Licorice ( Glycyrrhiza glabra ) is a plant of the Leguminosae family, used for its delicious taste. Not by chance, in fact, the name licorice derives from two Greek words: "glykys" which means sweet and "rhiza" which stands for root. Licorice is also known for its medicinal properties, and is useful as a digestive, expectorant and anti-inflammatory. Let's find out more about the characteristics and side effects of licorice .
Licorice: characteristics and properties
Licorice belongs to the genus Glycyrrhiza which includes 18 different species of perennial herbaceous plants with summer flowering. Glycyrrhiza glabra is the licorice we know and is the most used one.
Licorice is a frost-resistant plant, it has a large rhizome, from which extend the roots that can even reach the length of two meters. Just the roots are used for medicinal purposes for the digestive, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant and protective properties of the gastric mucosa.
Licorice is indicated for coughs, sore throats, catarrh, cervical and gastric acidity, and also has a mild laxative function. The virtue that in the past made liquorice famous was that of thirst-quenching and refreshing .
Furthermore, licorice is also indicated in case of low blood pressure because it is able to increase blood pressure.
Side effects of Licorice
Because of its ability to increase blood pressure, licorice is not suitable for people suffering from hypertension .
There are also other side effects of licorice, mostly related to the abuse of this root:
- headache,
- swollen face and ankles,
- water retention.
Licorice can also interact with drugs such as:
- diuretics and laxatives, because it can increase potassium loss;
- cortisone, because it increases the anti-inflammatory effect.
As with any medicinal plant, caution is advised when taking licorice during pregnancy and lactation.
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