This document summarizes information about the plant liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra). It is grown in sub-Himalayan regions and parts of Europe. Microscopically, it exhibits cork layers, medullary rays, phloem fibers, xylem vessels and fibers, and parenchyma cells containing starch grains and calcium oxalate crystals. It contains saponin glycosides and glycyrrhetinic acid. Liquorice has demulcent, expectorant, and mineralocorticoid properties and is used in cough syrups, lozenges, and to mask bitter tastes in medicines. Its saponins aid absorption of some drugs. Adulterants include

1. LIQUORICE
(Saponin Glycoside)
ALOK SINGH
B.Pharm 3rd YEAR
Roll.no.-1507850005

5. LIQUORICE

6. LIQUORICE
 Synonyms:-Glycyrrhiza; Liquorice root;
Glycyrrhizae radix.
Biological Sources:- Liquorice is the dried, peeled or
unpeeled, roots, rhizome or stolon of Glycyrrhiza
glabra Linn.
Family:-Leguminosae.

7. Geographical Source
 Liquorice is grown in the sub-Himalayan tracts and
Baluchistan.
It is cultivated on a large scale in Spain, Sicily and Yorkshire
(England).
 The following are the three commonly grown varieties
of Glycyrrhiza glabra, namely:
1. G. glabra var. violaceae (or Persian Liquorice): This
specific species bears violet flowers,
2. G. glabra var gladulifera (or Russian Liquorice): It has a
distinct big stock together with a number of elongated
roots, but it has not got any stolon, and
3. G. glabra var. typica (or Spanish Liquorice): This specific
plant bears only purplish-blue coloured papilionaceous
flowers. It possesses a large number of stolons.

8. Macroscopic Characterstics
Colour : Unpeeled Liquorice-Externally, yellowish brown or
dark brown; and internally, yellowish colour.
Odour : Faint and characteristic.
Taste : Sweet.
Size : Length = 20 to 50 cm; Diameter = 2 cm.
Shape : Unpeeled drug—Straight and nearly cylindrical
Peeled drug—Mostly angular.
Fracture : Fibrous in bark; and splintery in the wood.

9. Microscopic Characterstics
The transverse section reveals several yellow-brown cork
layers, and a layer of phelloderm that is 1 to 3 cells thick.
 The cortex exhibits medullary rays, and obliterated sieve
portions radiate alternately.
 The phloem exhibits groups of phloem fibers, which are
surrounded by crystal cells, with thick but incompletely
lignified walls.
 The vessels are accompanied by xylem fibers, which are
surrounded by crystal cells, and by xylem parenchyma
cells.
The parenchyma cells contain starch grains and often
contain single crystals of calcium oxalate

11. Chemical constituents

12. Identification Test
When sulphuric acid (80% W/V) is added to a thick
section of the drug or powder, it instantly produced a
deep yellow colour.

13. Uses
1. Glycyrrhiza has demulscent and expectorant properties
2. It is used as a masking agent for bitter drugs in
pharmaceutical formulations, such as: quinine, aloe,
ammonium chloride etc.
3. Ammoniated glycyrrhiza is employed as a flavouring
agent in beverages, pharmaceuticals and confectionary.
4. The inherent surfectant activity due to the presence of
saponins helps to facilitate the absorption of poorly
absorbed drugs, for instance: anthraquinone glycosides.
5. The presence of glycyrrhetinic acid exert
mineralocorticoid activity and hence it is used in the
treatment of inflamations, rhematoid arthritis and
Addison’s disease.

15. Adulterants
Glycyrrhiza uralansis, also known as Manchurian
Liquorice, which is pale chocholate brown in
appearance having wavy medullary rays and exfoliated
cork is mostly used as an adulterant for G. glabra. This
particulr species is from sugar, but
contains glycyrrhizin.
 Sometimes, the Russian Liquorice is also used as an
adulterant, because the drug is purplish in appreance,
has long roots but having no stolons.

16. Thank You