Is Licorice Root Effective for Treating Ulcerative Colitis?
Is Licorice Root Effective for Treating Ulcerative Colitis?Licorice is a perennial herb that has been used for medicinal and food purposes for thousands of years. Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is found growing wild in parts of Europe and Asia, and has been cultivated in China, Africa, the Middle East and India. Today licorice root is used in Eastern medicine. There have only been preliminary animal studies of the use of licorice root for ulcerative colitis. Answer: Licorice is a demulcent (a medication that has a soothing effect), and an expectorant (a medication that helps expel mucus from the respiratory tract). The parts of the licorice plant that are used medicinally are the roots and the underground stems. A compound called glycyrrhizin can be extracted from licorice root, and is the active ingredient in medicinal licorice preparations. There is animal research and preliminary human trials on the use of licorice prepar
