Liquorice across the world and in Azerbaijan
Liquorice is perennial medicinal herb that belongs to leguminous plants. The height of the herb is 60-100 cm and the inflorescence is pale violet. Due to the ever growing sprouts of liquorice roots during 3-4 years, they occupy scores of square metre areas and extend up to 2-7 m depth beneath the soil.
There are 33 kinds of liquorice in all over the world, that’s to say, liquorice can be met in Spain, Lebanon, Egypt, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and other countries. In Azerbaijan, there are 6 kinds of liquorice: in the lowlands of Kur-Araz (the Mughan Plain, Kurdemir, Ujar and Berde regions) and Samur-Devechi, in the Caspian Plains, in the Greater Caucasus (in the north-eastern part, the Alazan-Eyrichay valley, Gobustan, Absheron), the Minor Caucasus (in the central and southern parts) and in the plains of Nakhchivan.
- Rough liquorice
- (Glycyrrhiza aspera Pall.)
- Sweet liquorice
- (G. glabra L.)
- Prickly liquorice
- (G. echinata L.)
- Ferrous liquorice
- (G. glandulifera Waldst. et Kit)
- Stiff-haired liquorice
- (G. hirsuta L. emend. Pall.)
- Fetid liquorice
- (G. foetidissima Taush)
Glycyrrhiza glabra L.
Sweet liquorice
The Kur-Araz lowland, the Samur-Devechi lowland, the Lenkeran-Astara Plain, the Caspian lowland, the Nakhchivan Plain, the Bozgyr Plateau, Guba region, Absheron region, Gobustan region, all parts of the Minor Caucasus.
Glycyrrhiza echinata L.
Prickly liquorice
The Kur-Araz lowland, the Samur-Devechi lowland, the Lenkeran-Astara Plain, the Caspian lowland, the Nakhchivan Plain.
Glycyrrhiza aspera -Pall.
Rough liquorice
The Kur-Araz lowland, the Caspian lowland, the Bozgyr Plateau.
G. foetidissima Taush
Fetid liquorice
The Kur-Araz lowland, the Samur-Devechi lowland, the Lenkeran-Astara Plain.
G. hirsuta L. emend. Pall.
Stiff-haired liquorice
In the areas of rivers and lakes in mountaneous areas.
Glycyrrhiza glandulifera Waldst. et Kit.
Ferrous liquorice
River banks, desert zones, in mountaneous areas along ravines.
Biyan Industrial Park is located in Shikhli village, Aghdash region.
Azerbaijan has exported liquorice roots to USA since 1886, and to France, England and Japan since 1913.
Licorice in the historical sources
- The 4th millennium BC, 6000 years ago The archive notes stated that the Sumerians used liquorice roots (hereinafter referred to as l.r.) for medical purposes.
- The 3rd millennium BC, 5000 years ago L.r. were used for the treatment of the stomach diseases in Egypt. There was a lot of information about l.r. in Egyptian Papyrus.The sources written with hieroglyphs stated that beverages were made of l.r. and called Maisus, which was believed to have the effects of liveliness and peace.
- The 2nd millennium BC, 4000 years ago The Hittites used l.r. for the treatment of different diseases.
- 1332-1323 BC, over 3000 years ago The resinous forms of l.r. were found in Tutankhamun’s tomb.
- 384-322 BC, over 2000 years ago Aristotle noted the effects of l.r. extracts in the treatment of asthma, cough, and its mucolytic effect as well.
- 370-288 BC, over 2000 years ago Theophrastus (one of the founders of Botany) defined that l.r. reduced thirst. He also noted that liquorice roots helped in cough and had a mucolytic effect.
- 356-323 BC, over 2000 years ago Alexander the Great’s army used liquorice to strengthen the resistance of soldiers, boost their energy and reduce thirst. (For the same purpose, the Roman army and
- during World War, I the French and Turkish army used liquorice as well).
- 980-1037 AD, over 1000 years ago Ibn-Sina in his tract “The Law of Medical Science” stated that he used l.r. for the treatment of diseases of stomach and lungs and it was the best expectorant.
- 1611-1682 AD, over 300 years ago Evliya Chelebi in his “Book of Travels” left these lines about l.r.: “The product is grinded in a mill, kept in water per night and syrup is extracted. In the mornings and evenings, one bowl of the syrup is drunk. And all people of Egypt are treated with it and call it “Ircissus””.
- The Japanese scientists mentioned that liquorice surpassed ginseng for its useful properties.
- L.r. are accepted as “keys to plants” in many prescriptions in Ayurveda.
Chemical composition of liquorice roots and their application in scientific medicine
Presently, liquorice is in the first place amongst the list of the 10 most popular medicinal plants of the world. Liquorice has got over 200 various substances rich in biologically active ingredients.
- antiinflammatory(corticosteroid-like)
- expectorant
- mucolytic
- antiallergic
- antidoting
- antioxidantive
- anticarcinogenic
- hepatoprotector
- spasmolytic
- wound-healing
- antiviral
- immunomodulatory
- adaptogenic
- spasmolytic
- choleretic
- purgative
- wound-healing
- antierosion and
- anti ulcer
- anti-inflammatory
- adaptogen
- antihistamine
- stimulate the cortex
- of the adrenal gland
- protect the liver against
- the impacts of the toxic
- substances
- protect the immune system
- during Hepatitis
- antiinflammatory
- antiseptic
- antibacterial
- remove toxins from the
- body
- have a positive effect for
- the immune system
- boost the immune system
- strong antioxidant
- indispensable for the
- health of blood vessels
- remove toxic substances and heavy metals from the body
- provide intracellular processes with energy
- important part of the cellular membrane
- have an important role for the nervous system and intracellular signal transmission
- basic source of energy
- antiinflammatory and antimicrobial
- enhance the secretory activity of the mucous membrane of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts,prevent from irritation
- mucolytic and expectorant
- having antiviral effect prevent from disease progress
- choleretic
- protect the liver against the impacts of the toxic substances
- protect the immune system during Hepatitis
- essential amino acids and proteins are one of the important parts of food as they do not synthesise in the human and animal bodies.
- have catalyser function (enzymes)
- hormones being proteins have regulating function in the body
- different immunoglobins (belonging to proteins) are indispensable for the immune system.
- no medical effect
- See: glycyrrhizin acid,flavonoids, steroids, saponins,Vit C
