Licorice Root
Also known as: Glycyrrhiza Glabra, DGL, Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice, Liquorice Root
Overview
Licorice root generally refers to the root of Glycyrrhiza species, especially Glycyrrhiza glabra, a sweet-tasting herb with a long history of medicinal use in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Its major active constituents include glycyrrhizin, various flavonoids, and other phytochemicals that have been studied for effects on the digestive tract, respiratory system, mucous membranes, and inflammatory pathways. In modern supplement use, licorice root is commonly discussed in relation to gut soothing, throat comfort, herbal stress formulas, and traditional respiratory support.
One reason licorice remains widely used is that it appears in multiple forms with different safety profiles. Traditional whole-root preparations contain glycyrrhizin, the compound most associated with both licorice’s pharmacologic activity and its best-known risks, including elevated blood pressure, low potassium, and fluid retention in susceptible individuals or at higher intakes. By contrast, deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) has much of the glycyrrhizin removed and is often marketed for digestive comfort, particularly for the upper gastrointestinal tract. This distinction is important in both research and consumer understanding, because findings for one form do not always apply to the other.
From a historical perspective, licorice root has been used as a demulcent, harmonizing herb, and formula component. Traditional systems often describe it as soothing irritated tissues, moistening dryness, and supporting recovery from cough, fatigue, or digestive discomfort. In contemporary wellness settings, it is frequently included in blends aimed at mucosal support, herbal adrenal discussions, and respiratory formulas, although these uses vary in scientific support.
Overall, licorice root occupies a middle ground between traditional prominence and selective modern evidence. Research suggests potential value in certain digestive and mucosal applications, while also highlighting meaningful safety concerns with glycyrrhizin-containing preparations. Because of these risks, especially for people with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, kidney conditions, pregnancy considerations, or medication interactions, licorice is best understood as a biologically active herb rather than a benign sweetener or general tonic.
Western Medicine Perspective
Western Medicine Perspective
In conventional and integrative medicine, licorice root is viewed through the lens of pharmacology, formulation differences, and risk-benefit balance. The best-characterized constituent, glycyrrhizin, is metabolized into compounds that can inhibit the enzyme 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2, which may allow cortisol to act more like aldosterone. This mechanism helps explain why excessive licorice intake can lead to pseudoaldosteronism, with findings such as high blood pressure, edema, low potassium, metabolic alkalosis, and cardiac rhythm concerns. For this reason, conventional sources often emphasize careful attention to dose, duration, and product type.
Research on licorice in western settings has focused most often on gastrointestinal, oral, and upper respiratory applications. Studies suggest that DGL preparations may help support the gastric and esophageal mucosa and have historically been explored in dyspepsia and ulcer-related contexts, though modern evidence is mixed and not equivalent to current standard therapies. Licorice extracts have also been studied for anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and mucoprotective effects, with some preliminary or moderate evidence in areas such as sore throat recovery, oral mucositis support, and Helicobacter pylori-related adjunctive research. However, these findings are not uniform across preparations, and many studies are small or heterogeneous.
A major focus of western clinical guidance is safety and interactions. Glycyrrhizin-containing licorice may interact with diuretics, corticosteroids, antihypertensives, digoxin, and medications that affect potassium or cardiac rhythm. People with heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, hormone-sensitive conditions, or pregnancy-related concerns are often advised in clinical settings to discuss licorice use with a qualified healthcare professional. Conventional medicine therefore tends to see licorice root as an herb with real therapeutic potential in narrow contexts, but one that requires more caution than many other botanical supplements.
Eastern & Traditional Perspective
Eastern and Traditional Medicine Perspective
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), licorice root is known as Gan Cao and is considered one of the most widely used herbs in classical formulas. It is traditionally valued for its ability to tonify qi, moisten the lungs, relieve cough, moderate spasms, clear heat and toxicity in certain contexts, and harmonize other herbs in a formula. Its “harmonizing” role is especially important: rather than being used only for one isolated symptom, Gan Cao is often included to balance stronger herbs, support the middle burner, and improve overall formula synergy. Different processed forms, such as honey-fried licorice, may be chosen for somewhat different traditional functions.
In Ayurveda, licorice is commonly known as Yashtimadhu and is traditionally regarded as a sweet, nourishing, soothing herb associated with support for the respiratory tract, stomach lining, voice, and reproductive and nervous system vitality. It is often described as moistening and cooling, and has historically been used in formulations addressing dry cough, throat irritation, gastric sensitivity, and states of depletion or irritation. In Ayurvedic language, it is frequently associated with balancing Vata and Pitta when used appropriately, particularly where dryness, heat, or tissue irritation are emphasized.
In naturopathic and broader herbal traditions, licorice has often been categorized as a demulcent, expectorant, anti-inflammatory, and adrenal-supportive herb, though the term “adrenal support” is used more traditionally than as a clearly established biomedical indication. Herbalists have long used licorice in combination formulas for digestive soothing, convalescence, stress-related depletion patterns, and respiratory irritation. Across these traditions, one consistent theme is that licorice is rarely seen as a one-dimensional supplement; instead, it is viewed as a balancing, tissue-soothing, formula-building herb.
Traditional systems also recognize that herbs with strong effects require matching to the individual pattern and constitution. In modern integrative practice, that translates into attention to product form, duration of use, and medical context. While traditional use is extensive and influential, contemporary interpretation increasingly incorporates safety screening, especially for glycyrrhizin-containing products.
Evidence & Sources
Promising research with growing clinical support from multiple studies
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
- Natural Medicines Database
- World Health Organization monographs on selected medicinal plants
- Phytotherapy Research
- Journal of Ethnopharmacology
- Molecules
- Integrative Medicine Research
- American Family Physician
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any supplement or medication regimen.