Licorice May Prevent Viral Illness

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Licorice May Prevent Viral Illness

JoAnn Guest

Sep 22, 2004 11:41 PDT

 

-- Licorice May Prevent Viral Illness

 

http://www.nowfoods.com/?action=itemdetail & item_id=14680

 

From the " Alternative Approach " column in The Daily Herald, June 30,

2003, by Patrick B. Massey M.D., Ph.D, Medical Director, Alexian

Brothers Hospital Network; President, ALT-MED Medical and Physical

Therapy Program, Elk Grove Village, IL

 

It seems that every month we are confronted with another viral

outbreak. Some of the viruses cause life-threatening illness, like

Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Others, like monkey pox,

seem to be less deadly.

 

We just do not have many good anti-viral drugs. Viruses develop

resistance quickly, and the drugs seem to have a number of serious

side effects. Our alternatives appear to be limited, but help may be

found in plants.

 

You see, viruses also attack plants, but plants are very clever.

Over millions of years, they have developed powerful anti-viral

compounds. Some of these compounds may also be beneficial to us. One

very robust anti-viral compound, glycyrrhizin, is found in

Glycyrrhiza glabra, or licorice. In Oriental medicine, licorice is

used in combination with other herbs to balance their side effects.

 

Licorice was once a common sweetener for candy (it's 40 times

sweeter than sugar). Now licorice flavor is used. Licorice flavor

does not contain glycyrrhizin.

 

Licorice grows wild across Europe and Asia and it is the root that

is used medicinally. Licorice (glycyrrhizin) is used in Oriental

medicine to treat colds and the associated symptoms of cough and

muscle aches. Glycyrrhizin also stimulates the production of

cortisol in the adrenal gland, ultimately benefiting the immune

system. Intriguingly, it may be the best treatment for the virus

associated with SARS.

 

SARS is a member of the coronavirus family. In humans, coronavirus

infections tend to be mild and self-limited. The SARS virus,

however, may have come from a species of wild cat in China.

 

There are no anti-viral drugs that have an impact on SARS, but

licorice may be the solution. A recent study, in the medical journal

Lancet compared the ability of several anti-viral drugs and licorice

to prevent the growth of the SARS virus in the test tube.

 

Licorice was by far the most effective at preventing SARS growth.

Two of the drugs tested, ribavarin and mycophenolic acid, had no

effect. Two other drugs, 6-azaurdine and pyrazofurin. modestly

inhibited the SARS virus. Glycyrrhizin however, was 9 times more

potent. In addition, it also prevented the binding and penetration

of the virus into cells, something that the other anti-viral

medications cannot do.

 

Licorice has successfully been used to treat (not cure) hepatitis C

as well as HIV-1 infections. It also has been shown to inhibit

replication of a number of other viruses. Licorice is found as

capsules, creams and as a tea. I like the flavor of the tea and have

several cups per week.

 

Licorice, however, is not without side effects. Increases in blood

pressure as well as serious reductions in serum potassium are

possible. For long-term use - more than two to three weeks - and for

those on medications, close physician monitoring is necessary.

 

Since glycyrrhizin can prevent the binding of viruses to cells, it

is interesting to speculate that seasonal consumption of modest

amounts of licorice may prevent or minimize viral infections like

influenza and the West Nile virus. This is certainly deserving of

further research.

 

JoAnn Guest

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DietaryTi-

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