Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (family-Fabaceae-Leguminosae) is one of the important medicinal plant, commonly called as ‘liquorice’. The main ingredient of liquorice is ‘glycyrrhizin’. The present experiment was focused on the anti-inflammatory activity of hydro alcoholic extract of G. glabra (HAEGG) root against carrageenan induced rat paw oedema at dose levels of 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg orally. The H...

A patient with a past history of anorexia nervosa developed a hypokalaemic myopathy following a 'flu-like illness. Although she was apparently in remission from anorexia nervosa, the diet was found to be markedly abnormal with an excessive ingestion of liquorice and a low potassium salt intake. The clinical features and investigations, including muscle biopsy, are described. The patient is comp...

A 34 year old man, registered disabled as a result of muscle weakness, was admitted to hospital because of increasing weakness. He had profound hypokalaemia and admitted to taking up to 1400 ml of kaolin and morphine mixture daily. After considerable potassium replacement muscle power recovered completely. The hypokalaemia is likely to have been caused by the combination of liquorice extract an...

Since more than six decades ago, liquorice extracts have been used as treatment of gastroduodenal ulcers or Addison’s disease, as adjuvant sweetener in medical mixtures and even as a sweet for children. However, the first case reports on severe side effects of liquorice consumption were observed in the Netherlands back in the 1940s [1]. Hypokalaemic respiratory muscle paralysis due to liquorice...

A 38 year old female office worker was admitted with a newly discovered blood pressure of 250/110 mm Hg. Evaluation for secondary forms of hypertension was negative and treatment was begun. Sodium excretion was markedly reduced, plasma aldosterone was normal, and plasma renin activity was low. Therefore, presence of an aldosterone-like activity was suspected. Eventually, the patient confessed t...

Nitrofurantoin and nitrofurantoin with liquorice were given to healthy volunteers and patients suffering from urinary tract infections. The excretion rates of the drug, colony counts and side effects were studied in patients and excretion rates in the volunteers. The excretion rates of the drug were significantly higher in patients receiving the drug with liquorice and also side effects were mi...

Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the anti fungal activity of ethanolic extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra. Glycyrrhiza glabra commonly called as liquorice or sweet root is one of the oldest known herbal remedies famous for its vast variety of therapeutic properties. Ethanolic extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra was tested for antifungal activity against Candida albicans, Aspergillus n...

A 33-year-old patient with hypokalaemia associated with severe myopathy following liquorice ingestion is described. Potassium depletion was confirmed by total body potassium measurements and myopathy was established by electromyography and enzyme studies. The potential hazard of chronic liquorice consumption even as a sweet is illustrated by this case.