Pharmacognosy is the study of the medicinal uses of natural compounds.
The qualifications of people who offer advice in natural medicine vary
through the complete gamut from those who do not take risk factors into
account (usually because they innocently have not done their homework
well enough, but sometimes because they choose not to) all the way to
those with advanced degrees. BUT the degrees can vary, too. There is at
least one rumor mill offering titles based on little to no real knowledge
or experience, while at the same time there are graduate programs in
pharmacognosy at the pharmacology departments of some very respected,
accredited universities.
Okay: licorice root -- very natural and, hey, it is used as a flavoring
for some candies (though many now use artificial licorice flavoring or
use anise which does not carry the risks of licorice) so you would figure
it is safe. Right? Nope. It is known to be potentially very dangerous
for humans and from hearing of too many ferrets beating the odds in a bad
way for problems like throwing clots (thromboses) or having a shortened
lifespan with cardiac problems I am not personally inclined to consider
it safe for ferrets, though I will be frank and say that I have not to
date found actual REAL research into ferrets and licorice root even
checking in places like Pubmed. Still, the effects are of such a basic
nature that it is far better to be safe than to be very sorry.
Licorice, Glycyrrhiza was studied carefully for treating ulcers during
WWII by a Dutch physician, F.E. Revers who found that it did help the
ulcers BUT EVEN IN THAT SHORT TRIAL 20% OF THE PATIENTS DEVELOPED EDEMA,
a very scary sign which fortunately stopped when the licorice was
stopped. Since then a great many studies have shown the dangerous
effects licorice can have on the heart, headache, etc.
Dr. Varro Tyler, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Pharmacognosy at
Purdue University is also past president of the following four respected
associations: The American Society of Pharmacognosy (1st president), the
American Association of the Colleges of Pharmacy, the American Council
on Pharmaceutical Education, and the American Institute of the History
of Pharmacy. On licorice he notes: "These undesirable effects are
mineralcorticoid in nature. Specifically, they include headache,
lethargy, sodium and water retention (the edema noted by Revers),
excessive excretion of potassium, and high blood pressure. Eventually,
heart failure or cardiac arrest may result."
(It is interesting to notice that is it increased hydrocortizone levels.
I will have to check back through some past vet posts, but wasn't there a
postulated possible negative effect on the pancreas of ferrets (I seem to
maybe recall a hypothesis for a diabetes -- a rare problem in ferrerts --
connection.). I'll have to check later, or if someone else feels like
doing so -- check in past FHL vet posts since I think that may where I
either read it or read something I am mixing up with it .) Another Varro
Tyler text refers to licorice mimicing excessive secretion of the adrenal
cortex hormone aldosterone to the point in humans where is can cause
pseudoaldersteronism. It would be interesting to know if giving herbal
compounds contain licorice has thrown off diagnoses of adrenal disease
in some ferrets.
Among humans the German Commission E approved the use of licorice in
humans who have ulcers BUT only for a very limited time and at low doses
and lists a wide range of people who should not use it even with those
precautions (including those with heart disease, those who are elderly,
those who have liver or kidney problems, those who are already low in
potassium, etc.). The appropriate PDR notes some other uses but also
with strict cautions. This is an easily abused, powerful herb which
can pack some high risk factors.
[Posted in FML issue 4849]
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