Licorice
Useful properties and uses of licorice root syrup
Useful properties of licorice
Licorice has a wide range of substances beneficial to the human body. Its chemical composition is diverse: the roots and rhizomes contain a derivative of saponins, glycyrrhizin, a substance that is a mixture of potassium and calcium salts of tribasic glycyrrhizic acid.
The plant revealed the presence of 27 flavonoids, ascorbic acid, steroids, estriol, there is a little gum, resin, essential oil and asparagine. Flavonoids have a versatile effect on the body - both antispasmodic, wound healing and anti-inflammatory.
Licorice remedies differ in expectorant and emollient properties, in some cases they have an anti-toxic effect. The therapeutic effect on the body of licorice roots is due to the content of carbohydrates, glucose, fructose, starch and cellulose, as well as organic acids - fumaric, malic, citric, succinic.
The use of licorice
Licorice is recognized as official medicine, and today a large number of various drugs of various spectrum of action have been created on its basis. Substances of licorice have versatile biological activity, their anti-inflammatory properties are similar to cortisone. Thanks to glycyrrhizic and glycyrrhetic acids, it became possible to use licorice for Addison's disease and metabolic disorders in the body.
Derivatives of glycyrrhizic acid affect inflammatory processes like "Butadion": they reduce cyclical changes in the endometrium. The most important pharmacological property is the stimulating effect of glycyrrhizic acid, which contributes to a quick recovery from gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer. This same acid gives the sweet taste to licorice, and therefore it can be used as a food sweetener for diabetics. And it is the presence of glycyrrhizic acid that allows you to take licorice in case of poisoning, infectious diseases, manifestations of intoxication. It is an excellent detoxifying agent that neutralizes the toxic effects of chemical drugs.
Licorice syrup
Licorice syrup has the same excellent medicinal properties as the root. It has an antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effect, accelerates the healing of ulcers, and exhibits antimicrobial activity against staphylococci.
Licorice root syrup will be very useful for children, it is a very soft and pleasant to taste liquid, kids drink it with pleasure. The syrup can be made at home.
Licorice syrup recipe: 4 grams of thick licorice root extract must be mixed with 80 grams of sugar syrup, add 10 grams of alcohol. Store the product in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator. Syrup is used for coughs, colds, tracheitis, hyperacid gastritis, peptic ulcer disease.
How to take syrup? Dosage: 5-10 ml of syrup with 200 ml of water or tea 2-3 times a day after meals.
Licorice for children
In pediatrics, licorice is used as a syrup, it can be drunk with dry and wet coughs, some gastrointestinal diseases in children are also an indication for taking licorice. All the beneficial properties of the syrup are determined by the composition of licorice rhizomes: it exhibits anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, analgesic effects. Licorice syrup is a natural product that promotes the secretion and excretion of phlegm, heals mucous membranes and increases immunity. The course of treatment with syrup cannot be more than 10 days; it can be extended only after consulting your doctor. During syrup treatment, side effects may occur: rash, itching, swelling, inflammation of the skin, diarrhea. In these cases, treatment should be discontinued.
Liquorice root
Licorice root contains an adaptogen - a substance that can increase the body's resistance to a lack of oxygen and has a positive effect on the hormonal system.
Also, as a result of research, a high estrogenic activity of the plant was found. Foaming saponins increase the secretory function of the epithelium of the respiratory organs, under their influence, sputum liquefaction occurs, breathing is facilitated during the period of colds.
Licorice has antiviral and antipyretic effects. Bioflavonoids have an antispasmodic effect on the smooth muscles of the urinary tract, bile ducts and intestines, and inhibit the secretion of gastric juice. Also, flavonoid compounds strengthen blood vessels, normalizing their permeability.
The sodium salt of glycyrrhetinic acid inhibits the activity of protozoa worms. The use of licorice is mentioned in manuscripts with recipes left to descendants by oriental healers. For a long time and today, the plant has been used for diseases of the lungs and upper respiratory tract.
The popularity of the root used in medicinal preparations for acute and chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, is due to the high effectiveness of treatment, which has been proven by centuries of practice. It is useful to take licorice-based remedies for lupus erythematosus, chronic skin diseases, allergies, pemphigus, eczema, neurodermatitis and allergic dermatitis. When treating the skin, they resort to the external use of decoctions and infusions of licorice. The use of the plant root is recommended for kidney pathology. The effect of the treatment will come faster if you apply a comprehensive treatment, which will include the collection of some more herbs, for example, birch, knotweed, horsetail.
Licorice root is prescribed for pyelonephritis, inflammation of the bladder, urolithiasis and for the prevention of these and many other diseases.
A decoction of licorice roots helps with chronic fatigue, rapid fatigue, restores the nervous system, and normalizes sleep. A decoction of the plant roots, cooked in milk, is useful for children with whooping cough. With dry throat, laryngitis, pharyngitis, the root should be chewed.
Licorice root is incredibly effective in protecting and restoring liver function. There is a lot of evidence that the miracle root can reduce the likelihood of cirrhosis and liver cancer, reduce the concentration of transaminase enzymes (their elevated level in the blood indicates organ damage).
Ancient Chinese doctors argued that licorice root preserves beauty and youth, prolongs life, and increases the body's resistance to disease. It is recommended to use it for the elderly, equating its properties with ginseng. It significantly reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood, corrects the endocrine system, stimulating the secretory function of the glands, and also strengthens the immune system, tones, and exhibits antidepressant properties. Correct use of licorice root will definitely lead to positive treatment results.
How to take licorice root? When using the root of a plant as a medicinal raw material, it is necessary to follow the recommendations of traditional healers and doctors. It must be remembered that it cannot be taken in combination with medicines for heart failure, drugs that lower blood pressure and have a diuretic effect: arrhythmias, myopathy and muscle atrophy may occur. It is important not to exceed dosage. Usually, adults are prescribed decoctions of 1-2 tablespoons 3-4 times a day before meals.
Licorice root for children in the form of a decoction is prescribed for 1 teaspoon or dessert spoon, depending on age. It is recommended to use infusions for adults in 1/3 cup, for children - 1 or 2 dessert spoons 30 minutes before meals. reception of funds is carried out in a warm form, the number of receptions is determined by the severity of the disease.
Cough licorice
A cough appears when, with a cold or smoking, the bronchi require getting rid of phlegm. If it is difficult to separate it during a dry cough, they resort to the help of licorice, which stimulates the body's defenses, a dry cough turns into a productive form. The plant has a good effect on the healing process of broncho-pulmonary diseases: the volume of mucus increases, microbes are removed from the lungs. Licorice is useful both at the onset of the disease and in advanced forms of pneumonia and upper respiratory tract damage. It is a very strong and positive remedy for tuberculosis patients.
There is an old recipe for a debilitating and dry cough, for its preparation you will need a collection, consisting in addition of marshmallow and elecampane. Licorice root for cough is the main ingredient of the drug.
Cough infusion: it is necessary to mix 1 tablespoon of crushed roots, pour 2 teaspoons of such a mixture with 400 ml of cold boiled water, insist for 8 hours and take 100 ml 2 times a day before meals.
Licorice extract
Licorice root extract is a thick brown mass with a peculiar smell and sugary-sweet taste. It is the best caries remedy, it is suitable for the healing of scars and the treatment of dermatitis.
Glycyrrhizic acid stimulates the production of interferon, an anti-viral substance, which means that licorice heals herpes. It rejuvenates, relaxes and soothes, has a softening and cleansing effect. External use can reduce age spots, erythema, and accelerate collagen production.
Licorice during pregnancy
Since the female body is susceptible to the influence of microbes and infections during pregnancy, a decrease in immunity is observed, various natural remedies are prescribed to prevent these problems. Although licorice is one of the most useful plants that can protect the body from diseases, it is undesirable to take it during the period of gestation.
Licorice root during pregnancy can be harmful by altering the water-salt balance, causing unwanted swelling, increased blood pressure, and increased hormonal activity.
Licorice root syrup during pregnancy can be taken if other remedies are powerless, but for this you must dilute it with water.
Licorice recipes
Licorice root juice: 1 gram of licorice juice should be diluted in 0.5 cups of hot water, divided into three servings and taken warm 3 times a day. The remedy is recommended for gastritis and stomach ulcers.
Licorice can be brewed like regular tea to treat a cold cough.
Recipe number 1: 20 grams of licorice root, 10 grams of Icelandic moss, rose hips and plantain leaves must be brewed like tea.
Recipe No. 2: 20 grams of root and aerial part of licorice, 5 grams of mint, centaury herb and lemon balm leaves are recommended to be brewed as tea and drink 1 cup daily after meals.
Recipe for infusion of licorice: you need to fry 2 teaspoons of licorice roots in a pan and pour two glasses of boiling water for infusion. After 6-8 hours, the medicine is ready for use. Should be taken in 30-40 drops, you can use this infusion for arthritis, peptic ulcer, tumors. The water infusion restores the health of the adrenal glands; it is also used for gastritis.
Infusion of licorice
Licorice infusions have a pleasant taste and a specific aromatic smell.
Recipe number 1: 1 teaspoon of dry crushed licorice root should be poured with 1 cup boiling water, leave for an hour and a half, cool, strain, take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day before meals.
Recipe number 2: 2 tablespoons of crushed raw materials are poured with 500 ml of warm water, insisted for 2 hours, drink 0.5 cups 1-2 times a day before meals.
Decoctions also retain valuable properties of licorice.
Broth of licorice: dry root (10 g) is placed in an enamel bowl, poured with hot water (200 ml), kept in a water bath under a lid for 15–20 minutes, insisted for 40 minutes. After cooling, the product must be drained, brought to 200 ml and taken 1 tablespoon 4-5 times a day. The course of treatment is 10 days.
Licorice leaves are not used as a medicinal raw material, but in folk medicine, gruel from pounded leaves is recommended for sweating feet. Some cosmetics manufacturers use leaf extract to improve the quality of hyaluronic acid.
Lymph cleansing with licorice
In case of dysfunction of the lymphatic system, a disease occurs - lymphotoxicosis. It entails a load on the liver, intestines, kidneys, and doctors sometimes make disappointing diagnoses: hepatitis, enteritis, colitis, dysbiosis. There is a slowdown in the release of metabolic products, bile stagnates, constipation is formed, and inflammation of the bladder (cystitis). Skin rashes, neurodermatitis, psoriasis, etc. appear.
All these troubles can be corrected by applying licorice root. If you drink 1 tablespoon of syrup diluted in a glass of hot water on an empty stomach, the cleansing process can be felt within an hour.
Licorice for weight loss
Overweight is one of the main indicators of human health. This may be the result of the consumption of high-calorie food, which will certainly entail a variety of problems - diabetes mellitus, heart failure, etc. Weight gain may be the result of dysfunctions of the endocrine system and a number of other serious diseases.
Licorice root restores the normal, functional ability of the gastrointestinal tract, the laxative effect helps to cleanse the body of toxins, acidity is normalized, and heartburn is eliminated. The beneficial substances of the plant protect the gastric mucosa, have a calming effect on the nervous system.
Contraindications to the use of licorice
Contraindications to taking licorice-based drugs are increased activity of the adrenal glands, hypertension, heart failure. Long-term use of the herb causes swelling, irritation of the gastrointestinal mucosa. It is known that licorice promotes the excretion of potassium from the body, so its use is excluded when taking diuretics.
The estrogenic properties of the plant are also serious contraindications during pregnancy and breastfeeding, since licorice can cause severe uterine bleeding. For the same reason, it is contraindicated in violation of blood clotting, with a disposition to bleeding or thrombocytopenia.
Possible side effects - dizziness, nausea, joint pain.
The author of the article: Sokolova Nina Vladimirovna | Phytotherapist
Education: Diploma in "General Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the Pirogov University (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Peoples' Friendship University of Moscow (2008).
