A Comprehensive Review of Licorice: The Preparation, Chemical Composition, Bioactivities and Its Applications

Abstract

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza) is a medicinal and food homologue of perennial plants derived from the dried roots and rhizomes of the genus Glycyrrhiza in the legume family. In recent years, the comprehensive utilization of licorice resources has attracted people’s attention. It is widely utilized to treat diseases, health food products, food production, and other industrial applications. Furthermore, numerous bioactive components of licorice are found using advanced extraction processes, which mainly include polyphenols (flavonoids, dihydrostilbenes, benzofurans, and coumarin), triterpenoids, polysaccharides, alkaloids, and volatile oils, all of which have been reported to possess a variety of pharmacological characteristics, including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, anticancer, neuroprotective, antidepressive, antidiabetic, antiparasitic, antisex hormone, skin effects, anticariogenic, antitussive, and expectorant activities. Thereby, all of these compounds promote the development of novel and more effective licorice-derived products. This paper reviews the progress of research on extraction techniques, chemical composition, bioactivities, and applications of licorice to provide a reference for further development and application of licorice in different areas.

Subinhibitory concentrations of glabridin from Glycyrrhiza glabra L. reduce Listeria monocytogenes motility and hemolytic activity but do not exhibit antimicrobial activity

“…Licorice is a medicinal herb with a 2000-year history of application in traditional Chinese medicine. The most studied and documented benefits of glabridin from licorice are its anti-inflammatory properties, and its antibacterial activities have also been described, albeit less frequently, in the reported literature ( Simmler et al, 2013 ; Ji et al, 2024 ). L. monocytogenes is a dangerous foodborne pathogen that poses a serious threat to public health and causes substantial economic losses for society.…”

“…, Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat. , and Glycyrrhiza glabra L. Studies have shown that licorice is used in flavoring and sweetening agents, demulcents, expectorants, and anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory agents ( Ji et al, 2024 ). It has widespread pharmacological effects on human diseases, including atherosclerosis, immunodeficiency, hormone deficiency, endocrine disruption, cancer, and skin diseases ( Kwon et al, 2020 ).…”