Liquorice has been known for thousands of years for its medicinal properties. Its root is used both in Western and Oriental medicines. In ancient Western medicine, liquorice has been used as an expectorant, antitussive agent and as an additive for sweetening. For the Chinese, it is a drug for strengthening muscle and bone and curing wounds. It is considered an aphrodisiac by them. In India, the crude drug as well as its dried aqueous extract is mainly used in bronchial troubles. Liquorice is also found useful in relieving burning sensation while passing urine.
Liquorice: A Profile
Latin Name: Glycyrrhiza Glabra Linn
Indian Names: Mulethi, Jashtimadhu, Yashtimadhukam, Rabulsus, Atimadhuram, Madhuyashti, Iratimadhuram
Family: Fabaceae
Common Names: Licorice root, Sweet Licorice, Sweet Wood
Medicinal Part: Rootstock
Appearance: Perennial plant, grows wild. The woody rootstock is wrinkled and brown on the outside, yellow on the inside and tastes sweet. The stem is round on the lower part and angular higher up. Leaves are ovate and dark-green in colour. Flowers are yellow, purple or violet. Pods are compressed.
Distribution: Cultivated in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and the sub-Himalayan tracts. Large quantity of roots are exported.
Liquorice – How to use it
| Ailment | Prescription |
| Baldness (which is not due to hereditary factors) | Grind equal quantity of liquorice root and seeds of dhatura (stramonium) (Caution: Poisonous) in milk cream malai, along with a little saffron. Heat this paste thoroughly in coconut oil, till charred. Apply on bald patches every night before going to bed. As dhatura is poisonous, keep out of reach of children and wash hands thoroughly after every application. |
| Dry cough, sore throat, stomach-upset | Boil little liquorice root in water and strain. Mix a tsp of this decoction with equal quantity of honey. Take thrice a day. |
| Baldness, hair-loss, dandruff | Grind tiny pieces of root in milk. Add a pinch of saffron. Apply this paste on bald patches at bedtime. |
| Constipation | Eat a mixture of finely powdered liquorice root and jaggery and water. |
| Corns | Mix liquorice powder with mustard oil and make a smooth paste. Rub it into the hardened skin at bedtime. |
| Yellowness in eyes | Very fine powder of liquorice is dusted into eyes (Caution: Proper care is to be exercised.) |
| Anorexia, chronic joint problems (it also allays thirst) | Use 1 tsp rootstock with 1 cup water as infusion or decoction. Take 1 cup a day. |
| Inflammation in mouth, mouth ulcers | Soak washed liquorice root in a mug of water for 2 to 3 hours and use for gargling. |
| Sore throat | Chew or suck a small piece of raw liquorice root |
| Myopia | Mix 1/ 2 tsp liquorice root powder in equal quantity of ghee and honey. To be taken with milk before meals, thrice a day. |
| Peptic ulcer, muscular pain | Soak small pieces of dried liquorice roots in water over night. Add the infusion to rice gruel (cooked broken rice) and take it every morning. |
| Wounds | Mix finely ground liquorice root powder with equal quantity of ghee and honey. Use as ointment over wounds. |
References
Finney, R S.H. and Tarnocky, AL. 1960. The Pharmological Properties of Glycyrrhetic Acid Hydrogensuccinate (disodium salt). J. Pharm, Pharmacol. 12: 49.
Gujral, M.L. et al. 1959. Antiarthritic Activity of Glycyrrhiza Glabra, L Indian.J. Physiol Pharmacol.3: 39.
Revers, F.E.1946. Has Liquorice juice (succue liquirides) a healing action on gastric ulcer? Med.Tjdschr. Gencesk. 90:135.
Takagi, K. and Ishii, Y. 1967. Peptic ulcer inhibiting properties of a new fraction from licorice root (FMl OO) .
Experimental Peptic Ulcer and general pharmacology. Arzneimittel-Forsch, 17: 11544.
Zaini, F. et al. 1993. Inhibiting of mutagenicity in salmonella typhimurium by Glycyrrhiza glabra extract, etc. Planta Medica. 59( 6), 502- 50.
Caution
Although liquorice extracts were effective clinically for treatment of gastric ulcer, it has caused oedema and hypertension in nearly 20% patients treated (Revers, 1946). Deglycyrrhized liquorice extract is now an important substance for treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers (Gujral, etal.1959). Continuous use of liquorice may cause puffiness of body in some individuals. Pregnant women, cardiac and kidney patients should avoid the use of liquorice.