Herbalists prize the licorice plant for its medicinal roots, while the "root" of the prescription medication digoxin lies in foxglove, the flowering herb sometimes called digitalis. Yet while licorice and foxglove may coexist happily in your herb garden, they don't belong in the same medicine cabinet -- at least not when used at the same time.
Dangers
Do not take digoxin with any form of licorice, warns the University of Maryland Medical Center. Licorice may increase the toxic effects of digoxin. Signs of too much digoxin in your system include an uneven heartbeat or fast or slow heart rates, diarrhea, double vision, seeing halos around objects, a skin rash, and feeling faint or nauseous. Other dangerous signs include mental confusion, unusual stools, headache and enlarged breasts in men.
Potential Overlaps
Digoxin and licorice do not address the same health issues, even in folk remedies. For that reason, it's unlikely you or an herbalist would combine them in a healing blend for the same malady. An example of a potentially beneficial blend of licorice and modern medicine involves combining a form of licorice with aspirin or antacids for peptic ulcers. These blends may be just as effective as specific prescription drugs for ulcers, notes UMMC. Yet if you use prescription digoxin for heart issues while self-medicating with licorice for an unrelated problem such as coughing, ulcers or indigestion, you may unwittingly risk increasing your risk of side effects from digoxin.
Primary Use of Digoxin
Some patients take digoxin to achieve a steadier heart rhythm and a stronger heartbeat, notes Drugs.com. Specifically, doctors prescribe it in cases of congestive heart failure or atrial fibrillation, a disorder involving the upper chambers of the heart.
Traditional Licorice Remedies
Licorice root is a traditional folk remedy for coughs and colds, according to UMMC. Topical and oral derivatives of the root may also reduce body fat, although research is ongoing for licorice's use as a slimming agent. A form of licorice root known as deglycyrrhizinated licorice, or DGL, appears to help some patients suffering from stomach ulcers, according to UMMC. Topical preparations are also linked to the relief of eczema and canker sores.
Alternatives
Some natural remedies offer the same health benefits licorice is reputed to impart, but aren't known to interact negatively with digoxin. Always ask your practitioner, however, before beginning any new herbal therapies. For coughing from a cold or bronchitis, marshmallow may ease symptoms. The herbs lemon balm, chamomile and slippery elm provide relief from digestive disorders, and are not known to interact with digoxin. Chamomile, marshmallow and slippery elm also boast a reputation for soothing peptic ulcers and sore throats. The herbs mentioned in this section are not connected to negative digoxin interactions, but they may have harmful effects when combined with other medications.
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