Glycyrrhiza inflata
Glycyrrhiza inflata, commonly known as inflated licorice, is a perennial herb native to North America. Distinguished by its swollen, bladder-like pods, this plant belongs to the Fabaceae family. Traditionally valued in herbal medicine, it contains bioactive compounds utilized for their soothing, anti-inflammatory, and various therapeutic properties in holistic wellness.
- Scientific name: Glycyrrhiza inflata
- Family: Fabaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Fabales, it is a member of the Fabaceae family. Specifically, it is classified under the genus Glycyrrhiza as the species Glycyrrhiza inflata.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Glycyrrhiza | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Glycyrrhiza inflata, is recognized by various common names depending on the linguistic and regional context. In Chinese, it is referred to as 胀果甘草, a name that is consistently used across different scripts and regions, including 胀果甘草 in Simplified Chinese (zh-cn, zh-hans), Traditional Chinese (zh-tw), and standard Mandarin (zh). Additionally, in Arabic, it is known as عرقسوس منتفخ.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 胀果甘草 | Wikidata |
| ar | عرقسوس منتفخ | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 胀果甘草 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 胀果甘草 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 胀果甘草 | Wikidata |
| zh | 山小橘 | Wikidata |
| zh | 甘草膏 | Wikidata |
| zh | 甘草 | Wikidata |
| zh | 黄甘草 | Wikidata |
| zh | 甘草头 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution primarily centered within East and Central Asia. In China, its presence is notable across the Inner Mongolia region. It is also found throughout the China North-Central territories, demonstrating a broad reach within the country. Furthermore, the species extends into the Xinjiang region of China. Finally, its habitat encompasses the neighboring nation of Mongolia.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| China | Inner Mongolia | WCVP |
| China | China North-Central | WCVP |
| China | Xinjiang | WCVP |
| Mongolia | Mongolia | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known scientifically as Glycyrrhiza inflata, utilizes various underground structures for its medicinal potency. The primary therapeutic components are found within the thick, woody roots that extend deep into the soil. While the main root system is the most commonly harvested part for extracting bioactive compounds, the plant also possesses creeping rhizomes that assist in its vegetative spread and contribute to its overall chemical profile.- Total parts
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 12
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| roots | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| root | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| rhizomes | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Glycyrrhiza inflata has 33 reported phytochemicals identified across 56 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include licochalcone A, Licochalcone A, Licochalcone D, flavonoids, glycyrrhizin.
- Total chemicals
- 33
- Scientific sources
- 56
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| licochalcone A | 8 | ★★★★☆ |
| Licochalcone A | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Licochalcone D | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| glycyrrhizin | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| isoliquiritigenin | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Glycyrrhizin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| LicA | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Licochalcone B | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Licochalcone C | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Glycyrrhiza inflata has 11 reported activities identified across 14 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Chemopreventive, Hepatoprotective, Antiallergic, Anticancer.
- Total activities
- 11
- Scientific sources
- 14
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Chemopreventive | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hepatoprotective | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiallergic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antispasmodic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiviral | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hepatotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Glycyrrhiza inflata has 20 reported medicinal uses identified across 22 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, inflammation, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Helicobacter pylori.
- Total uses
- 20
- Scientific sources
- 22
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Bacillus subtilis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Escherichia coli | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Helicobacter pylori | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Staphylococcus aureus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| allergies | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hereditary ataxia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| lipid peroxidation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |