The benefits of licorice include treating coughs, stomach ulcers, mouth sores, ileitis, leaky gut syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and Crohn's disease. Today, licorice extract is available in both solid and liquid forms, and its main ingredient is glycyrrhizic acid, which is what gives licorice its sweet taste. The main functions of licorice are:
1. It is used for heart qi deficiency, palpitations, intermittent pulse, spleen and stomach qi deficiency, fatigue, etc. The former is often combined with Guizhi, such as Guizhi Gancao Decoction and Zhi Gancao Decoction. The latter is often used together with Codonopsis pilosula and Atractylodes macrocephala, such as Sijunzi Decoction and Lizhong Pills.
2. Used for carbuncle sores, sore throat, etc. It can be used alone, orally or externally, or in combination. Carbuncle sores are often used with honeysuckle and forsythia to play a role in clearing away heat and detoxification, such as Xianfang Huomingyin. For sore throat, it is often used together with orange terrier, such as orange terrier soup. In case of pesticide or food poisoning, it is often mixed with mung beans or decocted with Fangfeng Shui.
3. For asthma and cough. It can be used alone or in combination with other drugs. For example, Erchen Decoction for treating wet phlegm and cough; Linggan Wuwei Jiangxin Decoction for treating cold phlegm, cough and asthma; Salivating licorice and dried ginger soup, etc. In addition, wind-heat cough, wind-cold cough, and heat-phlegm cough are often used in combination.
4. It is used for stomachache, abdominal pain and gastrocnemius spasm and acute pain, etc. It is often used together with peony, which can significantly enhance the curative effect of treating contracture and acute pain, such as Shaoyao Gancao Decoction.
5. It is used to reconcile the potency of some drugs. For example, seasoning Chengqi soup uses this product to alleviate the diarrhea effect of rhubarb and Glauber's salt and stimulate the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, this product is also commonly used to reconcile various medicines in many prescriptions.
6. Combining with soybeans has the effect of detoxification.
7. It is used for gastric and duodenal ulcers in modern times, and is often used with cuttlefish bone and corrugated seeds. This product also has a diuretic effect, so hay shoots are often used as an auxiliary drug for treating dysuria due to hot stranguria.
8. Licorice is also widely used in the food industry, refined candy, candied fruit and chewing gum. Licorice extract is an emulsifier for making chocolate. It can also increase the taste and aroma of beer, improve the consistency and color of dark beer, and make some soft drinks and liqueurs; cigarette flavoring. In the chemical industry, printing and dyeing industry, licorice is also widely used.