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Herbal Remedies Information - Liquorice

This article is part of a series giving information about herbs and their medicinal properties. We are going to look at liquorice in this article. You will find out what this herb is, how you can use it and the conditions that could be helped by liquorice.

What is Liquorice?

Liquorice is perennial that has purple and white flowers and is usually found growing in the Mediterranean and southwest Asia. It is usually grown for its taproot which can grow to over a metre in length. The plant usually flowers in late summer and has flowers similar to sweet-pea. The leaves alternate between odd and pinnate and split into as many as eight pairs of oblong leaflets.

How to use Liquorice

The root is usually used for remedies and it can be purchased to use for remedies at home. In addition you can buy a large number of different remedies from your health food store that can be used as directed.

You can make a tea by adding a teaspoon of the root to a cup of water and bringing to the boil. Once the water has boiled you should leave the remedy to simmer for 10-15 minutes and can drink three cups per day of this remedy.

You can also create a tincture by combining one part root to five parts brandy or vodka in a sealed container. You should leave this mixture for a couple of weeks making sure you shale it on a daily basis. Once complete you should strain the mixture through a muslin cloth and then take a couple of drops three times a day.

Uses of Liquorice

Liquorice is one of the herbs that has been studied in detail and a large number of benefits have been found. One of the main uses is the help with respiratory conditions such as catarrh, coughs and colds as well as relieving sore throats. In addition the herb is thought to be a mild laxative and so can help with constipation and cleaning the colon. Studies have also shown that liquorice can be used as a liver tonic and can be used to treat arthritis.

Liquorice has been shown to be beneficial in treating peptic ulcers and can be useful for conditions that affect the adrenal gland including Addison’s disease. Certain properties of liquorice mean that it can be beneficial in treating conditions like hypoglycaemia. Used in combination with other herbs it can help with symptoms of the menopause.

Recent research has shown that liquorice can be beneficial for protection against heart disease by helping to lower cholesterol levels. In addition some early research shows that there is promise as a chemo-preventative against cancer.

Side Effects and Precautions

It is important to limit the use of liquorice to four to six weeks and should usually be done with medical advice. Pregnant women should not take liquorice. In addition people who have high blood pressure, kidney disease, and liver conditions including cirrhosis should not take liquorice.

Some of the side effects that people can suffer if they take liquorice include raised blood pressure, water retention, headaches and reduce potassium levels. This may not be a problem for some people and so medical advice should be taken.

In addition liquorice can interact with medication, particularly if that medication reduces the level of potassium in the body. For that reason you should not take liquorice without consulting your doctor.