Effects and Benefits of Licorice Extract on Skin
March 12, 2023
Licorice is a plant with significant medicinal value, utilized in both Western and traditional Chinese medicine. In Western medicine, it has been used since ancient Greece as an expectorant, cough suppressant, and sweetener. Ancient Chinese texts, such as the "Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing," describe licorice as a remedy for strengthening muscles and bones, boosting stamina, and treating wounds, classifying it as a top-tier herb and calling it the "king of herbs." In traditional Chinese medicine, licorice is associated with the heart, lungs, spleen, and stomach. It is known for its benefits in boosting energy, clearing heat and toxins, relieving cough and phlegm, easing pain, and harmonizing other herbs. It’s typically used to address conditions like spleen and stomach deficiency, fatigue, palpitations, cough with excessive phlegm, abdominal and limb cramps, abscesses, and to mitigate the toxicity of other medications. The recommended dosage is 1.5 to 9 grams. Research indicates that licorice can inhibit monoamine oxidase, block the enzyme responsible for diabetes, relieve spasms and pain, combat viral hepatitis, treat osteoporosis, and has anti-parasitic, anti-cancer, and anti-HIV properties. Its benefits for...