English common name is root of licorice from mother plant Glycyrrhiza glabra
The root contains primarily triterpenoid saponins (4–20%), including glycyrrhizin (2–15%), which gives the drug its sweet taste, as well as glabrolic acid and liquiritic acid. Other constituents include chalcones such as isoliquiritin and isliquiritin, flavonoids like liquiritin, rhamnoliquiritin, and liquiritigenin, isoflavonoids including glabridin and glabrene, coumarins such as umbelliferone and herniarin, as well as sugars (glucose, sucrose), starch, and bitter principles like glycyrmarin.
It is primarily used as an expectorant and demulcent to soothe respiratory conditions such as coughs, sore throats, and bronchitis. It also possesses strong anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic properties, making it highly effective for treating gastrointestinal issues like peptic ulcers and gastritis. Additionally, it is frequently utilized as a natural sweetener and flavoring agent to mask the bitter taste of other medicinal preparations.
The drug consists of a sparsely branched root with a gray-brown to brown bark featuring longitudinal grooves and remnants of lateral roots. The cork layer is narrow, while the secondary phloem layer is thick, light yellow, and has a radial structure, similar to the woody part. It is available in slices or irregularly wrinkled pieces. The fracture is granular and fibrous.
It is listed in pharmacopoeia.
In pulverized drug under the microscope we can see:
Yellow, thick-walled fibers with a pitted lumen, accompanied by chambered fibers containing calcium oxalate crystals
Yellow, lignified vessel walls with bordered pits and slit-like openings
