Eucalyptus, garlic, hot peppers and even neem leaves — politicians and influencers around the world have recommended a kitchen cabinet of wacky natural remedies for Covid-19. Now the president of Turkmenistan has a new possible miracle cure in mind — licorice root.

At a Cabinet meeting on December 25, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov spoke about the abundant medicinal properties of the plant and pointed to one of its main compounds as a possible cure. “Today, scientists note that the glycyrrhizic acid contained in this plant prevents the development of a new coronavirus, which the whole world is fighting against. Moreover, even a small concentration of an aqueous extract of licorice root has a neutralizing effect,” he said, according to the state news agency TDH.

Licorice root, which contains plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, is widely used as a herbal remedy for respiratory infections, sore throats and ulcers. 

Berdymukhamedov’s comments appeared to follow the publishing of a preprint paper by scientists at University Hospital Essen in Germany which suggested that glycyrrhizin might be effective against the virus. While the scientists noted that their findings should be further investigated, officials at Turkmenistan's health ministry seized the opportunity to hold an online meeting on January 19 with one of the authors of the study.