Home > Herbs > Glycyrrhiza Glabra

liquorice

Glycyrrhiza glabra · Accepted scientific name

Scientific literature: Very Extensive (2665 studies) · ★★★★★

Liquorice, scientifically known as Glycyrrhiza glabra, is a perennial legume renowned for its potent medicinal properties. Derived from the plant's flavorful root, it has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to soothe digestive issues, alleviate coughs, and reduce inflammation, making it a versatile staple in herbal pharmacology.

Family
Fabaceae
Native range
Europe
Parts used
Root · Leaf
Common names
Liquorice · Liquorice · 6 more
Scientific synonyms
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Var. Violacea · Glycyrrhiza Glabra Var. Brachycarpa · 26 more

Names

Common Names

Regional and Traditional Names

Spanish:

  • regaliz
  • Alcazuz
  • Orozuz
  • Palo dulce
  • Regaliz
  • licórice

German:

  • Echtes Süßholz
  • Suessholz
  • Lakritze
  • Süßholz
  • Echtes Süßholz
  • Echtes Suessholz
  • Gewöhnliches Süßholz

French:

  • réglisse
  • Reglisse
  • réglisse
  • Reglisse glabre
  • Réglisse glabre

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Glycyrrhiza glabra

Synonyms

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Glycyrrhiza glabra, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Finally, it is situated within the genus Glycyrrhiza.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Fabales WCVP
Family Fabaceae WCVP
Genus Glycyrrhiza WCVP

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution across various regions of Middle Europe. Within this part of the continent, it can be found growing in the landscapes of Austria. Its presence extends further into the territories of Czechia and Slovakia. Additionally, the species is documented within the borders of Germany. Finally, its distribution includes the mountainous and lowland areas of Switzerland.

Region Area Source
Middle Europe Austria WCVP
Middle Europe Czechia-Slovakia WCVP
Middle Europe Germany WCVP
Middle Europe Hungary WCVP
Middle Europe Switzerland WCVP
Southwestern Europe France WCVP
Southwestern Europe Portugal WCVP
Southwestern Europe Sardegna WCVP
Southwestern Europe Spain WCVP
Southeastern Europe Albania WCVP

Plant Parts

This plant, Glycyrrhiza glabra, is a perennial herb primarily valued for its medicinal properties found within its underground parts. The most significant component is the root, which is harvested and processed to become the well-known licorice root used in various remedies. While the roots contain the highest concentration of glycyrrhizin, the plant also features distinctive green leaves that characterize its visible growth above the soil.
Plant Part Sources Consensus
root Neuropsychopharmacologia Hungarica : a Magyar Pszichofarmakologiai Egyesulet lapja = official journal of the Hungarian Association of Psychopharmacology (and other 30 sources) ★★★★★
leaf Journal of natural products (and other 5 sources) ★★★☆☆
rhizome Phytochemistry (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
stem SpringerPlus (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆

Chemicals

Glycyrrhiza glabra has 527 reported phytochemicals identified across 39 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include glycyrrhizin, Glycyrrhizic acid, Glabridin, GLYCYRRHETINIC ACID, Flavonoids.

Chemicals reported in Glycyrrhiza glabra
Chemical Supporting sources Consensus
glycyrrhizin 73 supporting sources ★★★★★
Glycyrrhizic acid 47 supporting sources ★★★★★
Glabridin 39 supporting sources ★★★★★
GLYCYRRHETINIC ACID 32 supporting sources ★★★★★
Flavonoids 22 supporting sources ★★★★★
Liquiritigenin 21 supporting sources ★★★★★
isoliquiritigenin 21 supporting sources ★★★★★
Liquiritin 18 supporting sources ★★★★★
Saponins 11 supporting sources ★★★★★
licochalcone a 11 supporting sources ★★★★★

glycyrrhizin

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Archives of Razi Institute
  3. Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
  4. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
  5. Pharmacological research
View 68 additional sources
  1. Molecular biotechnology
  2. International journal of pharmaceutics
  3. Electrophoresis
  4. Pharmacology
  5. American journal of epidemiology
  6. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
  7. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  8. Chemistry & biodiversity
  9. Bollettino chimico farmaceutico
  10. Phytotherapy research : PTR
  11. Fresenius' journal of analytical chemistry
  12. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
  13. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
  14. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
  15. Microorganisms
  16. In silico pharmacology
  17. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
  18. Journal of pharmacobio-dynamics
  19. Food additives and contaminants
  20. The Journal of nutrition
  21. Life sciences
  22. Synthetic and systems biotechnology
  23. Analytica chimica acta
  24. Revue neurologique
  25. Cells
  26. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
  27. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
  28. Biomolecules
  29. The Journal of communicable diseases
  30. Minerva medica
  31. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
  32. Microbiome
  33. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
  34. Frontiers in plant science
  35. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine
  36. Food chemistry
  37. Cancer letters
  38. Die Pharmazie
  39. Phytochemistry
  40. Plant & cell physiology
  41. Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
  42. Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology
  43. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
  44. International journal of biological macromolecules
  45. Biochemical and biophysical research communications
  46. Toxicology reports
  47. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  48. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
  49. Omics : a journal of integrative biology
  50. Journal of molecular liquids
  51. Protoplasma
  52. Journal of chromatography. B, Biomedical sciences and applications
  53. Heliyon
  54. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
  55. Environmental health perspectives
  56. European journal of pharmacology
  57. Journal of applied microbiology
  58. The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
  59. Mutation research
  60. Planta medica
  61. Journal of biochemistry and molecular biology
  62. Cancer research
  63. Current drug metabolism
  64. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
  65. Journal of plant growth regulation
  66. The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics
  67. Journal of microbiology and biotechnology
  68. BMC microbiology

Glycyrrhizic acid

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica
  3. Journal of microbiology (Seoul, Korea)
  4. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
  5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
View 42 additional sources
  1. Veterinary medicine and science
  2. Journal of endocrinological investigation
  3. Regulatory peptides
  4. Hormone research
  5. Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces
  6. The Netherlands journal of medicine
  7. Food additives & contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment
  8. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
  9. Phytotherapy research : PTR
  10. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  11. The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology
  12. Frontiers in plant science
  13. Journal of ethnopharmacology
  14. Frontiers in neuroscience
  15. Steroids
  16. Scientific reports
  17. Carbohydrate polymers
  18. BMC plant biology
  19. BioMed research international
  20. Computers in biology and medicine
  21. PeerJ
  22. Endocrinology
  23. Drug metabolism and disposition: the biological fate of chemicals
  24. Journal of pharmacobio-dynamics
  25. Italian journal of neurological sciences
  26. Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews
  27. FEBS letters
  28. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
  29. BMC microbiology
  30. Pharmaceutics
  31. Heliyon
  32. Pharmacognosy research
  33. Vitamins and hormones
  34. Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979)
  35. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)
  36. Journal of food science and technology
  37. Neurochemical research
  38. American journal of nephrology
  39. Frontiers in pharmacology
  40. Current drug metabolism
  41. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
  42. Analytical methods : advancing methods and applications

Glabridin

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica
  3. Chemistry & biodiversity
  4. Antioxidants & redox signaling
  5. Analytical chemistry
View 34 additional sources
  1. Journal of separation science
  2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
  3. Frontiers in plant science
  4. Phytotherapy research : PTR
  5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  6. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
  7. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
  8. Microbiology and immunology
  9. Life sciences
  10. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine
  11. The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology
  12. Mycobiology
  13. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  14. Journal of medicinal food
  15. Journal of ethnopharmacology
  16. The American journal of clinical nutrition
  17. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
  18. Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews
  19. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry
  20. Toxicology reports
  21. Genes
  22. International journal of molecular sciences
  23. Omics : a journal of integrative biology
  24. BMC plant biology
  25. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
  26. Fitoterapia
  27. Free radical biology & medicine
  28. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR
  29. The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
  30. Parasitology international
  31. Pigment cell research
  32. Cancer research
  33. World journal of microbiology & biotechnology
  34. Acta crystallographica. Section C, Crystal structure communications

GLYCYRRHETINIC ACID

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Journal of microbiology (Seoul, Korea)
  3. Electrophoresis
  4. Pharmacology
  5. La Pediatria medica e chirurgica : Medical and surgical pediatrics
View 27 additional sources
  1. Journal of human hypertension
  2. Nano letters
  3. Regulatory peptides
  4. Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces
  5. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
  6. Frontiers in pharmacology
  7. Frontiers in endocrinology
  8. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
  9. Steroids
  10. BioMed research international
  11. ACS applied materials & interfaces
  12. Journal of neuro-ophthalmology : the official journal of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society
  13. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters
  14. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
  15. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
  16. FEBS letters
  17. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
  18. Journal of endocrinological investigation
  19. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  20. Journal of food science and technology
  21. Planta medica
  22. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry
  23. Journal of biochemistry and molecular biology
  24. The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics
  25. Analytical methods : advancing methods and applications
  26. Medicinal chemistry (Shariqah (United Arab Emirates))
  27. Metabolic engineering

Flavonoids

  1. Bollettino chimico farmaceutico
  2. Phytotherapy research : PTR
  3. Archives of Razi Institute
  4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  5. Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
View 17 additional sources
  1. Inflammopharmacology
  2. Heliyon
  3. Fitoterapia
  4. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
  5. International journal of molecular sciences
  6. Natural product communications
  7. Ultrasonics sonochemistry
  8. Parasites & vectors
  9. Mutation research
  10. Genes
  11. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)
  12. Microscopy research and technique
  13. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  14. Food science & nutrition
  15. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
  16. Phytochemistry
  17. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Liquiritigenin

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Chemistry & biodiversity
  3. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
  4. Food additives & contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment
  5. Journal of ethnopharmacology
View 16 additional sources
  1. Research in pharmaceutical sciences
  2. Biomolecules
  3. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
  4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  5. PloS one
  6. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
  7. Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews
  8. Genes
  9. Phytotherapy research : PTR
  10. Chemical research in toxicology
  11. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
  12. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
  13. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
  14. Natural product communications
  15. Inflammopharmacology
  16. Advances in protein chemistry and structural biology

isoliquiritigenin

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Analytical chemistry
  3. Phytochemistry
  4. Briefings in bioinformatics
  5. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
View 16 additional sources
  1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  2. Cancer prevention research (Philadelphia, Pa.)
  3. International journal of molecular sciences
  4. Journal of experimental & clinical cancer research : CR
  5. Integrative biology : quantitative biosciences from nano to macro
  6. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
  7. International journal of cancer
  8. Phytotherapy research : PTR
  9. Chemical research in toxicology
  10. Free radical biology & medicine
  11. Cellular and molecular neurobiology
  12. Natural product communications
  13. Inflammopharmacology
  14. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
  15. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
  16. Drug metabolism and disposition: the biological fate of chemicals

Liquiritin

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
  3. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
  4. Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
  5. Journal of ethnopharmacology
View 13 additional sources
  1. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
  2. Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas
  3. BMC plant biology
  4. PeerJ
  5. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
  6. Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews
  7. BioMed research international
  8. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  9. BMC microbiology
  10. Genes
  11. Omics : a journal of integrative biology
  12. Frontiers in pharmacology
  13. Cellular and molecular neurobiology

Saponins

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Archives of Razi Institute
  3. Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
  4. Inflammopharmacology
  5. Heliyon
View 6 additional sources
  1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  2. Food chemistry
  3. Drug metabolism and personalized therapy
  4. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
  5. Ultrasonics sonochemistry
  6. Phytochemistry

licochalcone a

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
  3. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
  4. International journal of biological macromolecules
  5. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine
View 6 additional sources
  1. Genes
  2. Chemical research in toxicology
  3. Biomolecules
  4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
  5. Mediators of inflammation
  6. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin

Activities

Glycyrrhiza glabra has 821 reported activities identified across 39 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antiviral, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Hepatoprotective.

Most Reported Activities

Activity Sources Consensus
Antioxidant Dr. Duke (and other 26 sources) ★★★★★
Antiviral Dr. Duke (and other 13 sources) ★★★★★
Antibacterial Dr. Duke (and other 12 sources) ★★★★★
Anticancer Dr. Duke (and other 9 sources) ★★★★☆
Hepatoprotective Dr. Duke (and other 9 sources) ★★★★☆
Antimicrobial Dr. Duke (and other 7 sources) ★★★★☆
Antitumor Dr. Duke (and other 7 sources) ★★★★☆
Antiallergic Dr. Duke (and other 5 sources) ★★★☆☆
Anticarcinogenic Dr. Duke (and other 5 sources) ★★★☆☆
Antifungal Journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology (and other 4 sources) ★★☆☆☆

Medicinal Uses

Glycyrrhiza glabra has 260 reported medicinal uses identified across 39 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include COVID-19, inflammation, hypertension, SARS-CoV-2, cancer.

Most Reported Uses

Use Sources Consensus
COVID-19 Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 15 sources) ★★★★★
inflammation Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences (and other 13 sources) ★★★★★
hypertension Journal of internal medicine (and other 12 sources) ★★★★★
SARS-CoV-2 Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 10 sources) ★★★★★
cancer Fitoterapia (and other 10 sources) ★★★★★
gastric ulcer Gut (and other 9 sources) ★★★★☆
oxidative stress Toxicology and industrial health (and other 8 sources) ★★★★☆
liver diseases Phytotherapy research : PTR (and other 7 sources) ★★★★☆
hypokalemia Journal of endocrinological investigation (and other 6 sources) ★★★☆☆
fibrosis Cells (and other 5 sources) ★★★☆☆

Preparations

Preparations Sources Consensus
extracts Canadian journal of physiology and pharmacology (and other 6 sources) ★★★☆☆
Extracts Genes & genetic systems (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
Glycyrrhiza glabra extract Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
ethanolic extract Frontiers in nutrition (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
ethanol extract Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
extract Iranian journal of basic medical sciences (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
hairy root cultures Phytochemistry (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
hydro-alcoholic extracts Iranian journal of basic medical sciences (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
hydroalcoholic extracts Roumanian archives of microbiology and immunology (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
methanol extracts Fitoterapia (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆