Licorice

Licorice, perennial herb of the Fabaceae family, also known as Liquorice, Glycyrrhiza, or by its Latin name, Glycyrrhiza glabra. Native to southern Europe, licorice is cultivated around the Mediterranean and in parts of the United States.

The herb may grow up to 1 metre tall and has compound leaves with four to eight oval leaflets, clusters of blue flowers, and flat pods from 7 to 10 centimetres long. The roots used are about 1 m long and about 1 cm around. They are soft, fibrous, and flexible and are coloured bright yellow inside.

Licorice is an ingredient in cough lozenges, syrups, and elixirs. Some of the ails it has been known to help in fighting are relieving hoarseness, treating coughs and colds, inhibiting the growth of cancer cells and preventing tooth decay and cavities. This particular herb also has antiviral and antiallergic properties and is beneficial for peptic ulcers, bladder and kidney problems. Of course, its anti-inf1ammatory properties have also been known to help relieve arthritis pain.

Creams containing whole licorice are used to treat skin diseases such as Eczema; Herpes; Psoriasis, and for relieving the discomfort of canker sores.

Take by mouth as a capsule in the amount of two to four 380-mg tablets of DGL taken before meals and at bedtime. A typical dose of whole licorice is 5 to 15 g daily, but it is not recommended to continue with this high a dose for more then a couple of weeks at a time. 0.3 g of licorice root daily is a more preferable dose for long-term care. For licorice cream, it should be applied twice daily to the affected area. Also, a potassium rich diet should be maintained throughout its use, because of the common loss of the mineral during extended use. Excessive quantities of Licorice can cause headaches, and sluggishness.

Licorice can affect a number of other drugs. Including some diuretics and corticosteroid skin creams. It can also increase the potassium loosing effects if taken with drug digoxin or any other potassium depleting medication such as such as thiazide and loop diuretics.

A number of side effects of licorice have been found through its use ranging from such things as raising blood pressure, to fluid retention. To avoid any of the side effects that may occure with taking licorice, it is advised that your daily dose should not exceed 0.2 mg per kilogram of body weight. It is also advisable that pregnant or nursing women not take licorice because of the herbs ability to increases risk of premature birth.