Evidence supporting the use of: Licorice root
For the health condition: Liver Detoxification

Links: Go back one page, Tool main page, Ingredients list, Health conditions list, Body systems list

Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) has a long history of use in traditional medicine systems, particularly in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda, where it is commonly included in formulas intended to support liver health and detoxification. In TCM, licorice is considered harmonizing and is thought to clear heat and toxins from the body, often used in combination with other herbs to treat conditions associated with liver dysfunction.

From a scientific perspective, licorice root contains active compounds such as glycyrrhizin, which have shown hepatoprotective (liver-protecting) effects in animal and some small human studies. These effects are thought to stem from anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-modulating properties. Some research suggests glycyrrhizin may help protect the liver from damage caused by toxins, viruses, or medications. However, the majority of clinical trials focus on specific liver conditions like hepatitis C or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, rather than “detoxification” per se.

Despite traditional use, robust scientific evidence supporting licorice root for general liver detoxification is limited. Most claims are extrapolated from animal studies or from its use in treating specific liver diseases. Thus, while licorice root has a strong foundation in traditional medicine for liver support, its use for detoxification is not thoroughly validated by current clinical research, and caution is warranted due to potential side effects such as hypertension and hypokalemia with excessive use.

More about licorice root
More about Liver Detoxification

Other ingredients used for Liver Detoxification

Achyranthes
Adzuki bean
Agrimonia pilosa
Agrimony
AHCC
Akebia
Albizia
Albumin
Alfalfa
Algae
Alisma
Allium tuberosum
Allyl sulfide
Aloe vera
alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG)
alpha-lipoic acid
Alstonia scholaris
American Liverleaf
amino acids
Amor seco
anamu
Andrographis
andrographolide
anemarrhena asphodeloides
ankaflavin
anthocyanins
anthraquinone
Antrodia camphorata
apigenin
apple
Appleblossom Cassia
apricot
Ardisia
arjun tree
arjuna
Arjunolic acid
artichoke
Asam gelugor
ashitaba
asparagus
astragalin
astragaloside
astragalus
atractylone
aucubin
avocado
Baccharoides anthelmintica
bacteria
bael
baicalein
Baikal Skullcap
balsam
banyan
barberry
Barleria
barley
Basidiomycota
Bassia scoparia
BCAA
Beef liver
beet
belleric myrobalan
benzyl isothiocyanate
berberine
Berberis (unspecified)
Bergenia
bergenin
beta caryophyllene
betel
Bifidobacteria
bignay
bile salt
biota seed
birch
bitter principals
black cumin
black garlic
black gram
black nightshade
black root
black seed
blackthorn
Blepharis
blue flag
boldo
borotutu
bottle gourd
bovine liver
branched-chain amino acids
Brassica
Bupleurum
bupleurum falcatum
burdock
butternut
C-phycocyanin
cabbage
calamus
capers
carqueja
Carthamus
cascara sagrada
catalase
caterpillar mushroom
celandine
Centaurium erythraea
centaury
Centella asiatica
chaga mushroom
chanca piedra
chebulic acid
chebulinic acid
chicory
Chinese fleeceflower
Chinese Ligustrum berry
Chinese pond turtle
Chinese salvia root
Chinese silkvine
chirata
chlorella
chokeberry
cholic acid
chrysanthemum
cinnamic acid
cinnamon
cleavers
Clerodendrum indicum
Clerodendrum indicum
Clerodendrum phlomidis
coix
copalchi
Coptis chinensis
cordyceps
coriander
corilagin
coriolus mushroom
corktree
couch grass
coumaric acid
cruciferous
cucumber
curcumin
cuspidatum root
Cyathula
cynarin
cynaropicrin
Cynodon dactylon
d-glucarate
dandelion
deoxyandrographolides
Desmodium
diallyl disulfide (DADS)
diallyl sulfide
dihydromyricetin
dithiolthiones
DL-Methionine
duckweed
ellagic acid
ellagitannin
Embelia
emblicanin
emodin
endive
Enicostemma littorale
epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)
Erodium cicutarium
Ficus religiosa
Ficus simplicissima
flavanones
flavans
flavonolignan
flavonones
Flueggea suffruticosa
fo-ti
fucoidan
Fumaria parviflora
fumitory
gallate
gallic acid
gamma-glutamylcysteine
ganoderma
garden cress
gardenia
Gardenia jasminoides
genipap
gentian root
Gentiana macrophylla
ginger
Glucaric acid
Glucoraphanin
Glucuronic acid
Glutathione
Glycine
Glycophospholipid
Glycosaponin
Glycyrrhizin
goji berry
golden shower tree
goldenrod
gooseberry
green chiretta
green tea
Gypenoside
Hemidesmus
hibiscus
Homalomena
honeysuckle
horse gram
Hygrophila
Indian frankincense
Indian gum arabic tree
Indian nightshade
Indian sarsparilla
indole-3-carbinol
iridoids
isosilybin
isothiocyanates
Jatoba
Java tea
Job\'s tears
jujube
Jurubeba
kale
knotgrass
knotweed
Kokam
Kombucha
kuding tea
kudzu
Kutkins
L-cysteine
L-glutathione
L-methionine
L-ornithine
Lentinula edodes mycelia
Leptadenia
licorice root
Ligustrum
limonene
Lindera
lingzhi
liquid liver fractions
little ironweed
liverwort
lophatherum leaf
Lophira lanceolata
loquat
Loranthus
lotus seed
lovage
Lycium
Maclura tricuspidata
Mesua
Milk thistle
Millettia
Mondo grass
Moringa
Morus
Mulberry
Mung bean
Myrobalan
Myrosinase
Myrrh
Nardostachys
Naringin
Neem tree
Nettle
Niacinamide (vitamin B3)
noni
Oldenlandia diffusa
oleanolic acid
Operculina turpethum
orange
Ornithine
ornithine L-aspartic acid
Osmanthus
Osthole
Oxymatrine
paeoniflorin
perilla
phosphatidylcholine
phospholipids
picrorhiza kurroa
Picroside
Plectranthus amboinicus
Pleurotus eryngii
pollen
Polygonatum
Polygonum
Polyporus
polysaccharides
Premna
Prickly Pear Cactus
pu-er tea
pumpkin
purslane
Qin Jiao
quercetin
radish
reishi mushroom
Rhamnus nakaharai
rhubarb
rhubarb root
Ribose-l-cysteine
Rooibos
root tuber
rosmarinic acid
rosthorn snake gourd
Rubia cordifolia
Rubia yunnanensis
Rubiaceae
Rumex acetosa
S-Methylmethionine
Salvianolic acid
SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine disulfate p-toluensulfate)
Sargassum
Sarivan
sarsaparilla
Scabrous Gentian
Schisandrins
Schizandrol A
Scirpus
Scoparia dulcis
Scopoletin
seaweed
selenium
Selenocysteine
Selenomethionine
Semecarpus anacardium
sheep's sorrel
Silybin
Silybum
Silychristin
Silydianin
silymarin
smilax
Solanum anguivi
soursop
spirulina
Stachytarpheta cayennensis
Stone Root
Sulforaphane
Sweet Woodruff
Swertia
Syringic acid
Szechuan lovage
Tanshinone
Taraxacin
Taraxacum
Taraxasterol
Taraxol
Taurochenodeoxycholic acid
Taurocholic acid
Taurodeoxycholic acid
Terminalia
Theabrownin
Thistle
Tinospora cordifolia
Trametes
Tumerone
turmeric
typhonium
Ursolic Acid
vegetable and fruit blend (proprietary)
Vine tea
vitamin B6
vitamin C
vitamin E
Walnut
Wasabi
Watercress
Watermelon
Wax Gourd
wheat grass
Whey protein
Withanolides
Xanthorrhizol
Yellow Dock
Yellow-Fruit Nightshade
Yin Chen
Yuzu
Zinc
Zingerone

Other health conditions supported by licorice root

Abdominal Pain
Abrasions
Abscesses
Acid Indigestion
Acne
Addictions (general remedies for)
Addictions (tobacco smoking or chewing)
Addison's Disease
Adenitis
Adrenal Fatigue
Afterbirth Pain
Age Spots
Allergies (respiratory)
Amenorrhea
Anal Fistula or Fissure
Anemia
Appetite (deficient)
Asthma
Autoimmune Disorders
Bronchitis
Canker Sores
Chemotherapy (reducing side effects)
Chicken Pox
Cholera
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder
Cirrhosis of the Liver
Cold Sores
Colds (antiviral)
Colds (decongestant)
Colds (general)
Colds (prevention)
Colds (with fever)
Colic (adults)
Colic (children)
Colitis
Colon (atonic)
Colon (spastic)
Congestion
Congestion (bronchial)
Congestion (lungs)
Congestion (lymphatic)
Congestion (sinus)
Constipation (adults)
Contagious Diseases
Convalescence
Cough (damp)
Cough (dry)
Cough (general)
Cough (spastic)
Cramps (menstrual)
Crohn's Disease
Croup
Cushing's Disease
Cytomealovirus
Dyspepsia
Eczema
Emphysema
Endometriosis
Enteritis
Epstein Barr Virus
Estrogen (low)
Fatty Liver Disease
Fever
Fibrosis
Gall Bladder (sluggish or removed)
Gall Stones
Gas and Bloating
Gastritis
Gingivitis
Glands (swollen lymph)
Goiter
Gonorrhea
Gout
Grave's Disease
Hair (loss or thinning)
Hair Care (general)
Halitosis
Hangover
Headache (general)
Headache (sinus)
Headache (tension)
Heart (weakness)
Hemorrhoids
Hepatitis
Hernias
Herpes
Hiatal Hernia
Hiccups
Hot Flashes
Hypotension
Hypothyroid
Impetigo
Indigestion
Infection
Infection (bacterial)
Infection (viral)
Inflammation
Inflammatory Bowel Disorders
Influenza
Injuries
Itching
Itching Ears
Jaundice (adults)
Jock Itch
Kidney Infection
Laryngitis
Leaky Gut Syndrome
Leprosy
Lesions
Leucorrhea
Liver Detoxification
Lungs (fluid in)
Lyme Disease
Lymph Nodes or Glands (swollen)
Malaria
Mastitis
Measles
Menopause
Menorrhagia
Menstrual Irregularity
Menstruation (scant)
Mental Illness
Metabolic Syndrome
Mononucleosis
Mood Swings
Morning Sickness
Mumps
Nausea and Vomiting
Nephritis
Nervous Exhaustion
Nervousness
Night Sweating
Nocturnal Emission
Oral Surgery
Ovarian Pain
Overacidity
Pertussis
Pleurisy
PMS (general)
Pneumonia
Poison Ivy or Oak
Rashes and Hives
Rosacea
Sore Throat
Ulcers