Gan Cao (Licorice Root)

Gan Cao 감초 (licorice root) tonifies the spleen and augments the qi. It is used for:

• Shortness of breath, lassitude, and loose stools
• Cough and wheezing
• Painful spasms of the abdomen or legs

It also moderates and harmonizes the characteristics of other herbs, including hot and cold herbs. Long ago in Korea, licorice root was the most common herb in herbal stores, and it appears in almost every herbal medicine.