According to the theory of four qi and five flavors, sweet-flavored herbs can invigorate energy and relieve energy.

1. Nourishes the heart and spleen

Sweet herbs enter the spleen, so the most obvious effect of licorice is to invigorate the spleen, but it is weak in invigorating the spleen.

Licorice is more specialized in nourishing the heart.

Convention, here we first talk about the role of the heart.

2. Talk about your heart

The heart mainly regulates the mind and blood of a person.

Main consciousness: Just like an old leader, it commands all aspects of human consciousness, emotion, and the physiological activities of the internal organs. If the heart is abnormal, it will often cause mental problems.

Main blood vessels: The heart can send water and grains from the spleen and stomach into blood, and promote blood flow rhythmically.

If the heart is deficient, the spirit is prone to debilitating tendencies, such as drowsiness, depression, sadness, insomnia, forgetfulness, etc.

In terms of blood vessels, there are problems of palpitations, blood deficiency, weak pulsation, and arrhythmia.

Licorice tonifies the heart qi. Using a large amount of licorice can nourish the heart to treat heart palpitations, arrhythmia, mental disorders and other problems caused by insufficient heart qi.

Generally, it takes a large dose (30 grams) of licorice to have a good effect.

3. Reconcile medicinal properties

Traditional Chinese medicine is not as pure and non-toxic as some people think. Some violent drugs like ephedra and rhubarb are easy to hurt because of their excessive sweating and diarrhea. Adding licorice can alleviate the potency of these drugs.

Some medicines that are irritating to the stomach, licorice can also reduce irritation and protect the stomach. In addition, traditional Chinese medicine tastes bitter, put some sweet licorice, it can taste better.

But my tongue always educates me honestly, what is a drop in the bucket~

4. Urgent

People's internal organs and limbs will be tense and spasm due to the invasion of wind and cold, blood stasis block, blood deficiency and other reasons, referred to as spasm.

It may not be easy for everyone to understand. You can recall that you sweated in summer and immediately poured a bowl of ice water when you went home. The sour abdominal pain was caused by the sudden cold stimulation of the stomach and intestines, which caused gastrointestinal spasms.

Licorice can relieve the problem of acute spasm, but the relief is only temporary, not a substitute for treatment, and treatment should be based on the cause.

5. The specific function of licorice

Licorice also has special functions that other sweet-tasting medicines do not have.

(1) Antitussive: Licorice’s antitussive effect is a very strange thing. When I write this, I feel that it is difficult to explain why licorice can relieve cough with the theory of traditional Chinese medicine.

After a long investigation, it was discovered that some ingredients contained in licorice can cover and protect the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, reduce irritation, and thus play an antitussive and expectorant effect.

Therefore, taking the compound licorice tablets that I used to eat, let the medicine slowly dissolve into the throat, which can make the best effect. But there are also opioid powder, camphor and other cough medicines, which should not be taken for a long time.

(2) Detoxification: the most well-known special function, recorded in "Qian Jin Fang": "detoxification of hundreds of drugs is like Tang Wo Xue".

Of course, everyone must understand that this is just a rhetoric, and the world may not have such an exaggerated antidote.

Detoxification: The accumulation of heat evils can cause sores and carbuncles. You can use raw licorice with dandelion and double flowers to clear heat and detoxify.

Antidote to poison: some violent drugs such as Aconitum, Aconite, Tripterygium, etc., with licorice can reduce the toxicity.

There are even cases of using licorice in combination with rhubarb and other medicines to treat toadstool and pesticide poisoning. However, these are mostly reports from decades ago when medical and sanitation conditions were extremely poor. Now, it is of little significance. , for cattle.

When poisoned, 120 is the best antidote.

6. Contraindications of licorice

Licorice is stagnant in nature, so it should not be used when phlegm-dampness is stagnant.

A large amount of licorice for a long time will make the head and face swollen. Because licorice has the effect of adrenocortical hormone, Japanese research believes that it is not suitable to take more than 5 grams per day for a long time.

In addition, although licorice is detoxifying, it is recorded in the "Eighteen Antis" that it is harmful to use together with spurge, coriander, kansui, and seaweed.