Licorice
Glycyrrhiza glabra L.Fabaceae // root · stolon
Overview
Plant parts
root, stolon
Known constituents
glycyrrhizin/glycyrrhetinic acid, liquiritin
Research corpus coverage
Chemistry notes
- CHEMISTRY: Relevant reported constituents include glycyrrhizin/glycyrrhetinic acid; liquiritin; constituent presence alone does not establish clinical efficacy.
Uses & Evidence
Traditional / historical use
Documented traditional use — not a claim of established efficacy.
TRADITIONAL: Licorice has been used for cough; dyspepsia; ulcers; this records historical/traditional use and does not establish efficacy.
MODERATE · evidence synthesis/fact sheet · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance
Modern evidence
EVIDENCE: For the major use set (cough; dyspepsia; ulcers), the evidence assessment is limited/mixed: Limited evidence for some oral-mucosal and GI formulations; insufficient for most systemic claims.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph and mixed scientific literature · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance
Mixed findings, product heterogeneity, or indirect evidence are preserved in the detailed profile.
Preparation
Forms used traditionally
A listed form does not imply it suits every plant part, or that one preparation is interchangeable with another — see the plant’s own notes below.
PREPARATION: The medicinal material is root; stolon; traditional and modern forms include decoction, tincture, powder/capsule, standardized extract. No dose or potency is specified.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph · EMA European Union herbal monographs and list entries
Preparation-specific evidence should not be generalized across extracts, teas, oils, or whole herb.
Safety
Additional safety notes (general, unstructured)
Free-text safety notes carried from their source — not broken out by species, route, or hazard type, and not equivalent to the structured records above. Each note names the kind of source it came from.
SAFETY: Major issues include Pseudoaldosteronism, hypertension, hypokalemia, edema and arrhythmia with glycyrrhizin exposure. Contraindications/cautions include Hypertension, heart/kidney disease, hypokalemia.
HIGH · observational/case series and expert review · LiverTox: Herbal and Dietary Supplements
SAFETY: Clinically relevant interaction concerns include Interacts with diuretics, digoxin, corticosteroids, antihypertensives and drugs prolonging QT; can worsen potassium loss.
MODERATE · observational/case series and expert review · LiverTox: Herbal and Dietary Supplements
Some interactions are theoretical or based on case reports/pharmacokinetics rather than outcome trials.
SAFETY: Pregnancy/lactation reference: Avoid glycyrrhizin-containing medicinal products in pregnancy; lactation evidence is limited.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph or evidence synthesis · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance
Absence of evidence is not evidence of safety.
Preparation × species risk matrix
Unknown means insufficient evidence was located — not that a form is safe.
Cats
- tinctureCaution
- concentrated extractUnknown
- essential oilUnknown
- glyceriteUnknown
- infused oilUnknown
- salveUnknown
- smoke/combustionUnknown
- tea/infusionUnknown
- whole herbUnknown
Dogs
- tinctureCaution
- concentrated extractUnknown
- essential oilUnknown
- glyceriteUnknown
- infused oilUnknown
- salveUnknown
- smoke/combustionUnknown
- tea/infusionUnknown
- whole herbUnknown
Identity
- Synonym
GBIF resolves Liquiritia officinarum Medik. as a synonym of Glycyrrhiza glabra. The older name still appears in herbal and taxonomic literature.
MODERATE · GBIF Species Match API
Botanical synonym
Liquiritia officinalis Medik.
Taxonomic identity note
- Licorice is treated here as Glycyrrhiza glabra L. in the family Fabaceae; recorded older names include Liquiritia officinalis Medik..
Sources
Research records are source-linked but may not yet be editorially reviewed.
- NCCIH Herbs at a Glance3 claims
NCCIH fact sheet
NIH LiverTox monograph
- Plants of the World Online1 claim
botanical taxonomy database
EMA monograph
WHO monograph
- GBIF Species Match API1 claim
authoritative taxonomic database