About gan cao

Gan Cao (甘草) is the root of licorice, a plant of the pea family, recorded as Radix Glycyrrhizae. It is sweet in flavour and enters the Heart, Lung, Spleen and Stomach channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that tonify Qi, and the record credits it too with bringing the other herbs of a formula into accord.

Pinyin

gan cao

Chinese

甘草

Latin Name

Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae·Radix Glycyrrhizae

English Name

Licorice Root

Japanese

kanzo

Korean

kamcho

Actions and indications

Tonifies the Spleen and augments Qi

Weak Spleen Qi: breathlessness, fatigue, poor appetite and loose stools
Palpitations or an irregular pulse from deficient Qi and Blood
Heart Qi or Heart Yang deficiency

Moistens the Lungs, resolves Phlegm and stops cough

Cough, with or without phlegm, from Heat or Cold in the Lungs
Cough and wheezing of Excess or deficiency type
Lung Wei (atrophy) with long-standing cough, where it may be used alone

Relaxes spasm and relieves pain

Painful cramps in the legs or abdomen
Cramps and spasms of the skeletal muscles, classically paired with Bai Shao as Shao Yao Gan Cao Tang

Clears Heat and resolves Fire toxicity

Heat toxin with a sore throat, or carbuncles and sores (Chuang Yong), using the unprocessed herb inside or on the skin
Erysipelas, or eczema with itching, washed with the decoction

Relieves poisoning

Poisoning by food, herbs, drugs or chemicals, taken by mouth or applied externally
Beef poisoning on its own; drug poisoning with honey; lead poisoning with Xing Ren; herbicide or pesticide poisoning with Hua Shi

Harmonises and moderates the other herbs in a formula and guides them into all twelve channels

Combinations

dang shen

Spleen Deficiency with loose stools, fatigue and anorexia; Heart Qi Deficiency with palpitations

dang shen + ren shen + fu ling + bai zhu

Augments Qi and strengthens the Spleen

dang shen + gui zhi

Deficient Heart Qi causing palpitations

dang shen + ren shen + gui zhi + sheng di huang + e jiao

Palpitations and an irregular heartbeat from deficient Heart Qi and Blood

ma huang + xing ren + sheng jiang

Wind-Cold attacking the Lungs, with cough or wheezing

jie geng

Swollen, painful throat

sang ye + jie geng

Wind-Heat invasion of the Lungs

shi gao + xing ren

Lung Heat with cough

bai shao

Painful spasm of the abdomen or leg; eases pain and moderates spasm

bai shao + huang qin

Damp-Heat with dysenteric diarrhea and abdominal pain

bai shao + chai hu + dang gui + bai zhu

Liver Qi Stagnation with hypochondriac pain

hai piao xiao + chen pi

Peptic ulcer pain.

hai piao xiao + wa leng zi + chen pi + feng mi

Hyperacidity with gastric discomfort; epigastric pain from a Stomach ulcer

jin yin hua

Damp rashes or acne.

pu gong ying

Abscesses and other toxic swellings, used internally or externally

jin yin hua + pu gong ying + lian qiao + zi hua di ding

Red, swollen, painful Yang-type sores

shu di huang + rou gui + bai jie zi + lu jiao jiao

Long-standing Yin-type swellings that either fail to ulcerate or form dark purple ulcers that will not close

yuan hua

Topically for chilblain. (frostbite)

jie geng + shan dou gen + xuan shen + niu bang zi

Sore throat with pus or marked swelling

xing ren + chuan bei mu

Heat induced dry cough.

lu dou + jin yin hua + lǜ dòu yī

Acts as an antidote to many kinds of toxin

ren shen

Relieves palpitations and anxiety.

niu bang zi

Wind-Heat attacking the Lungs or Fire toxin flaring up; powerfully clears the Lungs and throat

lu dou

Poisoning by toxic herbs such as fu zi (aconite), chuan wu or ba dou (croton); taken as a summer drink, helps prevent Summerheat and Heat rash and lowers the risk of poisoning from spoiled food

da zao + fu xiao mai

Restless or dry organ disorder

da zao + fu xiao mai + long gu + mu li + suan zao ren + bai zi ren

Shen disturbance in dry organ disorder

sang ye + jie geng + ju hua + xing ren

Wind-Heat with wheezing and cough

gan jiang + xi xin + wu wei zi

Wind-Cold cough producing sputum

bei sha shen + mai men dong + e jiao + kuan dong hua

Dryness causing wheezing and cough

shan yao + yi tang + gui zhi + sheng jiang + da zao

Deficiency Cold of the Middle Jiao with abdominal pain

bai shao + huang lian + huang qin + da huang + bing lang

Damp-Heat causing abdominal pain, dysentery and diarrhea

feng mi

Topically for burns; internally for drug poisoning

bai shao + mu gua + ji xue teng

Blood Deficiency causing cramps in the legs

hua shi

Pesticide or herbicide poisoning, taken as a decoction

xing ren

Lead poisoning.

lu dou + jin yin hua + lǜ dòu yī

Arsenic poisoning.

Age

Raw

Granule

Tincture

Concentrate

Frequency

Any 1.5-14g; Large dosage up to 30g; Tincture: 1-4ml

1.5-14 g

—

1-4 ml

—

Cautions

contraindication Damp accumulation with nausea, vomiting and a full, distended chest or abdomen

contraindication People who drink wine often

contraindication High blood pressure, edema, raised blood sugar, osteoporosis, or a general excess of secretions; glycyrrhizin, its main constituent, can itself push blood pressure up and hold fluid

caution Large doses or long courses can disturb the sodium and potassium balance (a pseudoaldosteronism-like picture), with fluid retention, raised blood pressure and palpitations; risk rises with dose and duration and varies from person to person

caution Although mild, it does not suit every pattern and should not be taken long term or in high doses without supervision

Interactions

Incompatible with

gan sui One of the Eighteen Incompatibles: Gan Sui (Kansui root) should not appear in the same formula
hai zao Classically listed as incompatible with Hai Zao (Sargassum), even though the two are often prescribed together
yuan hua One of the Eighteen Incompatibles: not to be combined with Yuan Hua (Genkwa flower)

Drug interactions

Corticosteroids (cortisone, prednisone, dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone): glycyrrhizin slows the breakdown of cortisol, so the effect of systemic steroids may be altered, prolonged or intensified
Cardiac glycosides such as digoxin: the potassium loss the herb can cause makes the heart more sensitive to these drugs and raises the risk of toxicity; use together only with caution
Barbiturates, chloral hydrate, nicotine, caffeine, cocaine, pilocarpine, picrotoxin and urethane: the herb hastens their metabolism and has been used against overdose of these substances

Prepared forms (1)

gan cao (mi) Zhi

炙甘草·Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae Praeparata cum Melle

Zhi Gan Cao (炙甘草) is licorice root prepared with honey, recorded as Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae Praeparata cum Melle. The catalogue files it among the herbs that tonify Qi and records it as entering all twelve channels.

Tonifies the Spleen and Stomach and augments Qi

Qi deficiency with breathlessness, lack of energy and loose stools

Tonifies Heart Qi and restores the pulse

Palpitations and a knotted or intermittent pulse when the Heart lacks Qi, Blood and Yin; chief herb of Zhi Gan Cao Tang

Relaxes spasms and relieves pain

Cramps of the abdomen or legs, classically combined with Bai Shao

Harmonises the actions of other herbs

Bringing a formula into balance and tempering harsh or drastic ingredients

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any	—	—	—	—	—

contraindication Excess Damp, fullness or distension, nausea or vomiting, which its sweet, cloying nature makes worse
caution Avoid long courses at high doses: glycyrrhizin can bring on pseudoaldosteronism, with salt and water retention, low potassium, raised blood pressure and edema
caution Take particular care with high blood pressure, edema, kidney disease or low potassium

Used in 125 formulas: ba zhen tang, bai hu cheng qi tang, bai hu jia cang zhu tang, bai hu jia gui zhi tang, bai hu jia ren shen tang, bai hu tang, bao yuan tang, bu fei e jiao tang and 117 more

gan cao

About gan cao

Names

Classification

Actions and indications

Tonifies the Spleen and augments Qi

Moistens the Lungs, resolves Phlegm and stops cough

Relaxes spasm and relieves pain

Clears Heat and resolves Fire toxicity

Relieves poisoning

Harmonises and moderates the other herbs in a formula and guides them into all twelve channels

Combinations

Dosage

Cautions

Interactions

Incompatible with

Drug interactions

Prepared forms (1)

gan cao (mi) Zhi

Tonifies the Spleen and Stomach and augments Qi

Tonifies Heart Qi and restores the pulse

Relaxes spasms and relieves pain

Harmonises the actions of other herbs

About gan cao

Names

Classification

Actions and indications

Tonifies the Spleen and augments Qi

Moistens the Lungs, resolves Phlegm and stops cough

Relaxes spasm and relieves pain

Clears Heat and resolves Fire toxicity

Relieves poisoning

Harmonises and moderates the other herbs in a formula and guides them into all twelve channels

Combinations

Dosage

Cautions

Interactions

Incompatible with

Drug interactions

Prepared forms (1)

gan cao (mi) Zhi

Tonifies the Spleen and Stomach and augments Qi

Tonifies Heart Qi and restores the pulse

Relaxes spasms and relieves pain

Harmonises the actions of other herbs

Related

Prepared forms

Used in 125 formulas