From: ((Steven B. Harris))
Subject: Re: Medical Evidence on Glycyrrhizin
Date: 19 Jun 1995

In <3r7rde$g9p@panix.com> jscutero@panix.com (James Scutero) writes:

>The following is provided courtesy of D.A.A.I.R. (Direct A.I.D.S.
>Alternative Information Resources/New York City.)I am in no way
>affiliated with this organization. I would like to know if anyone has
>some more up-to-date information of this topic.
>
>Medical Evidence on Glycyrrhizin (gliss-e-RYE-zin)



Comment: First of all, the aldosterone-like effects of glycyrrhizin in
retaining body sodium and wasting potassium are NOT mild; there are
numerous reports of people hospitalized after eating licorice candy in
fair amounts (100-200 grams per day candy) for only a week or two.
Estimated glycyrrhizin toxic doses from volunteers, according to V.
Tyler, are on the order of 700 to 1400 mg a day for only one to four
weeks.  Also, I'd have to see references before I'd believe that this
quasi-hormonal action is blocked by glycine: who says it is?  Anybody
attempting self medication with this should think again, although I
imagine it would be quite safe with potassium levels and blood pressures
checked by your doctor every week for the first couple of months.
Potassium supplimentation might be necessary, and a salt restricted
diet, but with a good internist you could probably do it.

Finally, I cannot imagine any reason for giving something IV which is
well absorbed by mouth-- that always sets off my snake oil detector.  As
do claims for something which is supposed to do as many of the things
this stuff is.  Still, if you want to experiment under a doctor's care,
go ahead-- I imagine the stuff doesn't interact with too many other AIDS
drugs.

                                   Steve Harris, M.D.

From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com (Steven B. Harris )
Subject: Re: Licorice-bad or good??
Date: 24 Sep 1995
Newsgroups: sci.med

In <442oco$lng@infoserver.bgsu.edu> Cathy <frankfather@cs.bgsu.edu>
writes:

>I just love black licorice, but I just heard something on TV about it, I
>just caught the last 5 minutes, not enough to tell me anything.  I would
>like info if this is good or bad as I do eat alot of it.  Thanks



   If you eat more than about 4 ounces a day or real black licorice
candy (not artifically flavored) you risk high blood pressure from
sodium retension, and also various symptoms from your body losing all
its potassium (such as weakness and even death).  I suggest moderate
intake, frequent checks of pressure and potassium levels, and a large
intake of dried fruits to keep potassium levels up.  Word to the wise.

                                         Steve Harris, M.D.

From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com (Steven B. Harris )
Subject: Re: Too Much Licorice??
Date: 27 Sep 1995
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative

In <3687907326.52836167@pop.com> p_iannone@pop.com (Paul Iannone)
writes:

>In message ID <446o79$c7t@ixnews3.ix.netcom.com> on 9/25/95, Steven B. Harris
>wrote:
>
>: In <446c73$bar@vivanews.vivanet.com> ricks@vivanet.com (Rick Scott)
>: writes:
>: >
>: >jet@cinenet.net (Jet Silverman) wrote:
>: >>Cathy (frankfather@cs.bgsu.edu) wrote:
>: >>: What are the side effects of eating too much licorice?
>: >>:
>: >>It can raise your blood pressure
>: >>
>: >And cause edema (water retention).
>: >
>
>:    And make you pee out all your body's potassium.
>
>However, almost no one in history has actually done this. The toxicity
>reports are almost all from licorice EXTRACT, consumed in ridiculous
>quantities.


   No, Paul, there are plenty of reports of this happening with plain
old licorice candy, in quantities on the order of 4 to 10 oz a day for
a few weeks-- a not unusual consumption for addicts of the stuff.

                                            Steve Harris, M.D.

From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com (Steven B. Harris )
Subject: Re: Too Much Licorice??
Date: 28 Sep 1995
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative

In <3687907326.63801735@pop.com> p_iannone@pop.com (Paul Iannone)
writes:

>In message ID <44aruk$jqp@ixnews6.ix.netcom.com> on 9/26/95, Steven B. Harris
>wrote:
>
>: >However, almost no one in history has actually done this. The toxicity
>: >reports are almost all from licorice EXTRACT, consumed in ridiculous
>: >quantities.
>: >
>: >--Paul  ||  p_iannone@pop.com
>: >--
>:
>:
>:    No, Paul, there are plenty of reports of this happening with plain
>: old licorice candy, in quantities on the order of 4 to 10 oz a day for
>: a few weeks-- a not unusual consumption for addicts of the stuff.
>
>Plain old licorice candy which is made with extract, Steve. The 'plenty' of
>reports I contest--the few where the situation was more than a minor bother
>were due to the consumption of bathtubs worth.


   Suggest you read the cases cited in Tyler.  The root is 5 to 9%
glycyrrhizin by weight, and the compound is water soluable.  At a gram
a day for a few weeks for toxicity, you figure out how much root (or
tea made from it) that is.  It's not bathtubs worth.  More like a few
cups worth.

                                               Steve Harris, M.D.

From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com (Steven B. Harris )
Subject: Re: Too Much Licorice??
Date: 28 Sep 1995
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative

In <Pine.NEB.3.91.950927161245.17933A-100000-100000@max.tiac.net> Mark
Gold <mgold@max.tiac.net> writes:

>>From: eyecare@rain.org ("Larry Bickford, OD")
>>Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative
>>Subject: Re: Too Much Licorice??
>>Date: 27 Sep 1995 15:59:48 GMT
>>
>>There are a host of physiological effects from the bioactive constituents
>>of licorice, including glycyrrhizin and related compounds and saponins. A
>>Medline abstract search returns dozens of articles relating to
>>hypertention, potassium diuretic, caridovascular effects, hormone
>>transport as well as immuno-supportive and immunostimulatory effects. A
>>pretty powerful drug.
>>
>>Meanwhile, it is important to note that much US manufactured licorice is
>>actually flavored with anise extract, not licorice root. That's why some
>>people do not experience the physiological effects from store-bought
>>licorice candy.
>>
>>And Steve Harris is certainly correct in that for some people, it doesn't
>>take more than a couple of handfuls of the stuff to get your heart
>>a-pounding.
>>
>>A little licorice appears to be physiologically beneficial, but too much
>>could put you at risk of serious dysfunction.
>
>Larry,
>
>Sorry, but these references are referring to a single chemical
>extract of licorice root in candy or "medicines."  The whole root has
>not been shown to cause any serious adverse effects.  Licorice root has
>been used by billions of people for thousands of years without "serious
>dysfunction."  There are a quite a few herbals teas on the market which
>contain licorice and are perfectly safe for the general population.
>
>Best regards,
>                          - Mark
>                      mgold@tiac.net


   That depends entirely on how they are made.  It takes about a gram a
day of glycyrrhizin a day for a few weeks to cause you major problems.
If you drink a cup a day of tea made from an ounce of root in a quart
of water, you could easily get half this much.  Drink two cups a day
and you're in danger land.

                                                 Steve Harris, M.D.

From: "Steve Harris" <sbharris@ix.RETICULATEDOBJECTcom.com>
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative,sci.med.nutrition,sci.med
Subject: Re: prednisone and licorice
Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 18:20:22 -0800
Message-ID: <a7rag1$crh$1@slb4.atl.mindspring.net>

Paul Rogers wrote in message ...
>
>"F u z" <fuz@gmxnospam.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:1017177440.18524.0@iapetus.uk.clara.net...
>> Hi,
>>
>> I was wondering if anyone knows how soon after giving up up steroids for
>> ulcerative colitis can you start dgl (licorice) to help boost the adrenals
>> and heal the stomach. I've been off them for 3 days now.
>
>Make sure you are not hypertensive. Even then you should keep an eye on
>blood pressure if you take licorice.
>
>Paul R


Paul, the dgl or DGL means it's DeGlycyrrhizinated Licorice.  That means the
stuff in it with the mineralocorticoid  activity has been removed.  The
remaining flavonoids and whatnot still apparently have a healing effect on
some tissues. But no, they don't do diddly for the adrenals. And you can eat
DGL licorice whenever you like-- it's a harmless food.

SBH
(Stealing naturopathic thunder)




--
I welcome email from any being clever enough to fix my address. It's open
book.  A prize to the first spambot that passes my Turing test.