Chinese licorice

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Chinese licorice

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Glycyrrhiza glabra var. inflata
• Meristotropis paucifoliolata
• Glycyrrhiza hediniana
• Glycyrrhiza eurycarpa
• Glycyrrhiza paucifoliolata

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

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.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

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.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Glycyrrhiza inflata is characterized by its classification as a perennial species, meaning it lives for more than two years and undergoes repeated cycles of growth and dormancy. As a perennial herb, the plant establishes a robust, woody rootstock that allows it to persist through varying seasonal conditions, storing energy to support regrowth in subsequent years. Its development involves a cyclical pattern where it emerges from the soil, produces vegetative structures, and enters a reproductive phase. During its life cycle, it produces inflorescences that facilitate sexual reproduction via seeds, which contribute to the genetic diversity and dispersal of the species, while the perennial nature of its root system ensures long-term survival and establishment within its ecological niche.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Glycyrrhiza inflata is characterized by a growth form categorized as a herb, specifically presenting as a non-woody, herbaceous plant. It functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic or epiphytic tendencies, and maintains a strictly terrestrial lifestyle rather than being aquatic or semiaquatic. In terms of its structural habit, the plant is self-supporting, meaning it does not exhibit the climbing characteristics of a liana, vine, or any other obligatory or facultative climber.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Glycyrrhiza inflata is characterized by a metabolic framework governed by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and resource utilization strategies. As a C3 plant, it fixes atmospheric carbon dioxide directly through the enzyme Rubisco during the Calvin cycle, occurring within the mesophyll cells without the specialized anatomical adaptations seen in C4 or CAM species. This photosynthetic mode implies that the plant's gas exchange and energy production are highly sensitive to environmental variables such as light intensity, temperature, and water availability. Under optimal conditions, its physiological efficiency is optimized for temperate or Mediterranean-like climates where moisture is sufficient to support stomatal conductance without excessive transpirational loss. Furthermore, the plant's metabolic activity supports the synthesis of complex secondary metabolites, a process intrinsically linked to its primary carbon assimilation and the energetic flux derived from its C3 carbon fixation cycle.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

Reproduction in Glycyrrhiza inflata is facilitated through the production of seeds, which exhibit highly consistent morphological characteristics regarding their weight. The reproductive output is characterized by a uniform seed mass, with a mean value of 0.01029 g. This consistency is reflected across the entire measured range, as both the maximum and minimum seed mass values are recorded at exactly 0.01029 g. This lack of variance in seed mass suggests a highly standardized developmental process during the maturation of the seeds within the plant's reproductive structures.

Seed mass mean:

0.01029 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Glycyrrhiza inflata has 2 reported plant parts identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, rhizome.

Root

1. Planta medica
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
4. Phytochemistry
5. PeerJ

Rhizome

1. Phytochemistry

Chemicals

Glycyrrhiza inflata has 37 reported phytochemicals identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include licochalcone a, glycyrrhizin, Licochalcone D, Flavonoids, Liquiritin.

licochalcone a

1. Planta medica
2. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
3. Microbiology and immunology
4. Phytochemistry
5. Fitoterapia

glycyrrhizin

1. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
2. Plant & cell physiology
3. Toxicology reports
4. The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
5. Phytochemistry

Licochalcone D

1. Biomolecules
2. Phytochemistry
3. Food & function
4. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

Flavonoids

1. BMC plant biology
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
3. Zhongguo yi xue ke xue yuan xue bao. Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae

Liquiritin

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
2. PeerJ
3. BMC microbiology

isoliquiritigenin

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry
3. Chemical research in toxicology

Glycyrrhizic acid

1. PeerJ
2. BMC microbiology

LICA

1. Fitoterapia
2. Cancer prevention research (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Licochalcone B

1. Phytochemistry
2. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

Licochalcone C

1. Phytochemistry
2. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

Activities

Glycyrrhiza inflata has 11 reported activities identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Chemopreventive, Hepatoprotective, Antiallergic, Anticancer.

Antioxidant

1. Zhongguo yi xue ke xue yuan xue bao. Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae
2. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry

Chemopreventive

1. Chemical research in toxicology
2. Cancer prevention research (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Hepatoprotective

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Antiallergic

1. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry

Anticancer

1. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry

Antidiabetic

1. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry

Antimicrobial

1. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry

Antispasmodic

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Antiviral

1. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry

Hepatotoxic

1. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry

Medicinal Uses

Glycyrrhiza inflata has 20 reported medicinal uses identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, inflammation, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Helicobacter pylori.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations