Health Benefit of Licorice Root, Chinese Herb Gan Cao (甘草)

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Common Names: Chinese Licorice, Gan Cao, Sweet Licorice, Sweet Wood,
Scientific/medical name(s): Gan Cao, Glycyrrhizaglabra, Glycyrrhizauralensis.

Description
Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) is a perennial herb that grows in southern Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean. It is the dried roots, and underground stems of the plant been used in herbal remedies.

Overview
Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) is an ingredient in many traditional Chinese herbal remedies. It also used in many countries, to treat a wide range of health problems. However, it linked to some fairly serious side effects. Whole-herb licorice can constitute a violation of fluid and the mineral potassium in the body, which can lead to heart rhythm problems, high blood pressure, muscle weakness, and even paralysis.

What is the history behind it?
Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) extracts used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. The Chinese used it as a mild laxative and to help regulate the heartbeat in those with heart problems. Chinese herbalists often prescribe licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) with the purpose of helping other herbs to work better together and promoting integration of herbs. It used for medicinal purposes in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome.

Recently, science has re-discovered the health benefits of licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草). Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) is in fact, a strong antiviral that contains 10 antioxidants, at least 25 fungicidal and 9 expectorant compounds.

Glycyrrhizin, which is the, principal active ingredient in licorice root acts as an expectorant by losing thinning mucus and phlegm from the respiratory tract, makes it easier to cough up.

Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) is one of the most valuable herbs in traditional Chinese medicines and used for more than 3,000 years, to treat a wide range of illnesses, food poisoning, urinary tracts and relieves heartburn. In China, licorice considered an excellent balancing or harmonizing agent and added to various herbal formulas. It used to prevent peptic ulcers, coughs, boils and reduce inflammation, soothe and heal ulcers and stomach inflammation, control blood sugar, and balance hormones. Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) is excellent for healing canker sores and cold sores (herpes simplex virus). Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) is a potent antiviral agent and can be used to treat flu, herpes, and even hepatitis. Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) is also a strong anti-inflammatory agent and can be used to improve the flavour of other herbs. With all of these uses, it is no wonder that licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) finds its way into so many therapies. It reputed to revive the heart and spleen functions.

Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) has also been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, (TCM) to treat conditions ranging from diabetes to tuberculosis. The two main constituents of licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草), glycyrrhizin and flavonoids, may also indicate anti-inflammatory effects and inhibit the breakdown of the cortisol produced by the body. Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) may also have antiviral properties, although this has not been proven in human pharmacological studies. The ancient Chinese also used it as an antidote for drug poisoning.

Delicious Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) will help to keep your lungs clear, your digestive tract calm, your colon cleansed and your adrenal gland functioning properly. Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) is a safe and pleasant way to soothe a sore throat.

An extract of licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草), called liquiritin, used in connection with melasma, a pigmentation disorder of the skin. However, the usefulness of licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) for treating this situation has not been substantiated.

Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) has a sweet flavour, neutral in property, performing on the heart, spleen, stomach, and lung. It invigorates the spleen, eradicates phlegm, refills qi, clears toxins and heat, halts cough, lightens spasm and pain, and moderates other herbal properties.

It applied for the inadequacy of the spleen Qi and stomach Qi manifested as loose stool, insufficient breath, asthenia, and poor appetite. It often utilized as a substantiating herb with dang shen and white atractylodes rhizome.

In cases of lack of Qi and blood with manifestations of an irregular pulse, palpitation, and spontaneous sweating, it applied with dried Rehmannia Root, Dang-Shen, Ophiopogon Root and Cinnamon twig, as in Decoction of ready Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草).

An Ancient Font of Health
Used for generations in China, ancient Greece and the British Isles, Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) cultivated around the world. The sweet taste of its yellow root prompted its use in the manufacture of candies. It contains vitamin E, B-complex, biotin, niacin, pantothenic acid, lecithin, manganese and other trace elements. Although Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) has been used as flavouring for hundreds of years, many people do not know that it also has most valuable medicinal qualities. Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) has gained a reputation for strengthening the body during times of stress.

The benefits of the use of Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) in Herbal Preparations Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) are one of the more widely consumed herbs in the world. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it occurs in more formulas than any other single herb because it thought to coordinate the development of all other herbs.

Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) is remarkably soothing and softens the mucous membranes of the throat, lungs, stomach, intestines, and at the same time cleanses any inflamed mucous membrane that needs immune system support. This is the reason why Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) found in so many cough and sore throat medications. It reduces the irritation in the throat and yet has an expectorant action. It is the saponins (detergent-like action) that minimize the phlegm in the respiratory tract so that the body can remove the mucus. It is a powerful healing agent for tuberculosis, where its effects been compared to hydrocortisone. For colds and flu, Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) can be combined with tonic herbs such as cayenne or ginger, to heighten the effect. For sore throat and irritated bronchials, Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) is more effective when combined with Horehound or Mullein.

Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) also has a soothing and therapeutic effect on the stomach and digestive tract. It lubricates and nourishes the entire intestinal tract with a system as easy as 40% Licorice root and 60% Slippery Elm.

Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) employed in complex recipes, to scale down the toxicity of other herbaceous plants or control the massive hot or cold properties, and align the effects of individual herbs herbal effects. For cough resulting from wind-heat, it may be given together with Peucedanum Root, Arctium Fruit, Mulberry Leaf, and Platycodon Root to relieve coughing because of wind-cold, it can be divided with Ephedra and Bitter Apricot kernel for cough and dyspnea due to heat in the lung. Radix Glycyrrhizae may also be utilized with unprepared Gypsum, Ephedra, and Bitter Apricot Kernel.

The active ingredient, glycyrrhizic acid, known to be fifty-times sweeter than sugar cane, but it does not help thirst; but it will reduce thirst.

Beneficial Uses:
Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) been used for thousands of years as an excellent expectorant that commonly used for respiratory problems. It is a wonderfully essential ingredient in cough medicines and cough drops as both a pleasant flavouring, as well as an expectorant and soothing agent. Many cough lozenges and syrups use licorice as flavouring and a cough suppressant.

Today, alternative health care professionals, continue to use the benefits of Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) to ailments such as allergies. In addition, it used for stomach problems (including heartburn from reflux), inflammatory disorders, skin conditions (including eczema and psoriasis) minor skin infections and liver problems.

Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) with glycyrrhizin may help to:

Respiratory mucus production increased by glycyrrhizin. This increase helps to reduce thin mucus in airways; this makes a cough more "productive," bringing up phlegm and other mucus bits. Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) can also eliminate lungs of mucus and eases congestion, tackle problems such as bronchitis, ease non-productive coughing and colds.

Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) also helps to reduce bronchial spasms. In addition to its beneficial uses as a demulcent, Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) acts as an expectorant, which has also been long valued. Glycyrrhizin also harbors anti-inflammatory properties. Help to soothes mucous membranes and soreness in the throat, fights viruses that cause respiratory illnesses and an overproduction of mucus. In the respiratory system, it has a similarly calm and therapeutic efficacy, reducing irritation and the inflammation and has an expectorant effect, useful in irritating coughs, asthma and chest infections.

Lessen symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. By enhancing cortisol activity, glycyrrhizin helps to increase energy, relieve stress and reduce the symptoms of ailments sensitive to cortisol levels, such as chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromylagia.

As an anti-inflammatory, the glycyrrhizinic acid activity in Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) seems related to the way corticoids released from the adrenal glands, which is useful in treating arthritis, rheumatism and aching, painful joints. The herb stimulates production of cortisone and aldosterone, which appear to be effective anti-inflammatory agents.

Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草) is a tremendous support for healthy digestion and healthy gastrointestinal system. The herb soothes the mucous membranes and protects the stomach and intestines. It known to coat the stomach's lining with mucus, rather than restraining the secretion of gastric acid (which would result in incomplete digestion); reduce the activity of pepsin and increases blood flow to the damaged tissues and decreases muscle spasms." Glycyrrhizinic acid also helps to inhibit enzymes that dismantle prostaglandins, which will help the stomach and upper intestine, allowing ulcers to recover more quickly. This activity may also protect the colon and treat ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, Celiac disease, gastritis and peptic ulcer.

CONCLUSION

Where do the healing benefits of Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草)come from? Glycyrrhizin, one of the key components found in licorice, believed to be responsible for many of its healing properties. However, there are other potentially beneficial substances that been identified in licorice as well, including compounds called flavonoids and various plant estrogens (phytoestrogens).

Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草)also seems to support the adrenal glands -- making these adrenal hormones such as cortisol (the body's primary stress-fighting adrenal hormone) also available to the body. As such, Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草)may help lessen symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia by enhancing cortisol activity. Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草)contains phytoestrogens that seem to have minimal estrogens-like effects. As such, it often included in formulas, to help combat PMS and menopausal complaints. Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草)also contains various flavonoids, which are potent antioxidants.

Some experts point out that one -- among the arsenal of benefits of Licorice Root, Gan Cao (甘草)an excellent liver tonic.