''Glycyrrhiza uralensis'', also known as Chinese liquorice, is a

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants t ...

native to Asia. It is used as a sweetener and in

traditional Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. It has been described as "fraught with pseudoscience", with the majority of its treatments having no logical mechanism of acti ...

Traditional uses

Liquorice root, or 'radix glycyrrhizae', is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in

, where it has the name ''gancao'' (''kan-tsao''; , pinyin: gāncǎo). It is used in Chinese medicine to harmonize other herbs and to reduce the harsh effects of other herbs. It is usually collected in spring and autumn, when it is sliced and sun-dried, then either used unprepared or stir-baked with honey. Liquorice root is most commonly produced in the

Shanxi Shanxi (; ; formerly romanised as Shansi) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the North China region. The capital and largest city of the province is Taiyuan, while its next most populated prefecture-leve ...

Gansu Gansu (, ; alternately romanized as Kansu) is a province in Northwest China. Its capital and largest city is Lanzhou, in the southeast part of the province. The seventh-largest administrative district by area at , Gansu lies between the Tibe ...

and

Xinjiang Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwes ...

regions of China.

Side effects

Liquorice root contains

glycyrrhizin Glycyrrhizin (or glycyrrhizic acid or glycyrrhizinic acid) is the chief sweet-tasting constituent of ''Glycyrrhiza glabra'' ( liquorice) root. Structurally, it is a saponin used as an emulsifier and gel-forming agent in foodstuffs and cosmet ...

, which may affect blood pressure, blood potassium levels or have untoward effects during pregnancy. Overuse of licorice may induce weakness, headache, blurred vision, nosebleed, anxiety, or shortness of breath. Other common side effects may include missed

menstrual periods The menstrual cycle is a series of natural changes in hormone production and the structures of the uterus and ovaries of the female reproductive system that make pregnancy possible. The ovarian cycle controls the production and release of eggs a ...

, fluid retention or sexual problems in men. More serious instances of overuse can lead to hypertension and hyperaldosteronism, which may require hospitalization.

Plant description

Harvesting and growth

''Glycyrrhiza uralensis'' can be found growing naturally in Europe, Asia, and throughout the Middle East. This Chinese licorice is harvested mainly during the spring and autumn and is dried by sunlight. The plant is very strong rooted, and grow to be 30-120 cm tall.

Chemistry

The plant contains a glycoside that is 30-50 times sweeter than sucrose,

, which has the chemical composition C₄₂H₆₂O₁₆. The plant contains numerous

phytochemical Phytochemicals are chemical compounds produced by plants, generally to help them resist fungi, bacteria and plant virus infections, and also consumption by insects and other animals. The name comes . Some phytochemicals have been used as poison ...

References

External links

Spice Pages: liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra/uralensis, liquorice)

Science Direct

Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine

at damo-qigong.net {{Taxonbar, from=Q1196166 Plants used in Ayurveda Plants used in traditional Chinese medicine uralensis