressants and corticosteroids. Hypertension and a drop in potassium are also possible when you combine licorice and contraceptives.
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