Gen info
• Licorice has been medicinally
used for more than 4000 years. It is a component of many traditional
medical systems. Hippocrates in 400 BC mentioned it as a remedy for
ulcers. Locally,
referred to as "anis" because of its similarity in taste with haras (fennel).
• Glycyrrhiza is Greek-derived, meaning "sweet root."
• The dried, peeled or unpeeled underground stems and roots constitute the drug known as Licorice.
 Botany
A perennial plant, about 1.5
meter high.
The wrinkled and woody rootstock is brown outside and yellow inside;
sweet-tasting.
Leaves are unequally branched, in 4-7 pairs.
Flowers are violet colored; pods are small and compressed with many
seeds.
Distribution
Nowhere spontaneous. Cultivated.
Constituents
and Medicinal Properties
Demulcent, emollient,
expectorant, antiinflammatory, antispasmodic, alterative, diuretic and
laxative.
Major bio-active constituent of rhizomes is glycyrrhizin (a triterpenoid
saponin), glycyrrhizinic acid, glabin A and B, glycyrrhetol, glabrolie,
isoglabrolide, isoflaones coumarins, triterpene sterols, etc. (Source)
Study yielded a new chacone derivative, neolignban lipid esters
and phenolic compounds (formononetin, glabridin, hemileiocarpin, hispaglabridin
B, isoliquirtigenin, 4'-O-methylglabridin and paratocarpin. (Source)
Parts used
Roots and rhizomes
Uses
Folkloric
Infusiion of the rootstock
used for cough, colds, bronchitis, asthma, hoarseness and dysuria.
Powdered roots used as expectorant.
Strong decoction is laxative.
Decoction: 20 gms for 1 liter of water, 4 ti 5 cups daily.
In China, it is an ingredient in many remedies
and used for spasmodic cough.
In ancient Greece, China and Egypt, used for gastritis and UGI tract ailments.
Culinary
The fruit, seeds and young leaves are used for flavoring. (Once used to flavor licorice candies, but most licorice candy is now flavored with anise oil.)
Valued for its sweetness – glycyrrhizin, a component of licorice, is 50 times sweeter than table sugar.
Others
Ritual: Ancient Egyptians used a licorice drink to honor the spirits of the Pharaohs.
Studies
• Antimicrobial: Antimicrobial potential of Glycyrrhiza glabra roots:
Antimicrobial activity was found and suggests a potential use as an
antitubercular agent.
• Antioxidant: Anti-oxidant constituents
of the roots and stolons of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra): Study yielded
a new chalcone derivative, a group of neolignan lipid esters, and seven
known phenolic compounds. Some were identified as potent antioxidants.
• Memory Enhancement Effect:
Aqueous extract of G glabra significantly improved learning and
memory of mice and also reversed the amnesia induced by diazepam and
scopolamine. Its antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties may be
contributing to the memory enhancement effect.and through facilitation
of the cholinergic-transmission in mouse brain.
• Anti-Allergic: In
vitro and in vivo antiallergic effects of Glycyrrhiza glabra and its
components: Study showed antiallergic effects which are attributed to
glycyrrhizin. . . and liquiritigenin.
• Hepatoprotective:
Protective activity of Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn. on carbon tetrachloride-induced
peroxidative damage: Study showed GG as a potential antioxidant and
attenuates the hepatotoxic effect of CCL4.
• Osteoporosis Benefit:
GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA PLANT EXTRACTS FOR TREATING OSTEOPOROSIS AND THE
EXTRACTION PROCESS THEREOF
• Glycyrrhiza has been reported to have experimentally proven
activities: Antibacterial, anti-hepatotoxic, estrogenic, antifungal,
antihemorrhoidal, antihyperglycemic, antimalarial, antioxidant, antiulcer.
(Souce)
• T-cell Expression Enhancement:
A double-blind randomized pilot study showed CD25 expression
on T cells significantly increased in subjects ingesting Echinacea with
notable increases in activation from Astragalus membranaceus and Glycyrrhiza
glabra.
• Anti-Androgenic: Reduction
of serum testosterone has been reported with G glabra. This study showed
the alcoholic extract of G glabra gto have antiandrogenic properties
possibly through increased testosterone metabolism, down-regulation
of androgen receptors or activation of estrogen receptors.
• Hypolipidemic: G
glabra has been known to contain hypolipidemic compounds and flavonoids
with high antioxidant properties. The study showed GG significantly
decreased TC, LDL and TG levels while increasing HDL and lessening atherosclerotic
lesion in the aorta. The effect was probably through to an effect on
plasma lipoproteins, its antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties.
• Cerebro-protective: Study
on the aqueous extracts of roots of G glabra showed it possesses a cerebroprotective
effect in hypoxic rats which may be mediated through its antioxidant
effects.
• Phytoesterogens: Study
analyzing the phytoestrogen content of GG roots harvested in Syria yielded eight phytoestrogen compounds. All tested extracts contain daidzein, daidzin, genistein, formononetin, ononin and coumestrol.
• Anticonvulsant: Study
showed the ethanolic extract of G. glabra inhibits PTZ- (pentylenetetrazol) and lithium-pilocarpine-induced convulsions but not MES-induced (maximum electroshock seizure) convulsions.
Toxicity concerns
• At high doses, may produce potentially severe side effects – hypertension, hypokalemia, and fluid retention.
• Most adverse effecdts attributed to glycyrrhiza (glycyrrhizic acid). Processing can remove the glycyrrhiza to produce DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licocrice) without the metabolic side effects of the unprocessed licorice.
Availability
Wildcrafted. |
