LICORICE
YASHTI MADU : Madhu Yasti, Glycyrrhiza glabra - Leguminosae

Licorice is an expectorant and liquifies mucus, thereby relieving muscle spasms and reducing inflammation.
With ginger it is good for cold. It improves voice, vision, hair, and complexion.

Part used : Roots

Energetics :
- Rasa (taste): Sweet, Bitter
- Virya (action): Cooling
- Vipaka (post-digestive effect): Sweet
- Guna (quality): Heavy (to digest), Moist

Doshas : VPK-, K+ in excess

Dhatus (tissues) : Every tissue is effected

Srotas (systems) : Digestive, Respiratory, Nervous, Excretory, Reproductive

Action :
Expectorant, demulcent, anti-inflammatory, adrenal tonic, aperient, emetic, sexual potentiser, increases semen, vitalising, Rasayana - benefits all seven tissues, heals ulcers and wounds, benefits the eyes, throat, coughs and breathing difficulties, the nervous system, eliminates itching, alleviates bleeding..

Indications :
LUNGS :
Asthma, bronchitis, wheezing. Dry cough with difficult to expectorate phlegm, sore throat, laryingitis, tonsillitis. Specific for vata type cough. Tonic for vata. Also useful in infections with yellow/green sputum, high pitta inflammations.
At high dose it is an emetic used in vamana therapy to clear kapha from the lungs and stomach.

GIT :
Specific for ulcers- peptic, gastric, duodenal mouth. Useful in all intestinal inflammations and spasms with pain. Hyperacidity. Licorice cools pitta. It is often used for arresting bleeding from the intestines and lungs. Its demulcent nature moistens and relaxes the bowel- helpful in vata/pitta type constipation. At low dose it is anti-emetic (if nausea is caused by heat) and in high doses it is an emetic.

LIVER :
Hepatoprotective action in hepatitis and chronic liver disease. Works on ranjakapitta and soothes the heat that travels via the liver to the blood. Used for skin conditions, such as acne, with heat and inflammation.

KIDNEY :
As part of a formula for nervous exhaustion licorice is a strong adrenal tonic. Also useful in Addison's disease. Used to tonify an exhausted and hyperactivevata and pitta; ME, CFS. The sattvic nature of licorice calms the mind.

Specifically classified as useful for the quality of the eyes and the skin this action works via its affinity for calming and cooling pitta whilst also nourishing vata.
Traditionally used as a detoxicant herb to harmonise a formula and enhance the properties of the other herbs. Its sweet taste gives balya and strength to the whole formula whilst also neutralising any harsh aspects of stronger herbs (eg bitters/ anthelmintics).
Often mixed in ghee to enhance its healing effects on inflammatory mucus membrane conditions.

Contraindications :
High kapha. Oedema, hypertension. Care in osteoporosis as it inhibits calcium and potassium absorption. It extends the activity of cortisone in the blood. In pregnancy and lactation up to 3g/day is safe. Be wary in long term use.

Dosage :
1 - 10g per day

Composition :
- Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Liquorice) : 100%