Liquorice

Glycyrrhiza glabra L.

DESCRIPTION

Perennial plant of the legume family (Fabaceae) over 1 m high, with imparipinnate leaves and sticky glandular hairs.

From the axils of the leaves come out erect flower clusters of pale lilac papilionaceous.

The root of the plant used for therapeutic purposes, consists of pieces of lemon yellow fibrous and tastes slightly sweet and aromatic.

CONSTITUENTS

Saponosides: glycyrrhizin, 24-0H-glicirrina, glabraninas, etc..

Slavonoides: flavononas, Charcones, isoflavonoids.

Sterols and triterpenes.

Polysaccharide, starch, glucose and sucrose.

PROPERTIES

Licorice is traditionally used as antitussive, mucolytic and expectorant.

Besides, it has other actions such as gastric antiulcer and antiinflammatory.

INDICATIONS

The indications approved by the Commission E are:

Catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, gastric or duodenal ulcer.

Traditionally drug herbal tea as part of its antispasmodic action laxative. Furthermore, the saponins produce an emulsifying effect which can contribute to soften the stool.

Also used as a digestive in hiposecretoras dyspepsia and flatulence.

PRECAUTIONS

Do not consume if allergic to some plant passionflower or belonging to his family.

DID YOU KNOW ?

Usually are large amounts of licorice in the food industry as a sweetener and flavor enhancer, especially in drinks such as black beer, sodas in cafeterias and in the preparation of snuff.