Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is presenting the world with an extract from the flowering Chinese licorice plant (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) as a potential cure for COVID-19. The root extract is a flavonoid called "liquiritin." An initial, non-peer reviewed study by researchers in Beijing claims liquiritin was shown to prevent the rapid replication in monkey cells of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), the virus that causes COVID-19. In TCM, liquiritin is usually processed and sold as herbal licorice tablets, and is also widely used as a sweetener. It's also commonly used for gastrointestinal and respiratory problems.