Active Ingredient Licorice (glycyrrhiza Glabra L.) And Dgl (deglycyrrhizinated Licorice)

a genus of leguminous herbs or shrubs whose roots yield glycyrrhetinic acid and its derivatives, carbenoxolone for example. licorice toxicity is manifested as hypokalemia, low blood potassium. licorice is used as flavoring and aromatic in pharmaceuticals and as candy.

Source:

medlineplus herbs and supplements: licorice (glycyrrhiza glabra l.) and dgl (deglycyrrhizinated licorice)

Medical Condition	Uses based on scientific evidence	Grade*
acute gastric ulcer without mention of hemorrhage or perforation	although there has been some study of dgl in this area, it is not clear what effects dgl has on gastrointestinal bleeding.	c
acute upper respiratory infections of unspecified site	historically, licorice has been used for its expectorant and anti-tussive effects. the herbal combination product, kanjang, has been studied for the treatment of uncomplicated upper respiratory tract infections. results are mixed, and additional study is needed.	c
aplastic anemia	limited study suggests that licorice may be beneficial in aplastic anemia, but results are inconclusive.	c
dyspepsia and other specified disorders of function of stomach	early studies indicate that the herbal preparation stw 5, which contains licorice among many other herbal extracts, may help improve symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia.	c
familial mediterranean fever	early study of a multi-ingredient preparation containing licorice, called immunoguard™, suggests possible effects in managing fmf. well-designed study of licorice alone is necessary before a recommendation can be made.	c
gastrojejunal ulcer	licorice extracts, dgl and carbenoxolone, have been studied for treating peptic ulcers. dgl (but not carbenoxolone) may offer some benefits. however, most studies are poorly designed and some results conflict. therefore, it is unclear whether there is any benefit from licorice for this condition.	c
genital herpes	available studies have not found any benefit from carbenoxolone cream when applied topically to the skin to treat genital herpes infections.	d
glucocorticoid deficiency	addison's disease is a relatively common disorder to endocrinologists, but is rare and potentially fatal when presenting acutely. treatment now involves replacement of glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids with synthetic compounds, although historically patients took common salt and plant-based preparations, including licorice.	c
herpes simplex	laboratory studies have found that dgl may hinder the spread and infection of herpes simplex virus. studies in humans have been small, but they suggest that topical application of carbenoxolone cream may improve healing and prevent recurrence.	c
human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) disease	early studies suggest that glycyrrhizin may inhibit hiv replication in patients with aids. however, human reports are lacking. additional study is needed to make a firm recommendation.	c
immune thrombocyopenic purpura	early study has suggested that recombinant roasted licorice decoction combined with low-dose glucocorticoids may be more effective than glucocorticoids alone in treating idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. this combination has also shown a lower adverse effect rate than glucocorticoids alone.	c
mechanical complication of other specified prosthetic device implant and graft	many medical conditions are marked by inflammation. because licorice can affect the metabolism of steroids, licorice is sometimes used to help decrease inflammation. additional study is needed to make a firm recommendation.	c
oral aphthae	some research suggests that licorice extracts, dgl, and the drug carbenoxolone, may provide benefits for treating cankers sores. however, studies have been small with flaws in their designs. the safety of dgl makes it an attractive therapy if it does speed healing of these sores, but it is not clear at this time whether there is truly any benefit.	c
other and unspecified anterior pituitary hyperfunction	shakuyaku-kanzo-to, an herbal medicine containing licorice, has been used for neuroleptic-induced hyperprolactinemia. however, additional studies are needed in this area.	c
other atopic dermatitis and related conditions	topical licorice extract gel has been shown to be effective in the treatment of atopic dermatitis in preliminary human study. further research is needed to confirm these results.	c
polycystic ovaries	spironolactone is a synthetic steroid that is commonly used as a diuretic in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. licorice has been used in combination with spironolactone to reduce side effects related to the diuretic activity of spironolactone.	c
viral hepatitis	the licorice extracts dgl and carbenoxolone have been proposed as possible therapies for viral hepatitis. further research is needed before a recommendation can be made.	c

*Key to grades
A: Strong scientific evidence for this use;
B: Good scientific evidence for this use;
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use;
D: Fair scientific evidence against this use;
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use.