During the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing and hygiene seem to be having some effect on “flattening the curve” and slowing the spread of the virus. The use of ultraviolet (UV) light to decontaminate medical facilities, proper hand-washing and disinfectants, equipment and even protective facemasks also seems to be useful.
But people will still contract COVID-19, and effective treatments are lacking and needed. That’s why some scientific studies are looking at a natural product that has long been known to have antiviral effects – glycyrrhizin, the major active constituent in licorice root.