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Licorice at a Glance
Glycyrrhiza glabra is a perennial legume in the Fabaceae family. The sweet-tasting root is the principal culinary and herbal part.
Traditional Use
Licorice root has a long history in European, Middle Eastern and Asian herbal traditions as a soothing, harmonizing and flavoring herb. Traditional use spans throat, digestive and formula-balancing roles.
Glycyrrhizin
Whole licorice root contains glycyrrhizin, which can cause sodium retention, potassium loss and increases in blood pressure when exposure is high enough or prolonged. This is the central safety issue for ordinary licorice root.
DGL Is Different
Deglycyrrhizinated licorice, or DGL, is processed to remove most glycyrrhizin and therefore has a different safety profile. Research on DGL should not be transferred automatically to whole root, and vice versa.
Research
Licorice preparations have been studied for gastrointestinal and other uses, but product differences are substantial. It should not be presented as a cure for ulcers or infections.
Safety and Interactions
Frequent or high-dose glycyrrhizin-containing licorice can raise blood pressure and lower potassium. People with hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease or low potassium should avoid unsupervised medicinal use. Important interactions can occur with diuretics, digoxin, corticosteroids and some blood-pressure medicines. Medicinal use during pregnancy is generally avoided. People taking prescription medicines should discuss regular licorice use with a clinician or pharmacist.
Folklore
Licorice has long been associated with sweetness, attraction and harmonizing blends in folk traditions.
Bottom Line
Licorice root is powerful because of glycyrrhizin, not merely sweet. Dose, duration and medication context are essential. For educational purposes only.