Licorice root ( gan cao ) 甘草 Chinese Herbs Articles
Licorice root ( gan cao ) 甘草 - Chinese Herbs Articles, also known as Alcacuz, Alcazuz, Chinese Licorice, Gan Cao, Gan Zao, Glycyrrhiza, Isoflavone,
Isoflavones, Lakritze, Licorice Root, Liquiritiae radix, Liquirizia, Liquorice, Orozuz, Phytoestrogen, Reglisse, Regliz, Russian Licorice, Spanish Licorice,
Subholz, Sweet Root. It belong to the "Solanaceae" family.
Licorice root ( gan cao ) 甘草 has a sweet smell and peculiarly sweet in taste. It is about five hundred times the sweetness of cane sugar. It is use for
treating all 12 channels, mainly the heart, lung, spleen and stomach.
Licorice root ( gan cao ) 甘草 Medical Function:
• adrenocortical hormone function：
As early as 1946 gan cao extract showed the characteristics of mineralcorticoid. Glycyrrhiza is metabolically converted to glycyrrhetic acid (GA). GA, when
incubated in-vitro with adrenal gland cells increases DHEA production.
• effects on digestive system:
a. anti ulcer
b. anti convulsion.
c. promotes secretion of insulin.
d. protects liver from toxin.
• anti inflammation
• anti allergy
• anti cancer:
Saponins stimulate the immune system and inhibit Epstein-Barr virus expression and possess in-vitro (in the test tube) anti-cancer activities. Epstein_Barr
virus is associated in certain cancer development. Glycyrrhiza also contains quercetin that has anticancer effects. Glycyrrhiza lowers serum testosterone
levels and correspondingly increases estrogen levels by inducing two enzymes called 17-ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and aromatase thus inhibit prostate
cancer cells.
• anti virus and bacteria:
a. anti HIV
b. anti amoeba and bacteria
• effect on blood vessels:
a. lower blood lipids. Both saponins and licoflavones are known to bind to cholesterol and bile acids and have surfactant properties.
Licorice root ( gan cao ) 甘草 Action:
Licorice root ( gan cao ) 甘 tonifies pi (spleen), enhances qi, clears heat, rids of toxins, expels phlegm and stops cough, stops pain, synergizes other herbs. Being used in spleen and stomach weakness, tired and lack of strength, palpitation and short of breath, cough with abundance of phlegm, stomach and solar plexus pain.
Licorice root ( gan cao ) 甘草 Cautions Use:
Licorice root ( gan cao ) 甘 in small dosages are used as moderating and synergizing herbs while large dosages can increase blood pressure. Long term usage
of large dosage can also cause edema and hypokalemia.
Using gan cao with aspirin may increase the irritation of the stomach.