5 Benefits of Licorice Root
Gan Cao, or licorice root, (Glycyrrhizae Radix) 甘草
is a commonly used herb in Chinese Medicine because it enters all 12 channels.
Here are 5 Benefits of Licorice Root
Loose stools. Licorice root can help to strengthen your qi for when you’re experiencing fatigue and weak digestion. It does this by soothing the stomach’s lining (Stomach yin) to prevent and help with ulcers.
Wheezing and coughing. It can help to moisten the throat and lungs.
Sore throat, sores and inflammation. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. It can help a sore throat from viruses by slowing down viral replication and from bacterial growth.
Leg pains and spasms. Licorice root is anti-spasmodic and when used with white peony root it can be used to help treat leg pains and spasm. A deficiency of blood can cause leg pains and spasms. White peony is used to tonify the blood. This combination can treat the root as well as the branch (symptom).
Reduces toxicity - it has the ability to moderate herbs to reduce their toxic effects and enhance their positive or more useful effects in a formula.
Cautions and Combinations
Pictured gan cao + da zao, glass pot courtesy of Kitara
Most herbs in Chinese Medicine are used in a formula and not as a standalone ingredient for treatment. Formulas are important because the herbs can interact with one another to enhance each other’s properties and/or reduce potential harshness or toxicity of other herbs. When using herbal medicine at home it is advised to consult with an experienced provider, especially for those who are on medications or have certain conditions and diagnosis’. Children and pregnant people should not use licorice root. Long term use of licorice root can cause salt retention, high blood pressure, spasms, numbness, dizziness and headaches. This herb is not appropriate for those with those who take ACE inhibitors or diuretics, have hypertension, hyperkalemia or congestive heart failure.
The combination of licorice root and ginger have been shown to suppress cancer spread and encourage the destruction of cancer cells in a study done on mice. (2020 Saeedifar et al.).
The combination of licorice root, blighted wheat (fu mai) and Chinese dates (da zao) known as formula Gan Mai Da Zao Tang has been used since the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D) for certain patterns of depression that included anxiety, laughing or crying for no reason and insomnia. This formula was can be found in the Jin Gui Yao Lue by Zhang Zhongjing. There are English translations of this book, as the formulas have stood the test of time and are commonly used today. A 2022 (Li et al.) study confirmed this combination’s anti-depressive effect in rats.
How To Use Licorice Root
Please review the above cautions before using licorice root on your own. This is not medical advice and these combinations would not be appropriate for everyone.
Tea for sore throat. Because licorice root is thicker and heavier than teas that are made of leaves and flowers, it does require cooking. Rinse your licorice root first. Then add to a pot with the desired amount water, Bring it to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer and cook the licorice root for another 10 minutes. Let it rest for 5 min before enjoying it. Optional to add honey, ginger, cinnamon or Chinese dates to this recipe if you like.
Decocted in soup to improve digestive qi. Cook ginger and licorice root with chicken broth, black (silkie) chicken and desired seasonings and vegetables for a nourishing, delicious and medicinal meal. Using regular chicken works just fine. Omit the chicken and substitute broth with vegetable broth for a vegetarian version.
Recommended products containing licorice root:
Written By Dr. Emily Siy, DACM, L.Ac. (12/5/22)
Use the code ‘BLOG’ for $25 off on an initial acupuncture visit.
Sources
Li, Y., Cheng, K., Hsu, C., Cheng, J., Yang, T. (2022) Major Plant in Herbal Mixture Gan-Mai-Da-Zao for the Alleviation of Depression in Rat Models Plants(Basel) 2022 Feb; 11 (3): 258
Saeedifar, A.M., Mosayebi, G., Ghazavi, A., Ganji, A. (2020) Synergistic Evaluation of Ginger and Licorice Extracts In A Mouse Model of Colorectal Cancer Nutrition and Cancer 2021; 73 (6): 1068-1078
(2020) Health Benefits of Licorice Root Nourish By WebMD https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-licorice-root
What Are The Benefits of Licorice Root Medical News Today https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323761#benefits-of-licorice