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GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA (LICORICE)
Score:
Data: Fair
- Other Concerns
- Functions
- About the Chemical
- Synonyms
-
Neurotoxicity (low), Endocrine disruption (moderate), and Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate)
Cancer 
Cancer: Ingredients linked to cancer in government, industry or academic studies or assessments.
Developmental & Reproductive Toxicity
Developmental and reproductive toxicity: Ingredients linked to developmental and reproductive toxicity, a broad class of health effects that range from infertility and reproductive organ cancers to birth defects and developmental delays in children.
Allergies & Immunotoxicity
Allergies and immunotoxicity: Ingredients linked to harm to the immune system, a class of health problems that manifest as allergic reactions or an impaired capacity to fight disease and repair damaged tissue in the body.
Products with this Ingredient
| lip gloss | 6 products |
| around-eye cream | 3 products |
| facial moisturizer/treatment | 1 products |
| body firming lotion | 1 products |
| serums & essences | 1 products |
| mask | 1 products |
| moisturizer | 1 products |
| anti-aging | 1 products |
| toners/astringents | 1 products |
Endocrine disruption
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Food additive: herbicide | US. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 2015. Food Additive Status (Skin Deep®). Appears as: listid: ADD-794; Chemical_Name: Licorice and derivatives; Synonyms: Licorice; ammoniated glycyrrhizin; glycyrrhiza; |
| Licorice and its derivative substances disrupt function of the adrenal (corticosteroid hormone) axis. | Somayeh Nazari, Maryam Rameshrad & Hossein zadeh 2017. Toxicological Effects of Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice): A Review. Phytotherapy research : PTR 31(11), 1635-1650. |
| Anti-androgenic effects of licorice have been observed in humans. | Paul Grant & Shamin Ramasamy 2012. An update on plant derived anti-androgens. International journal of endocrinology and metabolism 10(2), 497-502. |
| Licorice extract exhibits estrogenic activity in vitro. | D T. Zava, M. Blen & G. Duwe. 1997. Estrogenic activity of natural and synthetic estrogens in human breast cancer cells in culture. Environmental health perspectives 105 Suppl 3, 637-45. |
| Licorice extracts impacted pituitary hormone secretion in vitro and in vivo in rats. | Ho Young Lee, Dae Young Jung, Hyekyung Ha, Sam Sik Kang, Ju Sun Kim & Chungsook Kim 2007. Induction of growth hormone release by glycyrrhizae radix on rat. Journal of biochemistry and molecular biology 40(6), 979-85. |
Developmental/reproductive toxicity
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Licorice consumption during pregnancy is linked to adverse birth outcomes. | Somayeh Nazari, Maryam Rameshrad & Hossein zadeh 2017. Toxicological Effects of Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice): A Review. Phytotherapy research : PTR 31(11), 1635-1650. |
| Licorice extract affected male reprodutive function in rats. | Somayeh Nazari, Maryam Rameshrad & Hossein zadeh 2017. Toxicological Effects of Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice): A Review. Phytotherapy research : PTR 31(11), 1635-1650. |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Licorice and its constituents/derivatives affect the cardiovascular system by disrupting hormones involved in water/salt balance. | Mikkel R Deutch, Daniela Grimm, Markus Wehland, Manfred Infanger & Marcus Krüger. 2019. Bioactive Candy: Effects of Licorice on the Cardiovascular System. Foods (Basel, Switzerland) 8(10). |
| Effects on liver enzyme function have been observed in humans and animals. | Somayeh Nazari, Maryam Rameshrad & Hossein zadeh 2017. Toxicological Effects of Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice): A Review. Phytotherapy research : PTR 31(11), 1635-1650. |
| Chronic exposure to licorice extract caused liver damage in fish. | Somayeh Nazari, Maryam Rameshrad & Hossein zadeh 2017. Toxicological Effects of Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice): A Review. Phytotherapy research : PTR 31(11), 1635-1650. |
Allergies/immunotoxicity
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Licorice and its constituents/derivatives can impact immune function. | Giulia Pastorino, Laura Cornara, Sónia Soares, Francisca Rodrigues & M Beatriz P. P. Oliveira. 2018. Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra): A phytochemical and pharmacological review. Phytotherapy research : PTR 32(12), 2323-2339. |
Neurotoxicity
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Licorice derivatives have exhibited neuroprotective, sedative, and antidepressant effects in various studies, indicating a capacity to elicit nervous system effects. | Giulia Pastorino, Laura Cornara, Sónia Soares, Francisca Rodrigues & M Beatriz P. P. Oliveira. 2018. Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra): A phytochemical and pharmacological review. Phytotherapy research : PTR 32(12), 2323-2339. |
Data gaps
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| 2587 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical | NLM PubMed |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Food Additive Status |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food |
Data Sources
- US. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 2015. Food Additive Status (Skin Deep®). Appears as: listid: ADD-794; Chemical_Name: Licorice and derivatives; Synonyms: Licorice; ammoniated glycyrrhizin; glycyrrhiza;
- Somayeh Nazari, Maryam Rameshrad & Hossein zadeh 2017. Toxicological Effects of Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice): A Review. Phytotherapy research : PTR 31(11), 1635-1650.
- Paul Grant & Shamin Ramasamy 2012. An update on plant derived anti-androgens. International journal of endocrinology and metabolism 10(2), 497-502.
- D T. Zava, M. Blen & G. Duwe. 1997. Estrogenic activity of natural and synthetic estrogens in human breast cancer cells in culture. Environmental health perspectives 105 Suppl 3, 637-45.
- Ho Young Lee, Dae Young Jung, Hyekyung Ha, Sam Sik Kang, Ju Sun Kim & Chungsook Kim 2007. Induction of growth hormone release by glycyrrhizae radix on rat. Journal of biochemistry and molecular biology 40(6), 979-85.
- Mikkel R Deutch, Daniela Grimm, Markus Wehland, Manfred Infanger & Marcus Krüger. 2019. Bioactive Candy: Effects of Licorice on the Cardiovascular System. Foods (Basel, Switzerland) 8(10).
- Giulia Pastorino, Laura Cornara, Sónia Soares, Francisca Rodrigues & M Beatriz P. P. Oliveira. 2018. Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra): A phytochemical and pharmacological review. Phytotherapy research : PTR 32(12), 2323-2339.
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.
- FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Food Additive Status List. Downloaded from http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/opa-appa.html, Oct 16, 2006.
- FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
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EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any. Learn more | Legal Disclaimer
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