MEDICINAL IMPORTANCE OF LIQUORICE or LICORICE: Treatment for infection & cough, for good voice texture, as a source of sugar, source of essential fibers.

Monday 20 April 2015

MEDICINAL IMPORTANCE OF LIQUORICE or LICORICE: Treatment for infection & cough, for good voice texture, as a source of sugar, source of essential fibers.

Liquorice or Licorice is well known by its scientific name Glycyrrhiza glabra.It is a very unique medicinal plant because of it's wide range of medicinal value. Roots and dried twigs are extensively used for medicinal purpose. Alkaloid and terpenes extracted from licorice are used as flavoring agents as well as in cosmetics industry.
Licorice belongs to a family called Fabaceae.

Treatment for infection & cough:

Use neatly dried twig or roosts of licorice and chew it for about an hour and swallow the fibrous residue along with the juice obtained while chewing it. The juicy liquid may be bitter in taste, however it contains enough sugar to mask the bitter taste. In case if it is too much bitter to taste then it will be more effective as a medicine...!!!

Regular chewing for two days will cure several types of infections especially throat and GIT infections. Itching effect in the throat can be cured effectively by using licorice.

Since it reduces the itching of the throat it indirectly reduces the coughing and also results in reduction in sneezing.

For good voice texture:

Alkaloids present in licorice is very much effective in its action by clearing the throat (voice box). The juice of licorice reduce the friction in the voice box (by reducing the unwanted noise generated due to accumulation of excess of mucous). Thus, it gives a very good voice texture; musicians and lecturer can use licorice very regularly.

Source of sugar and essential fiber (roughage):

Licorice is a very good source for sugar. It contains many polysaccharides and disaccharide. Sweet taste is because of trace amount of fructose content in it. Instead of having chocolates, it is better have a small piece of licorice which is healthier and natural source of sugar. Other than sugar it is rich in fibers which plays a significant role in digestion process.