BACKGROUND: Liquorice is a natural anti–inflammatory compound derived from  root extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra. The effect of liquorice on periodontitis and its mechanism of action were determined in the present study.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to compare the clinical and microbiological benefits of routine scaling and root planing with adjunctive use of liquorice as a local drug delivery (LDD) agent in the management of periodontitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis having  periodontal pockets greater than 5 mm and clinical attachment loss greater than 3 mm in more than 20 teeth with moderate to severe bone loss were included in the present study. 30 sites were randomly divided into two groups with 15 sites in each group. The control sites received scaling and root planing alone and the test sites received scaling and root planing with locally delivered liquorice. The clinical parameters were evaluated at the selected sites and subgingival plaque samples were collected at baseline, 15 days and one month. The plaque samples were cultured anaerobically for the keystone periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis. Mann Whitney U test and Wilcoxon matched pairs test was performed to compare between the test and control group.

RESULTS:  Statistically significant improvement was observed in both the groups. Intergroup comparison of prevalence of Porphyromonas gingivalis also revealed statistically significant difference (p=0.0002) at 15 days and 1 month.

CONCLUSION: Subgingivally delivered liquorice as an adjunct to scaling and root planing in the treatment of chronic periodontitis showed anticipative results revealing slow and constant releasing property of liquorice.