LICORICE

LICORICE

Castilian: liquorice, paloduz, orozuz, stick candy, honey.

English: common liquorice, sweet wood.

Introduction: This is a perennial plant (which lives more than two years) upright stem that sprouts in the spring and dry in winter, up to one meter in height. It produces a rhizome (underground stem) of the emerging shoots constantly. In the rhizome is born a root that is sinking about an inch into the soil, which branches into thin rootlets that can reach one meter in length, taste very sweet. Air around the stem leaves are arranged, composed of between nine and nineteen leaflets (subdivisions that seem leaves whole) but always in odd number, since they are in pairs, face, and one in the end, the bitter taste, the Unlike the root. The flowers are developed on a spike at the end of a stalk that rises in the armpits of the leaves, pale blue or lilac. The fruit is a legume that contains a maximum of 4 seeds. It is known also as orozuz and grip.

LOCATION: Although there are a dozen species of licorice spread over five continents, the licorice is a medicinal plant itself in the Mediterranean region, whose first references date from ancient Egypt. He lives in wetlands along rivers, lakes or ponds on land clay. It can be grown by planting small pieces of rhizome that, after three years,

Medicinal properties: The licorice is béquico (active anti - cough) reduces bronchial secretions and helps in the healing of mild bronchitis. Ever since the Egyptians began to use it until just a half - century, is attributed solely therapeutic activity on the respiratory system, but recent studies conducted to 1950 showed that the licorice also has a significant ability to heal the ulcers of the stomach.

COLLECTING: We have to wait until the plant reaches three years so you can start to use your roots; before, has no active ingredients. Be drawn in autumn, when the plant begins to dry. The ramifications are cut, so that the plant can continue to live. Is cleaned of earth and let it dry in the sun. Fiasco can be stored in hermetically sealed, in cool, dry place in the dark.

USES AND APPLICATIONS: The classic form of licorice is using the mask, come in handy against the wounds in the stomach, but to fight coughs and bronchitis, it is preferable to take three times a day, a cup of the liquid obtained after macerate 100 grams of root (cut into tocitos) in a liter of water for a day. You can warm up slightly. We need to monitor the children, as the chewing licorice removes the desire to eat. If taken in excess, can increase blood pressure. Many pharmaceutical products include liquorice extract in their formulas. It is also found as an additive in English beer called "porter".

The name orozuz, common in Spanish - speaking America, comes from the Arabic arug - alsus, which means roots of licorice. The scientific name is formed by the words greiegas glukus sweet and rhizon root, that is, fresh root; glabra refers to the absence of hairiness.

Plant licorice in detail its root, which is the medicine which contains the principles that promote expectoration and act as a laxative and spasmolytic.

The pharmaceutical and food industry markets the roots of yellow sulfur and sweet flavor which are the delight of the small.

Used Part.

Roots of the third year.

Active Principles.

Saponósidos (5 - 13%) glycyrrhizin, 24 - OH - glycyrrhizin, glabraninas A and B, glicirretol, glabrólido, isoglabrólido. Flavonoids: flavanonas (liquiritósido) chalcones (isoliquiritósido, isoliquiritigenósido) isoflavones (glabrona) isoflavonoles (glabrol) isoflavenos. Coumarin: umbeliferona. Phytosterols: stigmasterol, beta - sistosterol. Starch (20 - 25%) glucose and sucrose (3 - 10%)

RFE: The drug (dry) must contain at least 4% of glycyrrhizin acid.

Drug Action.

Glycyrrhizin properties sweeteners, expectorants, anti - inflammatory, exercising an antacid and antiulcer, by increasing the secretion of mucus and decrease of pepsinógeno. The liquiritósido gives it an action spasmolytic, digestive, carminativa, antibacterial and contributes to the antiulcer action.

Indications.

Dyspepsia hipersecretoras: gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcer, gastroesophageal reflux, gastrointestinal spasms, meteorism, constipation.

Bronchitis, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis.

In external use: glossitis, stomatitis, blefaroconjuntivitis.

Contraindications.

Hypertension (see side effects) hiperestrogesism, diabetes (by their content of carbohydrates and also because the compounds are transformed into the majority party in glucose during the drying)

Do not prescribe oral dosage forms with alcohol content to children under two years or consultants in the process of alcohol addiction.

Side Effects.

Despite its low toxicity should not be used (especially the extractive concentrated forms) for long periods: glycyrrhizin can cause a secondary aldosteronism, with increased blood pressure and edema by sodium retention, so that his administration is incompatible with the treatments antihypertensives and corticosteroids.

Caution / Poisoning.

Poisoning is accompanied by increased tension, edema, muscle weakness, cramps, polyuria with hiperkaliuria and hypocalcemia.

Take into account the alcohol content of the fluid extract and tincture.

Galenica forms / Dosage.

Use (see precautions)

Decoction: 20 g / l, boil five minutes. 500 cc / day.

Fluid extract (1: 1) 30 to 50 drops, one to three times a day.

Tincture (1: 5) 50 - 100 drops, one to three times a day.

Dry extract (5: 1) 0. 2 to 1 g / day.

Dust: 2 to 5 grams, one to three times a day.

Macerate: 50 g / l, macerate 5 hours. Take 250 ml / day.

Juice: 10 to 30 grams a day.

External use:

Infusion: 50 g / l. Isotonizar and implement in the form of towels, eye drops or eye baths (blepharitis and conjunctivitis)

Decoction: 20 g%, boil 30 minutes. Employing in the form of mouthwashes, rinses or towels in glossitis, stomatitis and injured.

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