Licorice Root and Cancer

Licorice Root

While I was still involved in clinical nutrition in the 1980’s, I used to recommend a licorice root extract called “glycyrrhizin” for adrenal insufficiency induced fatigue and it really helped many people.  Because it might contribute to slightly elevated blood pressure, I always made certain that my recommendations were made to people with stabilized blood pressure.  Now comes a new and an old study that will only make sense to you if you understand my hypothesis that fungal mycotoxins, do indeed, cause cancer.

In 2009, Phytotherapy Research (plant research) wrote an interesting article (1) on the anti-fungal properties of glycyrrhiza extracts.  Based on this earlier finding, it should surprise no one that the new study published in 2022, some 13 years later in Pharmacological Research (2) discovered that both glycyrrhizin (GL) and another licorice root agent called glycyrrhiza acid (GA) were found to have anti-cancer properties as well.  Although they warned not to overinterpret their findings, they concluded their study by stating, “GL and its derivative, GA, exhibit a wide range of activities to elicit their oncoprotective and oncotherapeutic effects. The effects range from inducing cell cycle arrest, inducing apoptosis, inhibiting invasion and metastasis, immunomodulation, attenuating the inflammatory microenvironment in cancer to antioxidants, sensitizing the tumor to other drugs, and protecting from conventional therapy side effects.”

What an absolute HUGE finding!  Of course, they will never run out of plants to study for both antifungal as well as anticancer properties.  All plants have phenolic compounds, which offer antifungal properties. As such, I will prematurely assume that all also prevent cancer and will one day be discovered to treat cancer.

Why wait? Ladies and gentlemen, start your diet changes!

Getting started with the Kaufmann Diet

 

Research and References

1. PubMed: Antifungal activity of Glycyrrhiza glabra extracts and its active constituent glabridin – PubMed (nih.gov)

2. ScienceDirect: Oncopreventive and oncotherapeutic potential of licorice triterpenoid compound glycyrrhizin and its derivatives: Molecular insights – ScienceDirect

 

Still have questions?

Join our LIVE Q&A stream every week if you would like to ask a question! Learn more about the live show and join in here: KTC Too! – Doug Kaufmann’s Know the Cause

Share on Facebook
Share on Reddit
Share via Email
Share on Twitter

Leave a Reply

Recent Articles

Weekly Q&A Show

Featured Sponsor

Follow Us

Doug's Books

Doug Kaufmann has written many books that cover a full range or health issues. Find out which of his books best suits you by clicking the button below.

The Kaufmann Diet

Doug Kaufmann developed his diet after years studying the clinical effects of pathogenic fungi on the body. Fungi and yeasts can become parasitic organisms on and inside our body, causing health problems that can be difficult to diagnose. Learn more about the Kaufmann Diet, change your life and know the cause.

The Science of Fungus

We encourage all visitors to this site to take some time and study these technical articles prior to initiating lifestyle changes, including dietary changes and to do so with their physician’s awareness and approval. The articles posted in this link are scientific and with few exceptions are taken from medical journals familiar to healthcare workers.

Our Healthy Recipes

Looking for help assembling antifungal Kaufmann Diet approved recipes for breakfast, lunch or dinner? We have several videos, books and recipe write ups here on Know the Cause that will help your health journey. The recipes in this section are so good, you’ll feel like you’re indulging. No sacrifice needed! Enjoy.