Glycyrrhiza glabra extract

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Glycyrrhiza glabra extract is derived from the dried roots and stolons of the licorice plant, a perennial herb native to central and south-western Asia and the Mediterranean region. It is widely used in food as a natural flavouring and sweetening agent, as well as in confectionery, beverages, condiments, and tobacco products, due to the characteristic sweet taste imparted by its principal bioactive component, glycyrrhizin.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

The primary safety concern with glycyrrhiza glabra extract is glycyrrhizin-induced pseudohyperaldosteronism, which when sustained can lead to elevated blood pressure and hypokalaemia; WHO/JECFA has identified this as the critical adverse effect. Regular or high habitual dietary intake has been shown to affect renin, aldosterone, and blood pressure even in healthy adults. Sensitive populations include those with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and pregnant women, for whom use should be avoided or medically supervised.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	EMA HMPC Community Herbal Monograph recognises Glycyrrhiza glabra radix as a traditional herbal medicine. Used as an excipient in herbal teas and as an extract in medical products in several EU Member States including Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Netherlands, and Norway. Use during pregnancy is not recommended based on monograph guidance.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Glycyrrhiza glabra (mulethi) is recognised as a traditional Ayurvedic botanical and is permitted as an ingredient in health supplements and nutraceuticals under the FSS (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations, 2016. Hydroalcoholic extraction processes are explicitly permitted by FSSAI for botanical extracts.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Licorice (Glycyrrhiza spp.) is affirmed as GRAS under 21 CFR 184.1408 for use as a flavouring agent and adjuvant in food at GMP levels. Ammoniated glycyrrhizin is separately listed under FDA food additive status as MISC/FS/GMP.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Pregnancy — EMA HMPC monograph explicitly contraindicates use of liquorice root preparations during pregnancy, and glycyrrhizin's mineralocorticoid activity has been associated with adverse fetal developmental outcomes in preclinical studies.

Hypertension — WHO/JECFA identified pseudohyperaldosteronism leading to sustained elevated blood pressure as the critical adverse effect of glycyrrhizin; regular licorice intake is contraindicated in individuals with pre-existing hypertension.

Heart Disease — Glycyrrhizin-induced pseudohyperaldosteronism, hypokalemia, and fluid retention can exacerbate cardiac conditions including heart failure and arrhythmias, as documented in clinical case series.

Kidney Disease — The aldosterone-like effect of glycyrrhizin promotes sodium and fluid retention, which can worsen oedema and electrolyte imbalances in patients with impaired renal function.

Lactation — Safety of regular licorice extract consumption during breastfeeding has not been adequately established; the EMA HMPC monograph recommends medical consultation due to lack of sufficient safety data.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1NCCIH. Licorice Root: Usefulness and Safety. nccih.nih.gov
2WHO. Glycyrrhizinic Acid — JECFA Food Additives and Contaminants Database. apps.who.int
3EMA. Assessment report on Glycyrrhiza glabra L. and/or Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat. and/or Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., radix. ema.europa.eu
4PubMed. Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice): A Comprehensive Review on Its Phytochemistry, Biological Activities, Clinical Evidence and Toxicology, 2021. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5PubMed. Glycyrrhiza Genus: Enlightening Phytochemical Components for Pharmacological and Health-Promoting Abilities, 2021. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
6EFSA. Scientific Opinion on the safety of 'Glavonoid®', an extract derived from the roots or rootstock of Glycyrrhiza glabra L., as a Novel Food ingredient, 2011.

Independently researched7 citations