Gan Cao - 甘草 - Radix Glycyrrhizae - Licorice
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Radix Glycyrrhizae Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata (Zhi Gan Cao) |
| Common English: | Baked Licorice Root Licorice Root Ural Licorice Root |
Category
Herbs that Tonify QiRelated Herbs (Secondary Source Material)
Properties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Sweet | Neutral (raw) (Gan Cao) Warm (dry-fried) (Zhi Gan Cao) | Heart Lung Spleen Stomach (All twelve channels) (Yang Wei) | 1.5-14g Large dosage up to 30g Tincture: 1-4ml 1.5-9g (15-30g) (Secondary source) |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Tonifies the Spleen and augments Qi | Spleen Qi Deficiency with shortness of breath, lassitude and loose stools Qi and Blood Deficiency with an irregular pulse and/or palpitations Heart Qi Deficiency or Heart Yang Deficiency |
Moistens the Lungs, resolves Phlegm and stops coughing | Lung Heat or Cold Productive or non-productive coughing |
Moderates spasms and alleviates pain | Painful muscle spasms of the abdomen and legs |
Clears Heat and relieves Fire toxicity | Raw for Toxic Heat with sore throat or carbuncles and sores (Chuang Yung) |
Antidote for many toxic substances (internal and topical) | Poisoning |
Moderates and harmonizes the harsh properties of other herbs and guides the herbs to all twelve channels |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
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Major Combinations
| Rx. Codonopsis | Rx. Codonopsis | Rx. Codonopsis |
Anorexia, fatigue and loose stools due to Spleen Deficiency. Palpitations due to Heart Qi Deficiency. | Strengthens the Spleen and augments Qi. | Palpitations due to Heart Qi Deficiency. |
| Rx. Codonopsis | Hb. Ephedrae | Rx. Platycodi |
Heart Qi and Blood Deficiency with an irregular heart beat and palpitations. | Coughing or wheezing due to Wind-Cold Attacks the Lungs. | Pain and swelling of the throat. |
| Fol. Mori | Gypsum Fibrosum | Rx. Paeoniae Alba |
Wind-Heat Invading the Lungs. | Coughing due to Lung Heat. | Moderates spasms and alleviates pain, for painful spasms of the leg or abdomen. |
Rx. Paeoniae Alba | Rx. Paeoniae Alba | Endoconcha Sepiae |
Abdominal pain and dysenteric diarrhea from Damp-Heat. | Hypochondriac pain due to Liver Qi Stagnation. | Peptic ulcer pain. |
Endoconcha Sepiae | Flos Lonicerae | Hb. Taraxaci |
Gastric discomfort with hyperacidity. Epigastric pain caused by Stomach ulcer. | Damp rashes or acne. | Internally or externally for abscesses or other toxic swellings. |
Flos Lonicerae | Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata | Flos Genkwa |
Yang sores marked by redness, swelling and pain. | Chronic Yin-type swellings that do not ulcerate or have dark purplish ulcerations that do not close. | Topically for chilblain. (frostbite) |
Rx. Platycodi | Sm. Armeniacae | Sm. Phaseoli Radiati |
Sore throat with significant swelling or pus. | Heat induced dry cough. | Antidote for a wide variety of toxins. |
Rx. Ginseng | Fr. Arctii | Sm. Phaseoli Radiati |
Relieves palpitations and anxiety. | Strongly clears the throat and Lungs to treat Wind-Heat attacks the Lungs or Fire toxin flaring upwards. | Antidote for poisoning from toxic herbs such as Aconite Fu Zi, Chuan Wu or Crotonis Ba Dou. As a summertime beverage to prevent Summerheat and Heat rash and to reduce the probability of poisoning from spoiled food. |
Fr. Jujube | Fr. Jujube | Fol. Mori |
Dry or restless organ disorder. | Dry organ disorder with Shen disturbance. | Cough and wheezing due to Wind-Heat. |
Rz. Zingiberis | Rx. Glehniae | Rz. Dioscoreae |
Coughing due to Wind-Cold with sputum. | Cough and wheezing due to Dryness. | Abdominal pain due to Middle Jiao Deficiency Cold. |
Rx. Paeoniae Alba | Mel | Rx. Paeoniae Alba |
Diarrhea, dysentery, and abdominal pain caused by Damp-Heat. | Burns topically. Drug poisoning internally. | Leg cramps due to Blood Deficiency. |
| Talcum (15g) | Sm. Armeniacae | Sm. Phaseoli Radiati |
12g Gan Cao, for herbicide or pesticide poisoning in decoction 3 times daily. | Lead poisoning. | Arsenic poisoning. |
Notes
- It aids digestion.
- It has properties that counter aging.
- It keeps membranes from drying out.
- Roughly 2/3 of all formulas contain it. Its nature is both ascending and descending.
- It addresses both Internal and External diseases.
- It makes organs more responsive to the effects of other herbs.
- It suppresses the growth of cancer cells.
- In mediating formulas it tonifies, in cooling formulas it clears fever, in diaphoretic formulas it dispels pathogens from the muscles, and in relaxing formulas it nourishes the Blood and expels toxins.
- Wei (atrophy) Syndrome is treated with Gan Cao as a single herb.
- Uncomplicated sores can be treated with it alone, applied topically.
- Erysipelas is treated with a decoction of this herb alone, applied topically.
- Red lesions with eczema and itching are treated with a decoction of this herb alone, applied topically.
- A mild sore throat can be treated with this herb alone.
- Whenever extremely Hot or extremely Cold herbs are used, it must be added to temper their intensity.
- Whenever Cold and Hot herbs are combined in a formula, it must be included to harmonize their properties.
- Food poisoning from beef is treated with a decoction of this herb alone.
- The toxicity of Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata Zhi Fu Zi is neutralized by it.
- It restrains the warmth of Rz. Zingiberis Gan Jiang so that Yin is not damaged.
- It keeps the cold nature of Gypsum Fibrosum Shi Gao and Rx. Anemarrhena Zhi Mu from harming the Stomach.
- It lowers the initial peak effect of Rx. et Rz. Rhei Da Huang and Natrii Sulfas Mang Xiao while extending the overall duration of their action.
- It lowers the initial peak effect of Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Bai Zhu, Rx. Codonopsis Dang Shen, Rx. Rehmanniae Shu Di Huang, and Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui, while extending their overall effects.
- Gan Cao and Maltose Yi Tang both tonify Middle Jiao Qi, moderate urgency and relieve pain. Gan Cao resolves toxicity but does not nourish Blood; it moistens the Lungs to stop cough but generates fluids less well than Yi Tang, which generates fluids, particularly in the Lungs, relieves thirst and nourishes Blood.
- Dry-fried Licorice Chao Gan Cao warms more strongly, and dry-frying it with bran enhances its ability to harmonize the Stomach.
- Honey-prepared Licorice Mi Zhi Gan Cao is better at tonifying the Middle, augmenting the Heart and Spleen and harmonizing the properties of other herbs.
- Licorice tips Gan Cao Shao are cool, drain Fire and resolve toxicity, and they are especially good for Damp-Heat Pouring Downward into the Bladder with urethral pain.
- It supports weak adrenal and pancreatic function, particularly in people with functional blood sugar Deficiency.
- Powdered Rx. Glycyrrhizae Gan Cao Fen is regarded as superior in quality to ordinary Rx. Glycyrrhizae Gan Cao.
- Dui Yao pair with Hua Shi: for Summer-Heat with Dampness causing fever, thirst, irritability and scanty, dark urination, and for Damp-Heat Lin syndrome. Used together in Liu Yi San.
From Class
- Er Chen Tang (Two-Cured Decoction): Er Chen Tang (Ban Xia, Chen Pi, Fu Ling, Gan Cao) is modified by phlegm type: hot add bamboo shavings, Spleen-deficient add Ren Shen + Bai Zhu, dry replace Ban Xia. (Yuen)
- Winter pregnancy support: Gui Pi Tang, ginger, Hou Po, Gan Cao, Tu Si Zi, An Zhong Tang: Decoctions preferred over pills; sticky herbs helpful; ascending herbs for a weak Spleen; Tu Si Zi warms the center without too much heat.