Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Glycyrrhiza glabra)

What it's Used For

How to Take It

1 to 4 grams powdered root three times a day; 1 teaspoon chopped licorice root added to hot water to soothe a sore throat

Safety

At high doses, licorice may cause laxative effects, fluid retention, and hypertension.

Details

Licorice is the most widely used of all the Chinese herbsÑitÕs probably in two-thirds of herbal formulas, says Natural Health advisory board member Efrem Korngold, O.M.D., L.Ac., co-author of Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine. Dubbed Òthe great harmonizer,Ó licorice moderates the effects of harsh herbs and sweetens the taste of bitter ones. Korngold calls it a safe, gentle, and effective remedy for inflammatory conditions like sore throat, allergies, food poisoning, stings, and muscle-spasm pain. In a 2003 study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, sore-throat sufferers were given a placebo or licorice tea (Traditional MedicinalsÕ Throat Coat); the tea provided significantly greater relief than the placebo.Licorice also helps treat ulcers and, according to a study at the University of Texas, stimulates the immune system. Hepatitis C patients who take it are much less likely to develop cirrhosis or liver cancer, concluded a report in the journal Oncology.Western herbalists use the root of the Mediterranean perennial G. Glabra, while Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners use the root of Chinese licorice, G. Uralensis; they have similar effects.

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