EUROPEAN LICORICE
Glycyrrhiza glabra
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Description of the species:
Perennial herb with massive root system, up to 2 m heights.
Used part of the plant:
Rhizome with roots.
Natural area:
Central Asia, along lower stream of Don, Volga and on Azov Sea shore, the Northen Caucasus, Eastern Transcaucasia, Southeastern Europe.
Conditions of growth:
On river valleys, on lakeshore and in ditches; in mountains occurs up to 2000 m above sea level.
Period of collection:
June – September.
Collection method:
Manual, by sickling or trenching.
Material processing:
Open-air drying or in dehydrator at 50-60°C until the roots will break; effective date - 10 years.
Storage:
Dry clean space.
Components specification:
Rhizomes and roots contain carbohydrates (glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose), organic acids, essential oils, triterpenoides (glycyrrhizic acid and others), gums, steroids, phenic acids, carboxylic acids, coumarin, flavonoid, tannin and higher fatty acids (oleic and palmitic acids).
Major components:
Carbohydrates.
Features of the oil:
Antiphlogistic, diuretic, purgative, antacidic, antihistamine, expectorative, sudorific, analgesic, general health-improving, antimicrobic, antiallergic, water-salt metabolism controlling, neutralizing and unstriped musculature relaxing actions.
Indications:
Lungs diseases with cough, hyperacid gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcer, pancreatic diabetes and others.
Possible usage:
Homeopathy; widely in food industry; in tobacco industry.
Literature:
A.S. Ammosov, V.I. Litvinenko // “Vegetable resources”-1995, v. 31, issue 3, p. 116-145.
