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Liquorice

Liquorice Root

Glycyrrhiza glabra

Liquorice is not a native plant, but used to be extensively cultivated in the UK. It is extremely useful to herbalists, and we would encourage its widespread reintroduction by herbalists and gardeners. It has so many uses, and is one of the top 10 herbs for any practising herbalist. As a word of caution, it can exacerbate hypertension, so is best avoided by people with high blood pressure.

To make a tincture harvest the roots after the plant is at least 3 years old, during the Autumn. Put a bit of root, attached to the stem, back into the ground and it will carry on growing. Make a tincture at 1:3 @ 25% alcohol.

Actions

  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Adaptogen - potentiates the effects of cortisol, acting as an adrenal restorative.
  • Expectorant
  • Demulcent
  • Aperient
  • Muco-protective
  • Hepatoprotective
  • Antioxidant

Uses

  • Dry cough, hoarseness, wheezing, shortness of breath

  • Pain in the intestines, particularly with diarrhoea

  • Urinary tract infections

  • Adrenal depletion and general exhaustion

  • Assistance in coming off steroid drugs

  • Flu - is effective against some straoins of flu virus

  • Gastric ulcers - acts by helping restore gastric mucosa and by protecting against local irritants, such as aspirin.

  • Anti-inflammatory action helps in rheumatism, arthritis, and allergy conditions.

  • Stress: as an adaptogen it reduces the need for the adrenals to produce so much cortisol, and helps the body tpo respond better to stress. Can help to prevent depletion and exhaustion.

  • Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS): Liquorice extracts combined with peony (Peonia lactiflora) have been demonstrated to reduce female testosterone levels in PCOS, improving the over all oestradiol to tetosterone ratio and improving progesterone levels by normalising ovarian function

  • Can be used externally on inflammatory skin conditions, such as eczema, but messy. Also for viral infections, such as herpes simplex and shingles.