Licorice Root: Traditional Uses and Modern Research on Liver, Digestive Health

 Licorice, or Glycyrrhiza glabra, is among the most widely used medicinal herbs in recorded history, with evidence of its use spanning at least three millennia. Substantial amounts of licorice root were found in the tomb of Egyptian King Tutankhamun, according to Medical Toxicology of Natural Substances. In ancient Egypt, a sweet licorice drink known as mai sus was prepared as part of a ritual ceremony to honor the spirits of the pharaohs, and the army of Alexander the Great used licorice root to quench thirst .

The herb is mentioned in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the oldest known epic in the world, according to Nazim Mamedov, a former assistant professor of Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, who spoke with the Epoch Times. Hippocrates considered licorice an effective remedy for dehydration and ulcers. Licorice is approximately fifty times sweeter than sugar, according to the same account.

Modern research is examining the traditional uses of licorice, including treating liver disease and promoting wound healing in the mouth and gut. A growing body of research is investigating how traditional herbs may offer modern solutions for liver health, according to NaturalNews.com...<<<Read More>>>...