DIURETICS AND HERBAL MEDICINES OR DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS - LIQUORICE

A patient developed severe hypokalaemia after taking liquorice and hydrochlorothia- zide. This interaction seems possible with liquorice (which can lower potassium levels) and any potassium-depleting diuretic (i.e. thiazides or loop diuretics).
The additive effects of these drugs may result in clinically significant hypokalae- mia, but evidence is extremely sparse. Consider this interaction in a case of otherwise unexplained hypokalaemia.