Carsten column: Licorice root, the historical ‘magic plant’
Integrative Pet Vet

Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is an herb, native to southern Europe and parts of Asia, with a long history of traditional medical use. Widespread use over thousands of years in ancient cultures in Egypt, China, India, Assyria, Greece, Italy, and North Africa has been recorded. In addition to its medicinal use, it is also used as a flavoring in candy, beverages, some foods, tobacco products, and some medications. The use of licorice in foods is reflected in the Greek term for licorice, glukos riza, which means “sweet root.” Licorice root contains a compound known as glycyrrhizin that is considered to be 30-50 times sweeter than sugar. However, the sweetness is different than sugar because it is less immediate and lasts longer.
While the sweetness accounts for its use in foods, its medicinal value is reflected in its extensive, historical use for health conditions. As long ago as 2300 BC, a Chinese Emperor recorded that licorice was a “magic plant” that could rejuvenate aging men. This is an interesting observation that is partly due to licorice root’s adaptogen properties. Adaptogen herbs have the ability to help the body resist physical and biological stresses including aging. Licorice root has an influence on cortisol (hormone from the adrenal glands) levels associated with stress and acts as an anti-oxidant. Interestingly, modern research has documented a licorice root associated increase in lifespan in the limited number of animal species that have been studied.
There are numerous other reasons why licorice has been continuously used as a medicinal herb for centuries. It has the ability to reduce nausea, facilitate healing stomach ulcers and reduce stomach pain, act as an anti-inflammatory, provide a demulcent effect that aids healing leaky gut issues, reduce joint pain, support the immune system, assist management of asthma and coughs, and help the adrenal glands to respond to stress. This partial list of properties gives a clue to why licorice root is one of the most utilized herbs in Chinese herbal formulas. It appears in almost half of the Chinese herbal formulas because it has additional benefits when it is combined into traditional Chinese medicine herbal formulas. Licorice root is considered a harmonizing, “guide drug” in those formulas by helping to enhance the effectiveness of other herbs in the formula, reduce potential toxicity of the other herbs, and aid absorption into the bloodstream and delivery to target organs and tissues. Licorice root can also help improve the overall taste of the herbal formulas.
In addition to its use for human health care, licorice has been used for thousands of years in veterinary medicine. It has been used for patients with digestive and respiratory issues, skin conditions, immune imbalances, adrenal imbalances, and liver disease. Licorice also has a property that influences the level of cortisol in the blood. This property can be used for benefit when safely weaning a pet off of steroids or helping with adrenal insufficiency problems. Blood cortisol levels can be maintained higher because licorice root can block the enzyme that inactivates cortisol.
Licorice root has many useful properties that make it appear as the “magic plant” from history, however, it has a number of issues that need to always be considered when using licorice root. While the effect on cortisol blood levels can be helpful in some conditions, it can create problems in other situations. Also, licorice root can contribute to hypertension and low blood potassium. These effects are dose associated meaning that these effects are more likely with higher doses. Generally, licorice root is indicated for short term use depending on the dose used and the health condition being treated. However, glycyrrhizin, the compound in licorice root that contributes to hypertension, fluid retention, and low blood potassium, can be removed. Licorice root products with glycyrrhizin removed are known as deglycyrrhizin licorice (DGL). This form is considered safer.
If you have health questions about your pet, contact your veterinarian. If you have pet herb questions, contact a veterinarian with herbal training.
Ron Carsten, DVM, PhD, CVA, CCRT was one of the first veterinarians in Colorado to use the integrative approach, has lectured widely to veterinarians, and has been a pioneer in the therapeutic use of food concentrates to manage clinical problems. He is also the founder of Colorado Animal Rescue (CARE). In addition to his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, he holds a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology and is a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist and Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist. He practices integrative veterinary medicine in Glenwood Springs. Dr. Carsten is the 2022 Colorado Veterinary Medical Association Distinguished Service Award recipient.

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