Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza spp.) has a long history of use in traditional medicine systems, including Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda, for supporting respiratory health and treating symptoms of colds, such as cough and sore throat. The root is believed to have soothing, expectorant, and demulcent properties. In TCM, licorice is often included in herbal formulas to "harmonize" the effects of other herbs and relieve symptoms associated with viral upper respiratory infections.

From a scientific perspective, in vitro studies have demonstrated that certain compounds in licorice, such as glycyrrhizin, may possess antiviral activity against some viruses, including those that cause respiratory illness. However, robust clinical evidence demonstrating licorice’s effectiveness in treating or preventing the common cold in humans is limited. Most available research consists of laboratory or animal studies, or clinical trials using multi-herb formulas with licorice as one of several components, making it difficult to isolate licorice's specific effect.

Overall, while licorice is traditionally used to support colds and may have some biological plausibility based on laboratory findings, the direct clinical evidence in humans is weak or insufficient. Its use for colds is therefore primarily justified by tradition, with a moderate (2/5) level of supporting evidence.

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