Evidence supporting the use of: Chinese Licorice
For the health condition: Anxiety Disorders

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 1

Chinese Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) has a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where it is considered a harmonizing herb within herbal formulas. It is sometimes included in herbal prescriptions intended to ‘calm the spirit’ or address symptoms that may align with what modern medicine describes as anxiety. However, traditional use focuses more on its roles as a demulcent, anti-inflammatory, and harmonizer rather than a direct anxiolytic agent.

Scientifically, there is minimal evidence to support the use of Chinese Licorice specifically for anxiety disorders. While preclinical studies have investigated the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of some glycyrrhizin-containing compounds, and some animal models suggest potential benefits on mood or stress, there are no robust clinical trials demonstrating efficacy for anxiety in humans. Any references to anxiolytic effects are typically extrapolated from its use in multi-herb formulas, making it difficult to attribute the effects to licorice alone.

In summary, the use of Chinese Licorice for anxiety is primarily justified by tradition, with only weak or indirect evidence to support its efficacy. Clinicians and patients should not rely on it as a primary treatment for anxiety disorders in the absence of stronger scientific validation.

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