Liquorice
Healing essence of licorice Anti-cancer Licorice is a spice derived from the roots of a plant that originated in China. It has been used for thousands of years as a food additive and as a medicine, the latter as a treatment for sore throats, bronchitis, gastritis, constipation and other conditions. Today licorice is used extensively to flavour confectionery, sweets, alcoholic drinks, beverages and various dishes in both the East and the West. It is also a constituent of many cough syrups and throat lozenges. Promising new research suggests that liquorice is an effective agent against several pathological mechanisms, cancer and several other chronic diseases. Medicinal PropertiesCancerColorectal cancerCancer of the colon is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the USA and there are few preventive strategies available to help fight this scourge. Studies have shown that bioactive compounds found in some spices and other foods may help to counter this disease. Licorice is the latest spice to be studied in this context. One of its compounds, called glycyrrhizic acid, helps to prevent the formation of colon tumours by inhibiting the enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11βHSD2). One of the principal pathological processes underlying cancer is inflammation; and it is the presence of too much 11βHSD2 in the colon that aggravates the inflammatory component of colorectal cancer. Common anti-inflammatory Cox-2 inhibitor drugs such as Celebrex work by blocking the inflammatory process generated by the 11βHSD2 enzyme. Glycyrrhizic acid however works by blocking 11βHSD2 itself, thereby preventing the formation of the inflammatory compounds themselves. Moreover it is unnecessary to eat large quantities of this spice in order to ward off colorectal cancer. It is preferable to take small quantities regularly with other cancer fighting spices (such as coriander, fenugreek, garlic and mustard); and eat these with a diet rich in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables. In this way the colon is protected with foods that contain a wide range of cancer fighting phytonutrients. This spice contains many phytonutrients, including apigenin, eugenol, ferulic acid, genistein and naringenin that have proven anticarcinogenic effects. Anti-inflammatory effectsLicorice contains several important anti-inflammatory phytonutrients that appear to work through two principal mechanisms.They can directly inhibit an abnormal inflammatory response as well as enhance the anti-inflammatory potency of some steroids. ImmunomodulationGlycerhizin is the major active phytochemical found in licorice and works both as an immunomodulator and as a potent antiviral agent.It has even been shown to be effective against HIV, protecting the immune systems of HIV-infected individuals as well as lowering their viral loads. Stomach ulcersThe long-standing use of licorice as a treatment for stomach ulcers and gastritis has been confirmed by recent studies which found that the activity of the ulcer-causing bacteria, Helicobacter pylori, is inhibited by several phytonutrients found in this spice.Spice supplementVitaSpice capsules contain liquorice and 20 other important medicinal spicesImportant phytonutrientsAntioxidants: Apigenin, carvacrol, eugenol, ferulic acid, genistein, glycyrrhetic acid, glycyrrhetinic acid, glycyrrhizin, isoquercitrin, kaempferol, lignin, lupeol, maltol, mannitol, naringenin, phenol, quercetin, salicylic acid, sinapic acid, saponins, thymol, umbelliferoneOthers: Glycrrhetinic acid, glycyrrhisoflavanone, glycrrhizan, isoflavones, licoflavones, licoricin, liquiritone
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