AEGiS-GMHC: Common Alternative Therapies: Glycyrrhizin (Licorice Root)

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1993. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Common Alternative Therapies: Glycyrrhizin (Licorice Root)

Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 11/12 - Winter, 1993/94
Bree Scott-Hartland

Glycyrrhizin is a substance isolated from the root of the licorice plant (Glycyrrhiza radix). It is widely used in Japan and is reported to have benefits in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. Some studies suggest that glycyrrhizin may have anti-HIV properties[2] and may enhance the production of natural killer cells and interferon.[3]

Japanese researchers recently studied the effects of a glycyrrhizin compound Stronger Neo-Minophagen C (SNMC) in 42 HIV-seropositive hemophiliacs.[4] Participants were randomized to dose regimens of either 100 to 200ml or 400 to 800ml administered intravenously daily for the first three weeks and every second day for the following eight weeks. Absolute CD4 counts and CD4/CD8 ratios were unchanged. However, "complete recovery in liver dysfunction," a major problem in HIV-positive hemophiliacs, was reported. The authors conclude that HIV-infected hemophiliacs with impaired immunological ability and liver dysfunction be given prophylactic treatment with SNMC to prevent their conditions from worsening.

At the IX International Conference on AIDS in Berlin, two small, non-randomized studies of glycyrrhizin in asymptomatic HIV-positive individuals suggested some benefits to the treatment.[5, 6] However, these studies, both of which were conducted in Japan, are difficult to analyze or draw any conclusions, due to the small size and the extremely limited data that were published.

There are reports of glycyrrhizin causing high blood pressure, water retention, and possibly heart complications when taken in very high doses.[7]

1. Fujisawa K, et al. Asian Medical Journal. 1989; 23:754-56.

2. Hattori T, et al. Antiviral. Res., 1989; 11(5-6):255-61.

3. Ito, M, et al.Antiviral Res., 1988; 10:289-98

4. Mori, K, et al. Journal of Naturopathic Medicine, 1993; 4:2-9.

5. Ikegami N, et al. Abstract PO-A 0596. IX International Conference on AIDS June 1993. Berlin.

6. Yasuyuki E, et al. Abstract PO-B28-2143. IX International Conference on AIDS. June 1993. Berlin.

7. Korsia, S. IHITTG. 1992; 7:3-4.

Copyright © 1993 - Treatment Issues. Reproduced with permission. Treatment Issues is published twelve times yearly by GMHC, Inc. All rights reserved. Noncommercial reproduction is encouraged. Subscription lists are kept confidential. GMHC Treatment Issues, The Tisch Building, 119 West 24th Street, New York, NY 10011 fredg@gmhc.org http://www.gmhc.org

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