Yashtimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra), commonly called licorice or mulethi, is described in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India as the dried, unpeeled root and stolon of the plant. Modern products are not interchangeable: whole-root powders and extracts retain glycyrrhizin, while deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) is processed to remove most of it. This distinction is central to both gastric use and safety. Licorice has a long history in digestive care, but current human data do not justify treating it as a replacement for established therapy for peptic ulcer disease, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or Helicobacter pylori infection.
Carbenoxolone and the Modern Ulcer Story
Interest in licorice for peptic ulcers led to the development of carbenoxolone, a semisynthetic derivative of glycyrrhetinic acid. Controlled studies published during the 1960s and 1970s reported faster healing of gastric ulcers with carbenoxolone. A 1968 paper in Gut, for example, examined carbenoxolone treatment and the antagonistic effect of spironolactone. These trials helped establish that a licorice-derived compound could influence ulcer healing, but carbenoxolone was a specific pharmaceutical agent rather than ordinary Yashtimadhu powder or DGL.
Carbenoxolone also produced mineralocorticoid-like adverse effects, including sodium and fluid retention, potassium loss, hypertension, and oedema. Its history therefore illustrates both the pharmacological activity of licorice constituents and the danger of assuming that a natural source guarantees gentle action. It does not provide direct proof that contemporary whole-root supplements or DGL reliably heal ulcers.
DGL vs. Whole Root: A Necessary Distinction
Glycyrrhizin-containing licorice and DGL should be evaluated as different preparations. Glycyrrhizin is converted to glycyrrhetinic acid, which can inhibit 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2. This permits cortisol to exert stronger mineralocorticoid effects and may cause sodium retention, potassium depletion, raised blood pressure, oedema, muscle weakness, and cardiac rhythm disturbances. Individual susceptibility varies, and serious reactions have occurred at lower intakes in vulnerable people.
DGL is processed specifically to reduce this risk. Health Canada’s current monograph requires a finished DGL product to contain no more than 3% of the glycyrrhizic acid originally present in the source material. It recognizes chewable DGL as a demulcent for minor gastrointestinal inflammation and for abdominal pain or burning in the stomach. This regulatory indication should not be interpreted as approval for healing peptic ulcers, eradicating H. pylori, or treating complicated reflux disease.
| Parameter | Whole Root or Glycyrrhizin-Containing Extract | DGL |
|---|---|---|
| Glycyrrhizin | Retained; quantity varies by material and extract | Greatly reduced; qualifying products contain no more than 3% of the original amount |
| Principal clinical concern | Hypokalaemia, hypertension, fluid retention, oedema, and arrhythmia | Lower glycyrrhizin-related risk, although product quality and other ingredients still matter |
| Digestive role | Traditional short-term use for burning and dyspeptic symptoms | Demulcent relief of minor gastrointestinal irritation and stomach burning |
| Ulcer treatment | Not equivalent to carbenoxolone and not a substitute for standard ulcer care | Not an established treatment for gastric or duodenal ulcer healing |
| Form | Powder, decoction, or standardized extract under professional guidance | Usually a chewable preparation intended to mix with saliva |
The European Medicines Agency’s assessment of oral DGL trials did not support a well-established medicinal use for gastric or duodenal ulcer treatment. DGL may still provide short-term soothing relief in selected people with minor burning or dyspeptic discomfort, but persistent, recurrent, nocturnal, bleeding-associated, or unexplained symptoms require medical assessment.
Yashtimadhu and H. pylori
H. pylori is an important cause of peptic ulcer disease and requires a validated eradication regimen followed by confirmation that the infection has cleared. Licorice constituents have demonstrated activity against the organism in laboratory investigations, and one randomized Iranian trial published in 2016 enrolled 120 patients and compared clarithromycin-based triple therapy with the same regimen plus licorice. Reported eradication was 83.3% in the licorice group and 62.5% in the control group.
That trial supports further evaluation of licorice as an adjunct, not as stand-alone treatment. It used a clarithromycin-based regimen that should not now be selected empirically where susceptibility is unknown. The 2024 American College of Gastroenterology guideline recommends 14-day optimized bismuth quadruple therapy as a preferred regimen for many treatment-naive patients and advises against PPI-clarithromycin triple therapy unless clarithromycin sensitivity has been demonstrated. Eradication should be confirmed after treatment with an appropriate breath, stool, or biopsy-based test.
Yashtimadhu, PPIs, and Standard Gastric Care
Proton pump inhibitors remain established medicines for acid suppression in peptic ulcer disease, erosive oesophagitis, and other defined acid-related disorders. They act differently from licorice preparations, and the two should not be presented as direct substitutes. Management also depends on the diagnosis: an H. pylori-positive ulcer requires eradication therapy, a medicine-induced ulcer requires review of the offending medicine, and alarm symptoms may require endoscopy or other investigation.
Yashtimadhu or DGL may be considered only as complementary symptom support when a qualified clinician judges it appropriate. They should not delay investigation of black stools, vomiting blood, progressive difficulty swallowing, persistent vomiting, anaemia, unintended weight loss, severe abdominal pain, or recurrent symptoms. Prescribed PPIs should not be stopped or stepped down solely because an herbal product has been started.
Dosage, Duration, and Safety Limits
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India gives 2–4 g of Yashti powder as the pharmacopoeial dose. This is a monograph dose, not a universal self-treatment instruction: glycyrrhizin content varies, the patient’s constitution and diagnosis matter, and risk rises with prolonged or excessive exposure. The European Medicines Agency treats glycyrrhizin-containing licorice as a short-term preparation and notes important cardiovascular and electrolyte hazards with chronic use.
DGL dosing
Health Canada’s oral DGL monograph lists an adult single dose of 380–1520 mg, taken three times daily, with the product chewed between meals or about 20 minutes before meals. Commercial extracts differ in concentration and excipients, so the labelled amount and glycyrrhizic-acid specification should be checked rather than transferring a dose from one product to another. Symptoms that persist or worsen should be assessed by a healthcare professional.
People who should avoid whole-root licorice
Glycyrrhizin-containing Yashtimadhu is unsuitable for several groups because it can disturb blood pressure, fluid balance, and potassium. Medicinal use should be avoided during pregnancy and lactation and in children unless specifically directed by a suitably qualified clinician.
- People with hypertension, hypokalaemia, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, or significant oedema
- People with liver disease, especially when fluid retention or electrolyte disturbance is present
- People taking thiazide or loop diuretics, cardiac glycosides such as digoxin, corticosteroids, stimulant laxatives, or medicines that can worsen potassium loss
- People taking antihypertensive treatment, because licorice may oppose blood-pressure control
DGL has a lower glycyrrhizin-related risk, but “deglycyrrhizinated” should not be treated as a guarantee that every product is identical or interaction-free. Anyone using prescription medicines, particularly for the heart, kidneys, blood pressure, or fluid balance, should show the exact product label to a physician or pharmacist.
The Ayurvedic Pharmacological Profile
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India records a clear dravyaguna profile for Yashti. These attributes describe the drug within Ayurvedic pharmacology and should be applied through assessment of dosha, agni, tissue state, disease stage, associated symptoms, and the chosen anupana.
- Rasa (taste): Madhura
- Guna (qualities): Guru and Snigdha
- Virya (potency): Shita
- Vipaka (post-digestive effect): Madhura
- Karma: Balya, Chakshushya, Vrishya, Varnya, Vatapittajit, and Raktaprasadana
The same monograph lists Kasa, Kshaya, Svarabheda, Vatarakta, and Vrana among its therapeutic uses, and names preparations including Eladi Gutika, Yashtimadhuka Taila, and Madhuyashtyadi Taila. Its explicit designation as Vatapittajit, together with Madhura rasa, Snigdha guna, and Shita virya, explains why Ayurvedic physicians may select it when soothing, nourishing, or Pitta-moderating actions are desired. It should nevertheless be prescribed according to the complete clinical picture rather than equated mechanically with an antacid or PPI.
Yashtimadhu may appear in individualized digestive prescriptions with other herbs, but no single pairing or milk-based recipe is universally appropriate for hyperacidity. Formula choice, processing, dose, and vehicle depend on diagnosis and tolerance. Broader dietary and constitutional context is discussed in our Pitta management article, while our Triphala guide describes a different classical approach to bowel and digestive support.
A Practical Summary
Yashtimadhu is a pharmacologically active Ayurvedic drug, not merely a sweet soothing tea. Whole-root preparations retain glycyrrhizin and therefore carry meaningful risks involving potassium, blood pressure, fluid retention, and cardiac rhythm. DGL reduces this particular hazard and has a recognized demulcent role for minor gastrointestinal irritation and burning, but it is not an established ulcer-healing medicine.
For peptic ulcers, significant GERD, or suspected H. pylori, diagnosis and standard treatment remain primary. Licorice should not replace eradication antibiotics, prescribed acid suppression, endoscopic evaluation, or investigation of alarm symptoms. Its most defensible place is carefully selected, short-term complementary use with attention to the exact preparation, dose, medical history, and concurrent medicines. For another evidence-focused herbal profile, see our Ashwagandha research review.
This article is educational and is not medical advice. Do not stop or alter prescribed gastric medicines without consulting a gastroenterologist or other qualified healthcare provider. Whole-root Yashtimadhu has clinically important contraindications and interactions; DGL should also be reviewed with a healthcare professional when symptoms persist, pregnancy is possible, or prescription medicines are being used.
References
- Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India
- Treatment of gastric ulcer with carbenoxolone: antagonistic effect of spironolactone (1968), PubMed
- Carbenoxolone: a review of its pharmacological properties and therapeutic efficacy in peptic ulcer disease (1976), PubMed
- Ema (ema.europa.eu)
- NCCIH
- Webprod (webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca)
- To evaluate of the effect of adding licorice to the standard treatment regimen of Helicobacter pylori (2016), PubMed
- American College of Gastroenterology
- Ema (ema.europa.eu)
The safest part of the Yashtimadhu (Licorice) for Gastric Health advice is keeping it simple. I would like to know how long to try it before judging results.
The pseudohyperaldosteronism risk from glycyrrhizin with prolonged use is a real concern that most herbal medicine resources minimize. Hypertension, potassium depletion, and edema from licorice are documented. The DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) recommendation is the practical clinical solution.
My father has been treating his gastric ulcer with Yashtimadhu powder and warm water for 35 years. His gastroenterologist was skeptical until the follow-up endoscopy showed no ulcer progression. I can’t attribute it entirely to the Yashtimadhu but the combination of diet, herb, and lifestyle has produced a clinical outcome.
The H. pylori inhibition mechanism through anti-adhesion rather than direct bacteriocidal action is interesting because it doesn’t create resistance in the way antibiotics do. If licorice prevents H. pylori from adhering to the gastric mucosa, it’s a prophylactic mechanism not a treatment mechanism.
The GERD application requires careful dosing because the soothing mucilaginous effect on the lower esophageal sphincter could theoretically also relax the sphincter and worsen GERD in some presentations. Has this interaction been studied in the DGL trials?
The distinction between whole root licorice and DGL really matters for safety, especially with blood pressure concerns.
The carbenoxolone fell out of use not because it didn’t work but because the side effect profile in elderly patients with cardiac risk was clinically unacceptable. DGL removes the problematic component while retaining most of the ulcer-healing benefit. That’s rational pharmaceutical refinement of a traditional herb.
The classical Yashtimadhu Ghrita for upper gastrointestinal disorders has a different delivery vehicle from the modern DGL tablet. Whether the ghee base in the classical preparation adds or modifies the therapeutic effect beyond what the isolated DGL achieves is a question worth investigating.
I wonder how often clinicians actually check the glycyrrhizin percentage before recommending a chewable DGL tablet.
I have autoimmune hepatitis and my gastroenterologist specifically told me to avoid licorice root because of its immunomodulatory effects. The article’s careful note about contraindications in hepatic conditions is exactly right and important to include.
Reading about carbenoxolone made me realize that a natural source isn’t automatically free of side effects.
Yashtimadhu as an adaptogen alongside its gastric applications is the dual function that makes it valuable in protocols where stress-related gastritis is the presentation. Treating the gastric symptoms and the cortisol-driven cause simultaneously through one herb is clinical efficiency.
The leaky gut (intestinal permeability) application for Yashtimadhu is the modern indication that maps most cleanly onto the Ayurvedic Srotovarodha concept. If Yashtimadhu can help restore the mucosal barrier, its anti-inflammatory applications beyond the stomach become more coherent.
The Iranian trial showing better H. pylori eradication with added licorice is interesting, but it still relied on standard antibiotics.
It’s useful to see the Ayurvedic dravyaguna profile listed; it helps explain why practitioners might choose yashtimadhu for Pitta related discomfort.
After seeing the warning about pregnancy and lactation, I’d definitely talk to my doctor before trying any licorice supplement.
The Health Canada limit of three percent glycyrrhizic acid in DGL seems like a sensible safeguard for long term use.
I’ve used DGL for occasional heartburn, and it does feel soothing, though I know it’s not a cure for ulcers.
The article’s note about not stopping PPIs just because you start an herbal product is a reminder many overlook.
It’s reassuring that the European Medicines Agency still sees DGL only as a demulcent for minor irritation, not as ulcer therapy.
The risk of potassium loss with whole root licorice is something I hadn’t considered until now.
For anyone on diuretics or blood pressure meds, checking with a pharmacist before adding licorice seems wise.
has anyone actually used DGL licorice long term for GERD? my doctor mentioned it as an option but seemed unsure about the evidence. this article is the first thing i’ve read that actually goes into the clinical trial data rather than just saying it works
My grandmother used to give us triphala every winter. Never knew the full reasoning behind it until I started reading articles like this.
Late reply but yes the morning vs night debate depends on the condition you’re addressing. Sleep issues = night, energy = morning.
anyone tried amalaki for sleep? pls share
Helpful
yeah the tirmeric combination is what my vaid also told me to take. nice confirmation
The Yashtimadhu (Licorice) for Gastric Health section feels grounded enough to try carefully. Good starting point for a cautious reader.
Is the 250mg dose mentioned here for adults? What about elderly people or those with kidney issues?
Noted 🙏
Does this protocol work for people with Pitta dominance? I’ve heard some of these herbs can aggravate heat conditions.
Finding the right brand was my biggest challenge. The price difference between reputable and budget brands is significant but so is the quality gap.
The advice around Yashtimadhu (Licorice) for Gastric Health is specific enough to be useful. A few more examples would still help.
The advice around Yashtimadhu (Licorice) for Gastric Health is specific enough to be useful. I would still ask a practitioner before changing medicines.
The advice around Yashtimadhu (Licorice) for Gastric Health is specific enough to be useful. The timing advice is the part I would start with.
I’ve been using triphala for my acidity for a few months. Still not sure if it’s placebo but something is changing.
My sleep has always been my biggest health challenge. The herbs mentioned here for Vata imbalance are exactly what my practitioner prescribed.
Tried guduchi last year for stress. Had to stop after 2 months due to budget but now I’m wondering if I should restart.
I was told by my doctor to stop taking shatavari because it was interacting with my blood thinner medication. These interactions really need more prominent warnings.
After 2 months on Triphala churna every night, my digestion issues that used to wake me up at 3am are mostly gone.
Good article. The bit about timing meals around herbal intake is something most online resources ignore completely. ❤️
Passed this along to my colleague who was asking about natural approaches for sleep. She found the explanation straightforward.
Same here
I came for Yashtimadhu (Licorice) for Gastric Health and this answered the main question. The practical details matter more than people think.
I use a combination of ashwagandha and moringa as per my Ayurvedic practitioner’s advice. The article aligns with what she told me.
I came for Yashtimadhu (Licorice) for Gastric Health and this answered the main question. The safety notes could be expanded a little.