Licorice Root: An Herbal Guide to this Amazing Plant
What is Licorice Root?
Yes, Licorice isn’t just a candy. It’s an actual plant that has many health benefits that are immune-boosting and support good digestive flow.*
Licorice has a strong taste which some folks love and can be a deterrent for some people. It is an excellent supportive plant for a broad application of issues, used for thousands of years in Europe, North America and Asia.
Some of the key medicinal constituents of Licorice are Glycyrrhizin, coumarins, glabridin. It is supportive of inflamed membranes for digestion, respiratory health, skin health and and the immune system.
In this article, I’ll be reviewing information on the root - which is the most commonly used part of the plant.
Herbal Monograph Profile: info on Licorice Root
An herbal monograph is a complete profile of a plant: covering the plant’s botany, herbal energetics, how it has been traditionally used for health benefits and modernly used. It also reviews potential safety considerations.
See below for my herbal monograph profile on Licorice, to discover key benefits and learnings.
Scientific Name: Glycyrrhiza glabra
Family: Fabaceae
Common Name: Licorice
Parts Used and Collection: Root
Habitat and Cultivation: Europe, China, North America
Taste: Sweet and slightly bitter
Energetics: Moistening
Health Actions: Adaptogen, immunomodulating, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antiviral, aperient, demulcent, expectorant, hepatoprotective
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
A botanical drawing of the licorice plant.
Licorice Root Traditional Uses
Licorice is a very powerful and beautiful herb that has an affinity for the digestive system. It helps heal inflammation of mucus membranes throughout multiple organ systems. It has strong anti-inflammatory, immune modulating and anti-viral properties.
In North America, Blackfoot Indians of the Dakotas would steep the leaves of licorice and pour the infusion into the ear as a way to treat earaches. And many Native tribes eat the root fresh and roasted.
In European Medicine, it is traditionally used for digestive support, sore throats, bronchitis, laryngitis coughs and other chest issues. The dried root is made as a decoction or syrup. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) it is often used as a harmonizer and also used for coughs or difficulty breathing. It is seen as a valuable liver herb in TCM and Japanese medicine. (Weiss, Gaea and Shandor. Growing & Using the Healing Herbs. Pg 177-178.)
Licorice Root Health Benefits & Modern Uses
*Note: This information is for purely educational purposes and doesn’t supplement professional medical advice.
Digestive Health
Just like our good friend Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis), Glycyrrhiza is a high priestess for the digestive system. The polysaccharides help supply the cooling demulcent quality. Its antispasmodic, aperient, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective qualities are very beneficial for the digestive system.
It also helps with H. pylori infections (Groves, Maria Noel. Body Into Balance. Pg 283). This may be a great herb for Crohn’s Disease, Colitis, other IBD issues, IBS, diverticulitis, gastritis and GERD.
In a 2023 study researching the effects of Licorice on ulcerative colitis, it was found that Licorice “significantly improved lesions in the colonic tissue” and “oral licorice significantly reduced the expression of oxidative factors in mice with DSS‐induced colitis. DSS significantly increased proinflammatory cytokine expression, but oral licorice significantly inhibited it”.
In other words, its strong anti-inflammatory actions that could reduce the auto-immune activity in Colitis.
Image from the 2023 study “Licorice protects against ulcerative colitis via the Nrf2/PINK1‐mediated mitochondrial autophagy” by Kong et al.
Respiratory Health
Licorice is great for sore throats, dry coughs and inflamed tissues, including the throat and lungs. In a clinical trial of people who underwent tracheal surgery, simply gargling licorice helped reduce the incidence of sore throat by half (Ruetzler et. Al, 2013). Again, we see here the benefit of its demulcent, expectorant and antispasmodic actions. As an expectorant, it can help expel mucus from the lungs.
Dermatological and Skin Health
Licorice is indicated for eczema, particularly childhood eczema or the type that lingers for a long time. It also helps with rashes (Herbal Academy. Intermediate Herbal Course Recipes and Monographs. Page 172.).
Immune Health
Licorice is a phenomenal herb for the immune system due to its active constituent glycyrrhizin. It is effective for many viruses including strains of the flu, respiratory viral infections, pneumonia, herpes and hepatitis.*
Licorice Root: Science, Preparation and Safety
How to use Licorice Root:
Licorice root can be nice as a cold infusion - meaning the root just sits in cold water for a few hours, then it’s ready to drink.
Here are some ways to enjoy Licorice Root:
Cold infusion
Hot infusion / hot tea
Broths
Powder
Supplement
Culinary use: powders used in electuraries or energy balls
An easy way to prepare it is to use use 1-2 tablespoons of the dried root (cut or sifted or powdered) per 8oz water, 2-4x/day.
Common Herbal Combinations:
These herbs can pair nicely with Licorice root.
Dandelion Root (Taraxacum officinale)
Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa)
Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
Safety and Contraindications:
Licorice Root is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) if consumed in less than 10mg/day.
Long term use might cause hypertension or hypokalemia (lowering of potassium levels). According to David Hoffman, “prolonged use in conjunction with thiazide and loop diuretics and cardiac glycosides is contraindicated, and licorice should not be administered in combination with spironolactone or amiloride which are potassium-sparing diuretic pills.” (Hoffman, David. Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Page 555.)
May avoid or use if caution if you are taking hypotensive agents, corticoids, diuretics or MAOIs.
Pregnancy and Lactation: May avoid use if pregnant or lactating.
Creating a Connection with Licorice Root
Curious about licorice root? Feel free to leave a comment below or reach out to me directly! And remember, it’s always good to consider if an herb is right for you.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information above is purely educational and cannot substitute professional medical advice. It is not intended to treat, cure, or diagnose medical conditions. Consult with a medical professional if you have any concerns.
