Licorice Root

Licorice Root

Licorice is a plant. You are probably most familiar with it as a flavoring in foods, beverages, and tobacco. The root is used to make medicine.

Licorice is used for various digestive system complaints including stomach ulcers, heartburn, colic, and ongoing inflammation of the lining of the stomach (chronic gastritis).

Some people use licorice for sore throat, bronchitis, cough, and infections caused by bacteria or viruses.

Licorice is also used for osteoarthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), liver disorders, malaria, tuberculosis, food poisoning, and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Licorice is sometimes used along with the herbs Panax ginseng and Bupleurum falcatum to improve the function of the adrenal glands, especially in people who have taken steroid drugs long-term. Steroids tend to suppress the activity of the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands produce important hormones that regulate the body’s response to stress.

Licorice is also used in an herbal form called Shakuyaku-kanzo-to to increase fertility in women with a hormonal disorder called polycystic ovary syndrome. In combination with other herbs, licorice is also used to treat prostate cancer and the skin disorder known as eczema.

Some people use licorice as a shampoo to reduce oiliness in their hair.

Possibly Effective for:
Itchy and inflamed skin (eczema). There is some evidence that applying licorice to the skin can improve symptoms of eczema. Applying a gel containing licorice three times daily for 2 weeks seems to reduce redness, swelling, and itching.
Heartburn (dyspepsia). Research suggests that taking a specific product containing licorice plus peppermint leaf, German chamomile, caraway, lemon balm, clown’s mustard plant, celandine, angelica, and milk thistle (Iberogast, Medical Futures, Inc) three times daily for 4 weeks can improve symptoms of heartburn.

Bleeding. 
Canker sores. 
Dental plaque. 
Recurrent fevers (Familial Mediterranean fever). 
Hepatitis. 
High cholesterol. 
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Skin discoloration (melasma). 
Muscle cramps. 
Abnormal levels of a hormone in the blood (neuroleptic-induced hyperprolactinemia). 
Liver disease 
Pain. 
Stomach ulcers. 
Psoriasis. 
 Licorice seems to reduce body fat. However, it causes water retention that can offset any change in body weight.
Arthritis.
Lupus.
Infections.
Infertility.
Cough.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
Prostate cancer.
Other conditions.