GLYCYRRHIZA (U. S. P.)—GLYCYRRHIZA. Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage

Liquorice root is emollient, demulcent, and nutritive. It acts upon mucous surfaces, lessening irritation, and is consequently useful in coughs, catarrhs, irritation of the urinary organs, and pain of the intestines in diarrhœa. It is commonly administered in decoction, sometimes alone, at other times with the addition of other agents, and which is the preferable mode of using it. As a general rule, the acrid bark should be removed previous to forming a decoction. When boiled for some time the water becomes impregnated with its acrid resin; hence, in preparing a decoction for the purpose of sweetening diet drinks, or covering the taste of nauseous drugs, it should not be boiled over 5 minutes. The efficiency of the root in old bronchial affections may be due to this acrid resin. The powdered root is also employed to give the proper solidity to pills, and to prevent their adhesion; the extract for imparting the proper viscidity to them. The extract, in the form of lozenge, held in the mouth until it has dissolved, is a very popular and efficient remedy in coughs and pectoral affections. An excellent troche or lozenge, very useful in ordinary cough, may be made by combining together 6 parts of refined liquorice, 2 parts of benzoic acid, 4 parts of pulverized alum, and ½ a part of pulverized opium. Dissolve the liquorice in water, and evaporate to the proper consistence, then add the powders with a few drops of oil of anise, and divide it into 3 or 6-grain lozenges. The bitterness of quinine, quassia, aloes, and the acrid taste of senega, guaiacum, mezereon and ammonium chloride are masked by liquorice.