bronchitis, dry cough, respiratory
infections, catarrh, tuberculosis;
genitourinary diseases, urinary tract
G) infections; abdominal pain, gastric
and duodenal ulcers, inflamed
stomach, mouth ulcer. Also used
for adrenocorticoid insufficiency.
Key application In catarrh of
the upper respiratory tract and
gastric, duodenal ulcers. (German
Commission E, ESCOP WHO.)
The British Herbal Compendium indicates the use of liquorice for bronchitis, chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, rheumatism and arthritis, adrenocorticoid insufficiency, and to prevent liver toxicity. Indian Herbal Pharmacopoeia recognizes its use as an anti- inflammatory and antiulcer agent.
The main chemical constituent of liquorice is glycyrrhizin (about 2— 9%), a triterpene saponin with low haemolytic index. Glycyrrhetinic (gly cyrrhetic) acid (0.5—0.9%), the aglycone of glycyrrhizin is also present in the root. Other active constituents of liquorice include isoflavonoids, chalcones, coumarins, triterpenoids and sterols, lignans, amino acids, amines, gums and volatile oils.
Hypokalemia is the greatest threat when liquorice preparations high in glycyrrhizin are prescribed for prolonged periods. Liquorice causes fluid retention. Patients should be placed on a high potassium and low sodi u
diet. Special precautions should be taken with elderly patients and patients with hypertension or cardiac, renal or hepatic disease.
A special liquorice extract known as DGL (deglycyrrhizinated liquorice) is used in the treatment of peptic ulcer. Oral liquorice preparations, containing glycyrrhetinic
acid, are used for the treatment of
viral infections—viral hepatitis, common cold. Topical preparations, containing glycyrrhetinic acid, are used for herpes, eczema, psoriasis.
In Japan, a preparation of glycyrrhizin, cysteine and glycine is used by injection for the treatment of acute and chronic hepatitis.
Dosage Root—2—4 g powder. (API Vol. I.)
Gmelina arborea Roxb.
