Licorice Herb
Natural Healing Herbs
Licorice herb has been used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. This herb can be chewed, brewed in a tea or taken in capsule form. It's sweeter than sugar.
Other Names
The Latin name for this herb is Glycyrrhiza glabra. It's also known as liquorice root, sweet wood, liquiritral radix, and zhi gan cao.
Appearance
This plant grows to be up to 1 meter tall. It has thin, downy stems that grow upright. The leaves grow in pairs opposite each other on the stems. The plant has lavender or blue flowers that grow in clusters that become brown pods in the fall. The plant has a woody taproot that grows a system of connecting roots that spread a meter wide.
Origins
The plant is native to Asia, Africa, Middle East, and Europe.
Parts Used
The root is used.
Medicinal Uses
This herb is an anti-inflammatory. It contains flavinoids and is an expectorant. It can be used to treat the following conditions.
- coughs
- bronchitis
- indigestion
- eczema
- asthma
- arthritis
- shingles
- herpes
- constipation
- mouth ulcers
- insect bites
- sunburn
You can by this herb and many others at Mountain Rose Herbs.
Side Effects and Warnings
Taking too much of this herb for an extended period of time can cause liver problems, high blood pressure, and water retention.
Do not take this herb if you already have liver or kidney problems. Don't take it if you have anemia, hypokalemia, hypertonia, or high blood pressure.
You should consult your doctor if you are taking prescription medication or other herbal products.
Don't take it if you are pregnant or nursing.
If you found this information useful, check out my complete listing of herbs at my Herb Index. You can find a listing of ailments and their natural treatments on my Free Home Remedies page.
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