Licorice: Benefits, Uses & Dosage

Of the roughly 700 herbs in the Ayurvedic pharmacopeia, only a handful appear in nearly every classical formulation — and Licorice is near the top of that list. The Bhavaprakasha Nighantu calls it one of the most frequently used drugs in Ayurveda. It is the key herb in Sitopaladi Churna (the go-to formula for cough and respiratory weakness) and sits inside dozens of other preparations for voice, ulcers, and skin. Outside India, the same root has anchored Traditional Chinese Medicine, Greek medicine, and ancient Egyptian healing for over 3,000 years.

Licorice (Yashtimadhu, यष्टिमधु) comes from the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn. — a member of the pea family (Fabaceae). The Sanskrit name literally means "sweet stick", and for good reason: the active compound glycyrrhizin is roughly 50 times sweeter than table sugar. The same compound is why confectionery "licorice" and medicinal licorice are not interchangeable — candy versions often contain anise flavouring and no real root, while therapeutic licorice is the dried, peeled root itself.

In Ayurveda, Licorice is celebrated as a premier Pitta-pacifying (Pitta Shamaka) and throat-soothing (Kanthya) herb. Its sweet, bitter taste and cold potency (Sheeta Virya) make it uniquely suited to calming heat — whether that heat shows up as acid reflux, a raw sore throat, a dry cough, or inflamed peptic ulcers. It is also one of the classical Medhya Rasayana herbs for the mind, and a staple in cooling eye-wash traditions. Taken in boiled milk or as DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice), most of its modern safety concerns — especially around blood pressure — are neatly sidestepped.

Few herbs span as many body systems as Licorice. Classical texts describe it as acting on every tissue (Sarva Dhatu) and across the digestive, respiratory, nervous, urinary, and reproductive channels. Its benefits cluster around six themes — the last of which, antiviral activity, is where modern research has been especially active.

Respiratory Health: The Classical Kanthya

If Ayurveda had an official herb for the throat and lungs, it would be Licorice. The Bhavaprakasha Nighantu lists Kanthya (throat-soothing) among its primary actions, and Sitopaladi Churna — used for cough, bronchitis, and respiratory weakness — is built around it.

Its demulcent action liquefies stuck mucus, while its sweet, moist quality soothes the dry, cracked feeling of a Vata-type cough or hoarse voice. Classical practice pairs Licorice with ginger in a 1:1 ratio for colds and flu — ginger cuts phlegm, Licorice soothes the raw airway.

Digestive Health: The Ulcer Specialist

Licorice is the single most cited Ayurvedic herb for peptic, gastric, duodenal, and oral ulcers. Its cold potency directly cools Pachaka Pitta — the fiery sub-dosha that, when inflamed, drives heartburn and acid reflux. Modern pharmacology backs this up: glycyrrhizin and its metabolite carbenoxolone are among the most-studied natural compounds for mucosal healing.

Its sweet, unctuous nature also moistens a dry bowel, making it useful for Vata-type constipation and colitis. Classical texts note that at low doses it calms nausea caused by heat, while at very high doses it is emetic — which is why it is used in the cleansing therapy Vamana.

Skin and Complexion: Varnya

The Bhavaprakasha lists Licorice as Varnya (complexion-enhancing) and Vrana Ropana (wound-healing). Sushruta Samhita (Sutrasthana) describes irrigating surgical wounds with warm ghee mixed with Yashtimadhu to reduce pain and promote healing.

Its Pitta-cooling action makes it a standard choice for inflammatory skin disorders, burns, and skin inflammation. Modern topical preparations use licorice extract for hyperpigmentation because glabridin inhibits tyrosinase, the enzyme that drives melanin overproduction.

Adrenal and Stress Support

Glycyrrhizin slows the breakdown of cortisol, which gives Licorice a mild, sustained adrenal-supporting effect — a property that lines up with its Ayurvedic classification as Balya (strengthening) and Jivaniya (vitalising). Traditional use for chronic debility, convalescence, and burnout rests on this same mechanism.

For sustained stress support it is often combined with Ashwagandha, which works on the nervous system, while Licorice works more directly on the HPA axis and cortisol clearance.

Hormonal and Women's Health

Licorice has a phyto-oestrogenic profile that makes it useful for menopause and hot flashes, and classical texts use it for heavy periods and pelvic inflammation. It is also Vrishya (reproductive tonic) and Shukrala (semen-enhancing) according to the Bhavaprakasha.

Antiviral and Liver Protection

Classical texts include Licorice in formulas for hepatitis and liver disorders, and modern pharmacology has confirmed a direct antiviral effect against hepatitis C, herpes simplex, and several respiratory viruses. Intravenous glycyrrhizin has been used clinically in Japan for chronic hepatitis since the 1970s. It is also classically described as Medhya (intellect-enhancing) and useful for brain fog, anxiety, and nightmares — in the cooling, calming direction rather than a stimulant one.

Licorice is versatile, but the form and vehicle (Anupana) you choose matters more than with most herbs — partly because dose determines whether glycyrrhizin is a tonic or a liability, and partly because certain preparations neutralise its blood-pressure effects entirely.

A safe daily maximum for whole-root preparations in most healthy adults is around 3 grams of powder (or 100 mg glycyrrhizin). Beyond that, the blood-pressure concerns described below become real.

Preparing a Simple Licorice Decoction

Simmer 3-5 grams of crushed Licorice root in 2 cups of water until reduced by half. Strain. Sip warm. For a sore throat add a pinch of black pepper; for dry cough add ginger; for ulcers use it plain or in milk. This is the classical Yashtimadhu Kashaya.

What to Combine It With

• With honey — for cough, sore throat, and Kapha-type respiratory conditions. Honey's scraping quality pairs well with Licorice's demulcent action.
• With warm milk — the classical Ksheerapaka preparation. Milk buffers glycyrrhizin and makes the preparation safer for longer-term use; this is specifically noted in traditional sources as one of the ways Licorice's cautions "are removed."
• With ghee — for peptic ulcers, acid gastritis, and Pitta skin flare-ups. Ghee carries it deep into tissues.
• With ginger (1:1) — the classical Kapha-balancing pair for colds and flu.

DGL vs Whole Licorice

DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) has the glycyrrhizin removed, keeping the demulcent and mucosal-healing compounds intact. It retains most of the GI benefits (ulcers, reflux, gastritis) with essentially none of the blood-pressure risk — making it the right choice for daily, long-term GI use, and the only form that is generally safe for anyone with hypertension or heart disease.

When to Take It

For GI complaints, take Licorice 15-20 minutes before meals. For cough and respiratory use, after meals with honey. For Rasayana and adrenal support, morning with warm milk. Avoid late-night use beyond small culinary amounts — sodium retention can disturb sleep in sensitive individuals.

Licorice is one of the most-used herbs on earth, but it is also one of the very few Ayurvedic herbs with a well-documented, dose-dependent side-effect profile. The active compound glycyrrhizin is the reason for both its power and its cautions. The good news: nearly all of the risk is avoidable by understanding dose and form.

The Hypertension Warning (Read This First)

Glycyrrhizin inhibits the enzyme 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, which allows cortisol to act on mineralocorticoid receptors. The practical result is pseudoaldosteronism — the body behaves as if aldosterone is elevated. This means:

• Sodium and water retention — blood pressure rises
• Potassium loss through urine — risk of hypokalaemia
• In extreme cases: muscle weakness, arrhythmia, and oedema

Classical Ayurveda describes this directly: Licorice "increases water around the heart" and is contraindicated in hridroga (heart disease) and swelling. Modern cardiology agrees. Do not take therapeutic doses of whole-root Licorice if you have high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, kidney disease, low potassium, or a history of stroke. For any of these, DGL is the safe alternative.

Dose Matters Enormously

The difference between "daily tonic" and "adverse event" is dose and duration:

• Culinary/trace amounts (a piece of root in tea, a lozenge) — safe for virtually everyone
• 1-3 g/day of powder, short-term (up to 4-6 weeks) — safe for most healthy adults
• Above 3 g/day, or daily for months — real risk of BP elevation and potassium loss, even in previously healthy people
• DGL — no glycyrrhizin, effectively no BP risk at any typical dose

Drug Interactions

Licorice can meaningfully interact with several common medications. If you are on any of the following, consult your doctor before using therapeutic doses:

• Diuretics (especially thiazides and loop diuretics) — compounds potassium loss dangerously
• Digoxin — low potassium increases digoxin toxicity risk
• Corticosteroids — Licorice extends their half-life and effect
• Warfarin — may alter bleeding risk
• Blood pressure medication — Licorice directly opposes the drug's action
• Oral contraceptives and hormone therapy — phyto-oestrogenic effect may potentiate
• Insulin and oral hypoglycaemics — Licorice can affect blood sugar in either direction

Pregnancy and Nursing

Classical Ayurveda states plainly: do not use in pregnancy. Modern observational data aligns — high Licorice intake during pregnancy is associated with preterm labour and second-trimester bleeding risk. Small culinary amounts and DGL are likely fine, but therapeutic whole-root use should be avoided. During breastfeeding, small amounts appear safe, but avoid prolonged high-dose use.

Other Cautions

• High Kapha individuals — Licorice's sweet, heavy, moist qualities can aggravate Kapha and worsen oedema, congestion, or sluggishness. Combine with ginger or black pepper to offset.
• Low potassium diet — Licorice increases potassium excretion. Pair with potassium-rich foods (banana, spinach, coconut water).
• Calcium absorption — chronic high-dose use may interfere with calcium absorption; classical texts flag caution in osteoporosis.
• Hypoglycaemia — Licorice can lower blood sugar; take with food if prone.

Signs You Are Taking Too Much

Watery weight gain, puffy face, ankle swelling, muscle weakness or cramps, headaches, and unexplained BP elevation. If any of these appear, stop immediately — effects usually resolve within 1-2 weeks once the herb is discontinued.

Licorice shows up in the same conversation as a number of other herbs — some are near-identical, some complementary, some serve very different roles. Here is how the most common comparisons actually shake out.

Pregnancy & Nursing

Classical Ayurveda explicitly advises against therapeutic Licorice use during pregnancy, and modern data supports that caution. High glycyrrhizin intake is associated with a measurable increase in preterm labour risk and possible effects on foetal cortisol regulation.

Culinary trace amounts (tea, a lozenge) are generally considered safe, and DGL for occasional reflux relief appears to carry minimal risk. Avoid whole-root powder, tablets, or extended decoctions. During breastfeeding, short, low-dose use of DGL for heartburn is reasonable; avoid daily high-dose whole-root preparations, which can transfer small amounts of glycyrrhizin to the infant.

Children

Licorice has a long classical history as a children's cough and throat herb — specifically because it is sweet, gentle, and liquefies stuck mucus. For children over 2, a small pinch of Licorice powder (100-500 mg) mixed with honey once or twice daily during a cough is a traditional remedy. Sitopaladi Churna (which contains Licorice) is one of the most-used paediatric respiratory formulas in India.

Keep courses short — a week or two at a time — and avoid daily, long-term use in children, since their smaller body mass makes them more sensitive to glycyrrhizin's BP effects. Under age 2, use only on the advice of a practitioner.

Elderly

Older adults often have exactly the issues Licorice shines at — dry cough, weak voice, acid reflux, constipation from dryness, thin skin that bruises easily, and general debility. Its Rasayana, Jivaniya (vitalising) and Medhya (intellect-supporting) classifications make it a natural fit for this population.

But the elderly are also more likely to have hypertension, heart disease, or to be on diuretics — where whole-root Licorice is contraindicated. For most elderly users, DGL is the right default, with occasional short courses of whole-root in warm milk only if BP is normal and medication review is clean.

Hypertension Patients (Critical Caution)

If you have high blood pressure, heart failure, kidney disease, or low potassium, do not take whole-root Licorice in any therapeutic dose. Even "small" daily use (1-2 g) over weeks has been shown to push BP up by 5-15 mmHg in susceptible individuals. Case reports link Licorice to hypertensive emergencies and arrhythmia when stacked with diuretics or digoxin.

DGL is the workaround — it delivers the mucosal benefits without the mineralocorticoid effect. If a practitioner prescribes whole-root Licorice for a specific short-term goal, monitor BP and potassium and limit the course to 2-4 weeks. When in doubt, default to DGL.

Taste: Sweet, slightly astringent

Actions: Natural expectorant, emetic, germicidal

Licorice cleanses the mouth, promotes salivation and increases secretions in the gastrointestinal tract. Chewing on a licorice stick will clean the mouth and cleanse the teeth, arresting tooth decay.

It is used to alleviate coughs, colds and congestion. For these purposes it is taken as a tea to aid in expectoration.

Licorice is also an emetic. Two to three glasses of strong licorice tea will cause nausea and vomiting which helps to remove excess mucus accumulated in the stomach and chest.

Licorice is a very effective antidote for peptic ulcers and gastritis. For treating these ailments, use one teaspoonful or less of licorice powder in preparing one cup of tea.

Licorice may be made into a medicated oil or medicated with ghee for internal use. This medicinal is used for diabetes, bronchitis, cold and repeated attacks of asthma.

Licorice ghee may be used externally on wounds. Septic or non-healing wounds will be healed by the application of licorice ghee. If one takes licorice ghee regularly (one-half teaspoon every day), it helps to relieve the inflammation of peptic ulcers.

Licorice is also a very effective antidote for inflammation of the gallbladder. Taken after meals, licorice tea aids digestion and relieves constipation.