Licorice a Supernatural Herb for Healthy Life: Bioactive Phytochemicals and Biological activities – A Review

Abstract

Licorice, a medicinal herb, has been found to contain various phytochemicals including flavonoids, phenolic compounds, saponins, sapogenins, pterocarpenes, coumestan derivatives, 2-arylobenzofuran derivatives, chemopreventive agents, acidic constituents and glycyrrhizin having different biological activities. Licorice is used in medical for treatment of various diseases like atherosclerosis, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s disease. It is used as anti-inflammation, anti-ulcer, anti-cancer, anti-virus and in many other problems. It is also used as additive for flavoring candies, chewing gum and toothpaste. The roots of this plant are majorly used for extracting different phytochemicals. Various licorice species: Glycyrrhiza glabra, G. uralensis, G. inflata, G. lepidota, and G. pallidiflora contain various phytochemicals with different type of biological activities. This paper provides a brief of the bioactive constituents and biological functions of different licorice species in details.