Licorice Root
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
NCCIH provides safety context for glycyrrhizin-containing licorice and important risk groups.
Reviewed guidance
Licorice Root for acute cough
Licorice root has traditional use as an expectorant for cough associated with a cold. This is a traditional-use claim rather than strong modern clinical evidence.
What this means
Traditional expectorant use for cough associated with a cold.
How to use it: Because preparation and dose matter, prefer clearly labeled medicinal products or conservative short-term preparations rather than frequent or prolonged casual use.
Safety & cautions
Licorice is not appropriate for unlimited everyday use. Check with a healthcare professional before medicinal use if you have high blood pressure, heart or kidney disease, are pregnant, or take medicines that may interact with licorice.
Get medical care for symptoms that are severe, last longer than expected, get worse, or otherwise concern you.
Household preparations
Practical ways to use the ingredient may not provide the same form or amount discussed in the evidence.
Evidence transparency
Evidence & sources
Liquiritiae radix - herbal medicinal product
European Medicines Agency
EMA monograph context for traditional cough-and-cold use of liquorice root.