Licorice - A Natural Alternative Treatment For High Blood Pressure

Licorice, also known as a candy cane or glycyrrhizin glabra, is the official common name for Glycyrrhiza salicylis, a perennial flowering plant of the mint family, Lamiaceae, in the family Citrus. The sweet, aromatic flavor oflicorice-mimicini, produced commercially by steam distillation of ripe fruits, is a product of this licorice species. Licorice, which has a flavor similar to sugar, is used both as an ingredient in sweet candy and in cooking, although it is most common used as a flavoring for baked goods. The bark oflicorice contains glycyrrhizin, a powerful antioxidant that scavenges free radical damage and protects against certain cancers.

Licorice contains two types of sugars: a complex polysaccharide, and two disulfide bonds. The disulfide bond is commonly known as gluconic acid, while the complex polysaccharide is commonly called glycyrrhizin. It is these sugars that make licorice a powerful free radical inhibitor. Licorice extract was first identified in Germany in 1932, but was not widely documented in the US until the late '60's, when manufacturers began using licorice as a sweetener in many baking products.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported in a paper that licorice root extract was effective in treating patients with frequent acid reflux, heartburn, nausea, indigestion, and colic. The acid reflux disease that was believed to result in the symptoms was non-serious, and did not threaten the patient's life. However, after patients had been on a long course of licorice root extract, they were more likely to experience the symptoms than those who had never taken the extract. This was attributed to the anti-oxidant properties of the sugar in licorice root extract. The increased acid production by the body was then supposed to result in the painful burning sensation felt in the chest, as well as the stomach. Patients were also found to have an improved ability to tolerate common meals, as well as to have a reduced need for antacids and other digestive aid products.

Licorice has many other potential applications. One of them is in the area of oral hygiene. In fact, licorice root extract has been found to be a powerful flavoring agent, which can help to mask bad breath. Licorice has also been shown to inhibit bacteria growth. This makes it useful for fighting against acne. Licorice root can even be mixed with other herbs to create powerful mouthwash, making it an inexpensive, and easy to use, home remedy for oral malodor.

Licorice extract is also used to treat other conditions such as high blood pressure. In one study conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH), licorice extract was found to effectively lower high blood pressure. In addition, licorice extract seemed to reverse the negative effects that the disease had on potassium levels in the blood. Potassium levels play a vital role in keeping the heart muscles to contract, resulting in a healthy heart. Low potassium levels are believed to contribute to the development of hypertension.

Further research reveals even more health benefits of licorice root extract. It appears to be an effective antidepressant. In test-tube studies, it prevented the formation of clostridial colonies that are detrimental to nerve cell membranes. More recent research shows that licorice extract contains antioxidants, which are known to prevent damage to DNA by free radicals. Further studies are investigating whether it may be useful in treating inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Preliminary evidence suggests that licorice extract has anti-cancer activity.

Overall, a two-week test-tube experiment using licorice extract proved it to be an effective treatment significantly reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines and acid markers throughout the body. This study was led by scientists in the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) based in the University of Pennsylvania. The investigators specifically looked at the effect on the immune system to determine how it would respond to anti-inflammatory treatments. Their findings showed that licorice extract "promoted" the activity of both the cells that produce inflammatory cytokines and the cells that produce prostaglandins, which have a major role in the inflammation response. Licorice extract did not significantly alter the inflammatory responses of the test subjects.

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