What Are the Benefits and Effects of Licorice Tablets?
Licorice tablets have the following efficacies: removing phlegm and stopping cough, clearing heat and detoxifying, tonifying the spleen and invigorating qi, harmonizing various drugs, and relieving pain in acute and chronic conditions.
Licorice has the effect of resolving cough and removing phlegm. It is used for symptoms such as cough, excessive phlegm, shortness of breath, and difficulty expectorating sticky mucus caused by tracheitis and emphysema.
It is used for treating abscesses, sores, sore throat, and damp-heat toxicity, with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. It can also be used to reduce the detoxifying effects of other traditional Chinese medicines.
It is used for symptoms such as heart qi deficiency, palpitations, irregular pulse, spleen and stomach qi deficiency, fatigue, and lethargy.
It is used to harmonize the strong properties of certain drugs. For example, it can moderate the purging effects of rhubarb and mirabilite and their irritation to the gastrointestinal tract in recipes like "Flavor-Regulating Chengqi Decoction". Additionally, it is commonly used to harmonize various drugs in many prescriptions.
It is used for symptoms such as stomach pain, abdominal pain, and spasmodic pain in the calf muscles. It is often used together with peony root to significantly enhance the therapeutic effect on spasmodic pain, such as in the recipe "Peony and Licorice Decoction." Licorice tablets can be taken orally or sublingually, with the latter method often resulting in better therapeutic effects. Sublingual administration can also exert the local effects of licorice extract, camphor, and star anise oil present in the tablets, which may not be fully realized when taken orally. Licorice tablets should be used for targeted treatment and should not be taken for extended periods. The opium powder in licorice tablets is addictive, and long-term use can lead to dependency.
