Licorice & Cancer Zhi Y. Wang, Daniel W. Nixon Licorice root is one of the oldest and most frequently employed botanicals in Chinese medicine. In the U.S., licorice products are often used as flavoring and sweetening agents in food products. Constituents of licorice include triterpenoids, such as glycrrhizin and its aglycone glycyrrhizic acid, various polyphenols, and polysaccharides. A number of pharmaceutical effects of licorice are known or suspected (anti-inflammatory, antivirus, antiulcer, anticarcinogenesis, and others). Licorice and its derivatives may protect against carcinogen-induced DNA damage and may be suppresive agents as well. Glycyrrhizic acid is an inhibitor of lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase, inhibits protein kinase C, and downregulates the epidermal growth factor receptor. Licorice polyphenols induce apoptosis in cancer cells. These and other activities of licorice are reviewed (in this paper), and a rationale is suggested for combinations of agents and preventive clinical trials. Nutrition and Cancer, Vol 39, No 1 p 1-11. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Rutgers University, 12/03 J Biol Chem, 1/05 Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.