Licorice Root (Organic)
Bulk Herbs: Licorice Root (Organic)
Glycyrrhiza glabra
Format: Root C/S
Size: 1 oz package
Also Known as: Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza uralensis (and several other species, some dangerous), True Licorice, Sweet Licorice, Chinese Licorice.
Farming: Organic
Location: China
Licorice root is one of the most widely used medicinal herbs worldwide and is the single most used herb in Chinese medicine today. The Egyptians used it as a flavoring for a drink called Mai-sus, and large quantities were found in the tomb of King Tut for his trip into the afterlife. Pliny the Elder recommended it to clear the voice and alleviate thirst and hunger. Dioscides, when traveling with Alexander the Great, recommended that his troops carry and use licorice to help with stamina for long marches, as well as for thirst in areas of drought.
In the Middle Ages, it was taken to alleviate the negative effects of highly spicy or overcooked food. It was also used for flavoring tobacco and as a foaming agent in fire extinguishers and beer. In a recent survey of Western medical herbalists, licorice ranked as the 10th most important herb used in clinical practice. An astonishing number of Chinese herbal formulas (over 5,000) use licorice to sweeten teas and to “harmonize” contrasting herbs. Its first documented use dates back to the time of the great Chinese herbal master Zhang Zhong Zhing, about 190 AD, but it was certainly used for many centuries before this. In 1914, the Chicago Licorice Company began selling Black Vines, the first in a long line of modern licorice-based candies. Generally used for teas, tinctures, and in encapsulations.
The whole sticks and slices may be chewed straight and are pleasant tasting. The distinctive flavor and sweetness of licorice come from the glycyrrhizin that comprises up to 25% of the root’s makeup. The root itself is hard and fibrous, and is thus typically used for food only as a liquid flavor infusion. In fact, many licorice-flavored candies contain no real licorice and are instead flavored with similar spices such as anise and fennel. Medicinally, Chinese licorice is a renowned component of traditional Chinese medicine, and is recognized as one of its fifty fundamental herbs. It shares many of the constituents common with Glycyrrhiza glabra, but uniquely, it also contains the flavonoid quercetin, which has been studied for a variety of medical uses. Chinese licorice is not as well studied as its European counterpart, but both are indicated for many of the same functions.
Licorice root may be used to assist with upper respiratory catarrhs and is recognized by traditional Chinese practitioners as an adaptogen that helps the body cope with daily stress. It may also be used to relieve minor abdominal discomfort, and is used in the herbal preparation STW-5 to alleviate dyspepsia.
NOTE: Don’t use licorice if you have high blood pressure, and don’t use licorice if you eat a meat and potatoes diet. Your body needs potassium from fruit and vegetables to compensate for the excretion of potassium stimulated by licorice. If you use steroids or an asthma inhaler, licorice will increase both the effectiveness of the drug and the severity of its side effects. Its long-term use is not recommended, and it is not recommended for use by pregnant women. May cause stomach upset if taken in large quantities.
In Magick, Licorice root is ruled by Venus and Water. It is an excellent herb for healing and for love. The sweetness of the root may induce others to love you and come to you. Also excellent in sachets, looking for true love or to deepen an existing relationship.
Keywords: Healing, Love, Lust
For educational purposes only. The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated this information. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.