Chinese licorice

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Chinese licorice
• Chinese Liquorice
• Ural Licorice

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Glycyrrhiza asperrima var. uralensis
• Glycyrrhiza glabra var. uralensis
• Glycyrrhiza krasnoborovii
• Glycyrrhiza sergievskiana
• Glycyrrhiza eglandulosa
• Glycyrrhiza glabra var. tuberculata
• Glycyrrhiza glandulifera var. grandiflora
• Glycyrrhiza shiheziensis
• Glycyrrhiza soongorica
• Glycyrrhiza viscida
• Glycyrrhiza uralensis f. elongata
• Glycyrrhiza uralensis f. intermedia
• Glycyrrhiza uralensis f. rariflora
• Glycyrrhiza korshinskyi
• Glycyrrhiza gobica
• Glycyrrhiza grandiflora
• Glycyrrhiza orientalis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It falls under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Fabales, specifically being a member of the Fabaceae family. Its taxonomic identity is completed by its designation within the genus Glycyrrhiza.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several key regions in Eurasia. In Eastern Europe, it can be found throughout East European Russia, South European Russia, and Northwest European Russia. Moving eastward, the species is also well-established within the Siberian landscape. Specifically, it thrives in the Altay region of Siberia. Furthermore, its presence extends into the territory of Buryatiya to complete its regional range.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Glycyrrhiza uralensis is characterized by its ability to thrive in diverse and often harsh environmental conditions, ranging from arid deserts and expansive steppes to lush meadows and saline places. This species exhibits a specific altitudinal distribution, typically occupying high-altitude zones between an elevation of 2400 m AMSL and a maximum of 3000 m AMSL. Its capacity to inhabit saline environments and dry steppe landscapes suggests a high degree of physiological adaptation to varied soil compositions and moisture availability within these mountainous and semi-arid ecosystems.

Elevational range max:

3000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

2400 m AMSL

Habitat :

desert, meadows, saline places, steppe

Life history

The life history of Glycyrrhiza uralensis is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in the environment over multiple growing seasons. As a perennial plant, it establishes a robust underground system, typically involving a thick, woody taproot that serves as a primary storage organ for nutrients and water, facilitating its survival through unfavorable environmental conditions. The lifecycle involves an initial establishment phase followed by several years of vegetative growth and periodic reproductive cycles. During its active growing seasons, the plant undergoes seasonal development, emerging from its dormant state to produce foliage and eventually flowering stalks. This perennial nature enables the plant to accumulate significant biomass in its root system over time, which is a key factor in its biological longevity and its capacity to recover from seasonal stressors.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Glycyrrhiza ura lensis is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It is a terrestrial plant that grows as an independent organism, neither acting as a parasite nor an epiphyte. The plant exhibits a self-supporting growth habit with an erect shoot orientation. In terms of stature, it is a relatively low-growing species, with a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.3 m to a maximum of 1 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Glycyrrhiza uraulensis is characterized by its efficient metabolic processes and specialized adaptations to its environmental conditions. As a member of the Fabaceae family, its primary carbon assimilation follows the C3 photosynthetic pathway, utilizing the enzyme Rubisco to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide during the Calvin cycle. This C3 mechanism is typical for temperate legumes, allowing the plant to optimize growth in environments where water availability is sufficient to support transpiration. Beyond its carbon fixation, the plant's physiology is deeply integrated with its nitrogen-fixing capabilities, facilitated by symbiotic relationships with Rhizobium bacteria within its root nodules. This symbiotic nitrogen fixation complements its photosynthetic output, providing the necessary nitrogenous compounds for the synthesis of complex secondary metabolites, most notably glycyrrhizin. These bioactive compounds are synthesized through intricate biosynthetic pathways involving triterpenoid saponin production, which serves both physiological functions such as defense against herbivory and various ecological interactions. The plant's physiological resilience is further evidenced by its robust root system, which manages nutrient uptake and water transport to sustain metabolic activity across varying seasonal shifts.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Glycyrrhiza uraelensis is characterized by a specific seasonal flowering cycle and distinct seed morphology. The plant enters its flowering stage in June, with the blooming period continuing through until August. During this reproductive phase, the production of seeds is marked by a highly specific mass range; the seeds possess a mean mass of approximately 0.010545 g. Individual seed weights vary within a narrow margin, ranging from a minimum of 0.00949 g to a maximum of 0.0116 g, ensuring a consistent seed profile for the species.

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Seed mass max:

0.0116 g

Seed mass mean:

0.010545 g

Seed mass min:

0.00949 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Glycyrrhiza uralensis has 3 reported plant parts identified across 33 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, rhizome, leaf.

Root

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. BMC plant biology
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
4. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
5. Pest management science

Rhizome

1. Acta pharmaceutica Sinica. B
2. Reviews in the neurosciences
3. Journal of natural products
4. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
5. Fitoterapia

Leaf

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Journal of natural medicines
3. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Chemicals

Glycyrrhiza uralensis has 301 reported phytochemicals identified across 33 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include glycyrrhizin, Liquiritin, Glycyrrhizic acid, GLYCYRRHETINIC ACID, Liquiritigenin.

glycyrrhizin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
3. Acta pharmaceutica Sinica. B
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Journal of natural medicines

Liquiritin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Acta pharmaceutica Sinica. B
3. Frontiers in plant science
4. Journal of natural medicines
5. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Glycyrrhizic acid

1. Frontiers in plant science
2. BMC plant biology
3. Frontiers in microbiology
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. International journal of molecular sciences

GLYCYRRHETINIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in plant science
3. Biomedical and environmental sciences : BES
4. The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
5. Frontiers in pharmacology

Liquiritigenin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Acta pharmaceutica Sinica. B
3. Frontiers in plant science
4. Journal of natural medicines
5. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Flavonoids

1. Journal of food science and technology
2. Frontiers in plant science
3. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. PloS one

isoliquiritigenin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Acta pharmaceutica Sinica. B
3. Frontiers in plant science
4. Journal of natural medicines
5. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB

Isoliquiritin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Acta pharmaceutica Sinica. B
3. Journal of natural medicines
4. Reviews in the neurosciences
5. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

Glycycoumarin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of natural medicines
3. Microbiology and immunology
4. Journal of natural products
5. Frontiers in pharmacology

Saponins

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
3. Vaccine
4. Archives of pharmacal research
5. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Activities

Glycyrrhiza uralensis has 446 reported activities identified across 33 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antioxidant, Hepatoprotective, Antibacterial, Analgesic.

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Expert opinion on drug discovery
3. Archives of pharmacal research
4. Artificial cells, nanomedicine, and biotechnology

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Expert opinion on therapeutic patents
3. Archives of pharmacal research
4. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Archives of pharmacal research
4. Artificial cells, nanomedicine, and biotechnology

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Archives of pharmacal research
3. Journal of natural products

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Expert opinion on therapeutic patents

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Archives of pharmacal research

Antiinflammatory

1. Dr. Duke
2. Expert opinion on therapeutic patents

Antiobesity

1. Dr. Duke
2. Archives of pharmacal research

Antispasmodic

1. Dr. Duke
2. PloS one

Antitussive

1. Dr. Duke
2. PloS one

Medicinal Uses

Glycyrrhiza uralensis has 62 reported medicinal uses identified across 33 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include salt stress, oxidative stress, depression, drought, inflammation.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations