Licorice: A Treat For Good Health

Most of us know licorice as a tasty treat. But true licorice, officially known as Glycyrrhiza glabra, is actually a European plant belonging to the pulse family called Leguminosae. When pounded or pressed, the root of the licorice plant manufactures the sweet substance it's famous for. Since ancient times, licorice root has been revered for its medicinal purposes. The root has been used as a laxative and trusted as a cure for coughs. Of course, licorice is also brewed for candy and for flavoring tobacco and other substances.

Licorice in Nature

Licorice is a lovely perennial plant with pea-shaped, blue blossoms. While true licorice is primarily cultivated in the Middle East, a subspecies known as Glycyrrhiza lepidota or "wild licorice" is native to North America. There are currently fourteen known varieties of the licorice plant. Most types are found in Persia, Southeast Europe and several Asiatic regions.

The licorice plant has long graceful stems and pinnate leaves that spread slightly. From a distance, the licorice plants display an almost feathery appearance because of their tiny leaflets resembling the False Acacia. When night falls, the leaves hang down on either side of the midrib. Flowers are small, growing from the axils of the leaves. Licorice flowers are usually purplish in color but may occasionally be pale blue, violet, or yellowish-white. When fully mature, small pods resembling peapods are formed.

Licorice for Health

Licorice has enjoyed an extensive history in the annals of herbal medicine and folk healing. Legends of the use of licorice are long and varied. In Ancient China, licorice was considered to be one of the most important herbs in traditional medicine. Used primarily as a demulcent for its soothing and coating effects in the digestive and urinary tracts, Chinese folk healers also used licorice to cure an array of conditions and diseases including tuberculosis and diabetes.

More recently, the licorice plant has mostly been used to treat coughs and sore throats. Of course, licorice is also favored as a flavoring. "Licorice" is a word derived from the Greek word meaning "sweet root".

According to recent studies, licorice contains compounds known as flavonoids and glycyrrhizin. Some studies suggest that glycyrrhizin has anti-inflammatory properties, and may provide actions that can inhibit or hinder the breakdown of cortisol, one of the body's important substances.

Researchers believe that licorice can hold important anti-viral properties, although this is yet to be proven on humans. Flavonoids found in licorice can act as powerful antioxidants, protecting the liver and other vital organs. Digestive tract cells may also benefit from chalcones, which are also components of licorice closely related to flavonoids. Preliminary studies using licorice as a treatment have suggested that flavonoids can destroy the bacteria known as Helicobacter pylori, responsible for ulcers and other common stomach inflammations.

Doctors have used a licorice extract called liquiritin as a treatment for melasma, a pigmentation disorder of the skin. In one study, medical researchers indicated that a 70 percent improvement rate was observed on melasma patients who applied liquiritin cream twice a day over a period of four-weeks.

Buying Licorice

When using licorice, keep in mind that there are two types available in the market. The first is the "standard" licorice which contains glycyrrhizin and used to treat respiratory infections, chronic fatigue syndrome, or herpes. The second type is called the "de-glycyrrhizinated" licorice used to relieve conditions of the digestive tract, such as ulcers.

Licorice can be purchased in tablets or in capsule form. If you need to treat canker sores, you can also find de-glycyrrhizinated licorice in powder form.

Article Source: http://www.articlemonk.com

Author Joelle Applebe is a regular columnist for some of today's best known web sites, on health and wellness and health plans topics.
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