Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Vol. 5(25), pp. 5658-5661, 30 October, 2011 Available online at http://www.academicjournals.

org/JMPR ISSN 1996-0875 2011 Academic Journals

Review

Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (Medicinal uses)

M. Akram1*, Shahab-uddin1, Afzal Ahmed2, Khan Usmanghani3, Abdul Hannan3, E. Mohiuddin4, M. Asif5 and S. M. Ali Shah5
1

Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Eastern Medicine, Hamdard University, Karachi, Madinat-al-Hikmah, Muhammad Bin Qasim Avenue, Karachi, Pakistan. 2 Department of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Faculty of Eastern Medicine, Hamdard University, Karachi, Madinat-al-Hikmah, Muhammad Bin Qasim Avenue, Karachi, Pakistan. 3 Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Eastern Medicine, Hamdard University, Karachi, Madinat-al-Hikmah, Muhammad Bin Qasim Avenue, Karachi, Pakistan. 4 Department of Surgery and Allied Sciences, Faculty of Eastern Medicine, Hamdard University, Karachi, Madinat-al-Hikmah, Muhammad Bin Qasim Avenue, Karachi, Pakistan. 5 College of Conventional Medicine, Islamia University Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
Accepted 22 September, 2011

Liquorice has been used in medicine for more than 4000 years. Morphological description, active constituent, bioactivity, pharmacology, specific action, clinical studies, toxicology and medicinal uses of Glycyrrhiza glabra are described herewith. In Unani system of medicine, liquorice is used as an antiinflammatory, antispasmodic and expectorant. Key words: Glycyrrhiza glabra, medicinal uses, pharmacology. INTRODUCTION Nomenclature of Glycyrrhiza glabra The English name for Glycyrrhiza glabra is Liquorice, while the vernacular name is Mulethi, Asal-as-sus. It is from the Leguminosae family. Glycyrrhiza glabra is synonymous with Glycyrrhiza glandulifera Waldst. and Kit and is distributed in Pakistan and Europe Mediterranean. It flowers perennially from June to July. However, the part used was the root underground stem or Radix Glycyrrhizae (Usmanghani et al., 2007). Genetics Glycyrrhiza glabra is a diploid with 2n = 16. Morphological description It is a hardy herb or undershrub; the leaves are multifoliolate, imparipinnate; the flowers are in axillar spikes, papilionaceous, lavender to violet in colour; the pods are compressed and contain reniform seeds. The rootstock, which is stout, throws off a large number of perennial roots. The dried, peeled or unpeeled underground stems and roots constitute the drug known in the trade as licorice (Olukoga and Donaldson, 1998). Principal constituent The principal constituent of liquorice to which it owes its characteristic sweet taste is glycyrrhizin, which is present in different varieties in a concentration of 2 to 14%. This principle is not found in the aerial parts of the plant. Other constituents present in liquorce are: glucose (up to 3.8%), sucrose (2.4 to 6.5%), mannite, starch (30%), asparagines, bitter principles, resins (2 to 4%), a volatile oil (0.03 to 0.035), and coloring matter. The yellow color is due to the anthoxathin glycoside, iso liquiritin, while liquiritin gives liquiritigenin as a glucone. Both iso-liquiritin and liquiritin are bitter with a sweet after-teste and stimulate the salivary glands. Commercial samples contain c. 2.2% of iso liquiritin. A steroid estrogen, possibly estriol, is also reported to be present in liquorice. The presence in the inner bark of a hemolytically active saponin has been reported. The plant contains phytoestrogens in the form of isoflavones such as

*Corresponding author. E-mail: makram_0451@hotmail.com.

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Figure 1. Triterpene portion of glycyrrhetinic acid (Molecular formula: C42H62O16. Molecular weight: 822.

formononetin; glabrone, neoliquiritin and hispaglabridin A and B (Hayashi et al., 1996). Chemistry

anti-inflammatory effects as well as to sodium retention/water retention/potassium loss caused by glucocorticoids (Lee et al., 2008; Cinatl et al., 2003). Pharmacology

Glycyrrizin is a triterpene glycoside. It is extracted from licorice root. In the structural drawing shown below, the triterpene portion (glycyrrhetinic acid) is shown as (I) the two iduronic acid residues are shown as (II). Glycyrrhetinic acid is not sweet (Figure 1). Bioactivity Glycyrrhizin is extracted from licorice root. It is used to sweeten and flavor many foods and pharmaceutical preparations (Yamamura et al., 1992). There is a long history of usage to treat illnesses such as peptic ulcer (inhibits the enzymes 15-hydroxy-prostaglandin dehydrogenase and delta-13-prostaglandin reductase (Fukai et al., 2002); colds and other viral infections (may stimulate interferon production (Cinatl et al., 2003); reported expectorant/cough suppressant properties); microbial and parasitic infections (may stimulate immune system); cancers (again, possibly related to immune system function) (Tarrand and Groschel, 1985). Review of literature also points out side effects and possible toxicity from excessive consumption (Elinav and ChajekShaul, 2003). Glycyrrhizin inhibits the enzyme which breaks down cortisol; this prolongs the effects of naturally produced cortisol in the body, leading to

G. glabra has been cited in ethnopharmacological literature as cooling, demulcent, expectorant, diuretic, emollient, gentle laxative and local stimulant and antiInflammatory (Armanini et al., 2003). Glycyrrhizin, a glycoside obtained from G. glabra was studied for its antiarthritic and anti-inflammatory effect on formaldehyde induced rat paw edema in adrenalectomised rats. It was found to potentiate the anti-arthritic action of hydrocortisone in rats Specific action The specific actions carried out for the respiratory passages as well as for stomach ulcers are: antiinflammatory, alterative, antispasmodic, demulcent, diuretic, emollient, expectorant, laxative, pectoral and tonic (Obolentseva et al., 1999). Clinical studies The oral administration of the powdered root of G. glabra in 5 cases of pemphigus, who had been kept free from the bullae with prednisolone, could considerably reduce

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the dose of prednisolone without the reappearance of the lesions. The potentiating effect of G. glabra appeared to be due to its inhibitory effect on the metabolic degradation of prednisolone. A controlled clinical trial on 92 randomly selected cases of post operative traumatic inflammation following tonsillectomy with powdered G. glabra given in a dose of 3 g t.d.s in 28 cases. In another series of 24 cases, oxyphenbutazone 2 tabs t.d.s were given. On sequential analysis, the anti-inflammatory response of G. glabra was found to be equivalent to that of oxyphenbutazone. G. glabra appeared to possess a more potent antipyretic and anti-exudative activity in comparison to oxyphenbutazone. Toxicology Liquorice in large doses may cause sodium retention and potassium loss, leading to hypertension, water retention and severe electrolyte imbalance (Van Uum, 2005). Excessive amounts of the root, herbal teas or candy derived from G. glabra may be harmful. Licorice increases salt retention and depletes the potassium in the body, causing lack of energy, weakness and even death. People with hypertension or heart problems should avoid licorice (Cheng, 2000).

voice, asthma, irritation of the larynx; largely employed for relieving sore throat. It is much used for iavouring medicinal decoctions and as base for pills. In coughs and Catarrhal affections of the throat and pulmonary mucus membrane, also in dysuria and oedema of the belly due to urinary trouble, it proves useful. The compound liquorice powder is a mild laxative, Owing to senna and sulphur contents. In large doses (up to 60 g daily), the drug shows mild mineralo-corticoid and antiinflammatory action and has been used in the management of rheumatoid arthritis and Addisons disease CONCLUSION G. glabra has been used as anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, expectorant and antitussive in Unani system of medicine. As a conclusion, it is found that G. glabra is used to treat a variety of ailments and is effective for the treatment of cough, influenza, asthma, chronic bronchitis and rheumatoid arthritis.
REFERENCES Arase Y, Ikeda K, Murashima N (1997). The long term efficacy of glycyrrhizin in chronic hepatitis C patients. Cancer, 79(8): 1494-1500. Armanini D, De Palo CB, Mattarello MJ (2003). Effect of licorice on the reduction of body fat mass in healthy subjects. J. Endocrinol. Invest., 26(7): 646-650. Cheng TO (2000). Herbal interactions with cardiac drugs. Arch. Intern. Med., 160(6): 870-871. Cinatl J, Morgenstern B, Bauer G (2003). Glycyrrhizin, an active component of liquorice roots, and replication of SARS-associated coronavirus. Lancet., 361(9374): 2045-2046. Elinav E, Chajek-Shaul T (2003). Licorice consumption causing severe hypokalemic paralysis. Mayo Clin. Proc., 78(6): 767-768. Fujioka T, Kondou T, Fukuhara A (2003). Efficacy of a glycyrrhizin suppository for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C: A pilot study. Hepatol. Res., 26(1): 10-14. Fukai T, Ali M, Kaitou K, Kanda T, Terada S, Nomura T (2002). AntiHelicobacter pylori flavonoids from licorice extract. Life Sci., 71: 1449-1463. Hayashi H, Hiraoka N, Ikeshiro Y, Yamamoto H (1996). Organ specific localization of flavonoids in Glycyrrhiza glabra L. Plant Sci., 116: 233238. Kamei J, Nakamura R, Ichiki H (2003). Antitussive principles of Glycyrrhizae radix, a main component of the Kampo preparations Bakumondo-to (Mai-men-dong-tang). Eur. J. Pharmacol., 469(1-3): 159-163. Lee HS, Kim HH, Ku SK (2008). Hepatoprotective effects of Artemisiae Capillaris Herba and Picrorrhiza Rhizoma combinations on carbon tetrachlorideinduced subacute liver damage in rats. Nutr. Res., 28: 270-277. Mitscher LA, Park S, Omoto S, Clark GW, Clark D (1978). Antimicrobial agents from higher plants, Glycyrrhiza glabra L. I. Some antimicrobial isoflavans, isoflavenes, flavanones and isoflavones. Heterocycles, 9: 1533-1537. Olukoga A, Donaldson D (1988). Historical perspectives on health. The history of liquorice: the plant, its extract, cultivation, and commercialisation and etymology. J. R. Soc. Health, 118: 300-304. Obolentseva GV, Litvinenko VI, Ammosov AS (1999). Pharmacological and therapeutic properties of licorice preparations (a review). Pharm. Chem. J., 33: 24-31. Strandberg TE, Andersson S, Jarvenpaa AL (2002). Preterm birth and licorice consumption during pregnancy. Am. J. Epidemiol., 156(9):

Medicinal uses Liquorice is one of the most commonly used herbs in Western and Eastern herbal medicine and has a very long history of use, both as a medicine and also as a flavouring to disguise the unpleasant flavour of other medications (Mitscher et al., 1978). It is a very sweet, moist, soothing herb that detoxifies and protects the liver and is also powerfully anti inflammatory, being used in conditions as varied as arthritis and mouth ulcers (Arase et al., 1997; Fujioka et al., 2003). The root is alterative, antispasmodic, demulcent, diuretic, emollient, expectorant, laxative, moderately pectoral and tonic. The root has also been shown to have a hormonal effect similar to the ovarian hormone. Liquorice root is much used in cough medicines and also in the treatment of catarrhal infections of the urinary tract. It is taken internally in the treatment of Addison's disease, asthma, bronchitis, coughs, peptic ulcer, arthritis, allergic complaints and following steroidal therapy (Kamei et al., 2003). It should be used in moderation and should not be prescribed for pregnant women or people with high blood pressure, kidney disease or taking digoxin-based medication (Strandberg et al., 2002). Prolonged usage raises the blood pressure and causes water retention. Externally, the root is used in the treatment of herpes, eczema and shingles. The root is harvested in the autumn when 3 to 4 years old and is dried for later use. In Greco-Arab medicine, it is reputed to cure hoarseness of

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803-805. Tarrand JJ, Groschel DH (1985). Evaluation of BACTEC radiometric method for detection of 1% resistant population of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. J. Clin. Microbiol., 21: 941-946. Van Uum SH (2005). Liquorice and hypertension. Neth. J. Med., 63(4): 119-120.

Yamamura Y, Kawakami J, Santa T (1992). Pharmacokinetic profile of glycerrhizin in healthy volunteers by a new high-performance liquid chromatographic method. J. Pharm. Sci., 81: 1042-1046.