Subject: Re: Licorice and Arrythmias

From: [email-masked] (Camilla Cracchiolo)
Date: 30 Dec 1994 02:02:47 GMT

Ok, here is what Varro Tyler has to say:

"Licorice consists of the underground parts, technically the rhizone and 
roots of varieties of Glycyrrhiza glabra L....which possess a sweet yellow
wood.  It is often called licorice root or glycyrrhiza.  The root has been
used since very ancient times as a flavoring and for its expectorant and
demulcent properties in the treatment of coughs and colds.(1)

A very confusing situation exists concerning much so-called licorice
candy.  A great deal of it contains little or no licorice whatsoever,
but derives its flavor from anise oil.  The taste of licorice and
anise do resemble one another, but in other respects, including potential
toxicity, they are quite different.  It is unfortunate the more common,
harmless anise flavor is almost always referred to as licorice.

[deleted stuff]

Much of the sweetness of licorice is due to glycyrrhizin, also known
as glycyrrhizic acid, a saponin glycoside which occurs in the root
in concentrations averaging between 5 and 9%.  It is about 50 times
sweeter than sugar and is available commercially in a form known as
ammoniated glycyrrhizin.

During World War II, a Dutch physician noted that adminstration of
licorice extract produced marked improvement in patients suffering from
peptic ulcer, but serious side effects in the form of swelling of the
face and limbs were also observed.(2)  Since then, numerous reports of toxic 
effects have been recorded in the medical literature based on the 
observation of patients who ate large amounts of livorice candy over long 
periods of time.  One man who had eaten two or three 36-gram licorice 
candy bars daily for six to seven years became so weak he could not get 
out of bed.  He required hospitalization with intensive treatment for 
more than one month before recovering.(3)  Another person, previously in 
excellent health, ate 700 grams (about 1.5 pounds) of licorice candy in a 
nine-day period.  HIs condition necessitated four days of hospital 
treatment(4).  In a controlled experiment, about 100 to 200 grans of 
licorice twists, (equivalent to 0.7 to 1.4 grans of glycyrrhizin) eaten 
daily for periods of one to four weeks produced serious symptoms in a 
group of volunteers. (5)

Another interesting case involved an elderly man who chewed eight to 
twelve 3-ounce bags of chewing tobacco daily and swallowed the saliva 
produced.  He became so weak that he was unable to sit up or raise his 
arms above the horizontal position.  There was a prompt improvement when 
he was hospitalized and denied chewing tobacco.  Tests revealed that the 
brand he had been consuming contained more than 8% of licorice paste and 
that his usage amounted to between 0.88 and 1.33 grams of glycryyhizin 
per day, well within the toxic range.(6)

The medical literature refers to this condition as pseudoaldosteronism, 
meaning one similar to that brought about by excessive secretion of the 
adrenal cortex hormone, aldosterone.  In the case of licorice, the 
syndrome is caused by glycyrrhizin, the structure and physiological 
effects of which are related to aldosterone or desoxycorticosterone.  
Symptoms resulting from excessive quantities include headache, lethargy, 
sodium and water retention, excessive excretion of potassium, high blood 
pressure and even heart failure or cardiac arrest. (7)

One popular herbal cough remedy contains 1 ounce of licorice root in a 
quart of water.  Directions suggest that one-half pint be drunk at 
bedtime with additional quantities as needed. (8).  The half-pint dose 
could easily contain 0.5 gram of glycyrrhizin, and that daily amount 
might be doubled or tripled, depending on the fequency of use.  At that 
rate of consumption, toxic effects could observed after a single week.  
For persons suffering from high blood pressure or heart trouble, these 
could be serious.

Although licorice does have a flavor pleasing to many and may also have 
some utility in treating coughs as well as a number of other conditions, 
(9), it must be remembered that it is also a potent drug.  Large doses 
over extended periods of time are quite toxic. (10)"

References:

1.  V..E. Tyler, L.R. brady, and J.E. Roberrs: Pharmacognosy, 9th Ed. Lea 
    & Febiger, Philadelphia, 1988, pp 68-69

2.  C. Nieman: Chemist and Druggist 177: 741-745; 1962

3.  J.W. Conn, D.R. Rovner; and E.L. Cohen: Journal of the American 
    Medical Assn 205: 492-496, 1968

4.  T. J. Chamberlain: ibid 213: 1343, 1970

5.  M.T. Epstein, E.A. Espiner, R.A.Donald, and H.Hughes: British Medical 
    Journal 1: 488-490, 1977

6.  J.D.Blachley and J..P. Knochel: New England Journal of Medicine 
    302:784-785, 1980

7.  Anon: Medical Letter on Drugs and Theraputics 21(7); 30 1979

8.  R.C. Wren and R.W. Wren: Potter's New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs 
    and Preparations, New Ed, Health Science Press, Hengiscote, England, 1975

9.  R.F Chandler: Canadian Pharmaceutical Journal 118: 420-424, 1985

10.  Lawrence Review of Natural Products, June, 1989.

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I strongly recommend _The Honest Herbal_ by Varro Tyler to anyone
who is considering or using herbal medicines.  It is the one herb
book that I have every found that relies solely on scientific studies
instead of folklore *and* which provides references.  Tyler himself
has impressive credentials, being a tenured professor of pharmacognosy
(the branch of pharmacy that deals with herbal medicine) in the
school of pharmacy at Purdue University.  The ISBN # is 1-56024-287-6
and it is published by the Haworth Press, 10 Alice Street, Binghamton
NY 13904-1580.  It is in print, costs about $20 and I got mine through
a regular bookstore which special ordered it for me.

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           Camilla Cracchiolo, RN   [email-masked]

        Shrine of the Cybernetic Madonna BBS  213-766-1356
        "The Board that Hates Rush Limbaugh With A Passion"
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