If high amounts of Licorice are consumed - like 100-200g/day, it will have an effect on blood pressure. Licorice contains glycyrryzine, which inhibits the degradation of glucocorticoids in the kidney. Glucocorticoids take the place of aldosterone in its receptor and induce fluid retention in kidney, thus leading to increased extracellular fluid volume and high blood pressure. Normally glucocorticoids are degraded by 11-b-hydroxydehydrogenase, but glycyrryzine inhibits this enzyme. Blood pressure should return to normal when excessive licorice consumption ceases.
