Liquorice

The word liquorice (UK), or licorice (US), is derived via the Anglo-French , from Late Latin , itself ultimately derived from Greek (the Modern Greek spelling of the genus is ) literally meaning 'sweet root' and referring to Glycyrrhiza glabra. The latter gives the plant binomial name with glabra meaning smooth and referring to the plant's smooth husks; the former came to being via the influence of , 'to become fluid', reflecting the method of extracting the sweet component from the roots. , its English common name is spelled 'liquorice' in most of the Commonwealth, but 'licorice' is used in other countries. == Description ==

Liquorice is a herbaceous perennial, growing to 1metre () in height, with pinnate leaves about long, with 9–17 leaflets. The flowers are long, purple to pale whitish blue, produced in a loose inflorescence. The fruit is an oblong pod, long, containing several seeds. The roots are stoloniferous. == Chemistry ==

. Liquorice root contains triterpenoids, polyphenols, and polysaccharides.{{Cite journal The scent of liquorice root comes from a complex and variable combination of compounds, of which anethole is some 3% of total volatiles. Much of the sweetness in liquorice comes from glycyrrhizin, which has 30–50 times the sweetness of sugar. The sweetness is different from sugar, being less instant, tart, and lasting longer. == Cultivation and uses ==

Liquorice grows best in well-drained soils in deep valleys with full sun. It is harvested in the autumn two to three years after planting. Liquorice provides tobacco products with a natural sweetness and a distinctive flavour that blends readily with the natural and imitation flavouring components employed in the tobacco industry. Food and confectionery Liquorice flavour is found in a wide variety of candies or sweets. In most of these candies, the taste is reinforced by aniseed oil so the actual content of liquorice is low. In the Netherlands, liquorice confectionery (drop) is a common sweet sold in many forms. Mixing it with mint, menthol, aniseed, or laurel is common. It is also mixed with ammonium chloride (); salmiak liquorice in the Netherlands is known as ('salty liquorice'). Strong, salty sweets are also consumed in Nordic countries where liquorice flavoured alcohols are sold, particularly in Denmark and Finland. Dried sticks of the liquorice root are a traditional confectionery in the Netherlands as they once were in Britain. They were sold simply as sticks of ('sweet wood') to chew on as a candy. Pontefract in Yorkshire, England, is where liquorice mixed with sugar began to be used as a sweet in the contemporary way. Pontefract cakes were originally made there. In Cumbria, County Durham, Yorkshire and Lancashire, it is colloquially known as 'Spanish', supposedly because Spanish monks grew liquorice root at Rievaulx Abbey near Thirsk. In Italy, Spain, and France, liquorice is used in its natural form. The root of the plant is simply harvested, washed, dried, and chewed as a mouth freshener. Throughout Italy, unsweetened liquorice is consumed in the form of small black pieces made only from 100% pure liquorice extract. In Calabria, a liqueur is made from pure liquorice extract and in Reggio Emilia a soft drink called acqua d'orcio is made. In some parts of the Arab world, including Egypt and the Levant, the root of the liquorice plant is used to make a cold drink with a sweet and mildly bitter taste, called Erk al-sous. This beverage is especially popular during Ramadan. In southeastern Turkey, such as in Diyarbakır, liquorice root is traditionally made into a chilled beverage that is most commonly consumed in summer. Research Properties of glycyrrhizin are under preliminary research, such as for hepatitis C or topical treatment of psoriasis, but the low quality of studies prevents conclusions about efficacy and safety. Traditional medicine In traditional Chinese medicine, a related species G. uralensis (often translated as "liquorice") is known as (), and is believed to "harmonize" the ingredients in a formula. although there is no high-quality clinical research to indicate it is safe or effective for any medicinal purpose. The European Medical Agency added liquorice to their list of herbal medicine. Fungicide The essential oils inhibit the growth of Aspergillus flavus. ==Adverse effects==

Consumption levels The United States Food and Drug Administration regards that foods containing liquorice and its derivatives (including glycyrrhizin) are generally recognized as safe for use as a food ingredient, if not consumed excessively. Because the composition of liquorice extracts in various products may exist in a broad range, there is not enough scientific information to determine that a specific level of intake is safe or unsafe. Other adverse effects may include electrolyte imbalance, oedema, increased blood pressure, weight gain, heart problems, and weakness. Symptoms depend on the severity of toxicity. Some other complaints include fatigue, shortness of breath, kidney failure, and paralysis. Potential for toxicity The major dose-limiting toxicities of liquorice are corticosteroid in nature, because of the inhibitory effect that its chief active constituents, glycyrrhizin and enoxolone, have on cortisol degradation, and include oedema, hypokalaemia, weight gain or loss, and hypertension. Pregnancy Due to the possibility of premature birth and health problems in children whose mothers consumed large amounts (about ) of liquorice extract per week, it is variously advised that during pregnancy "oral licorice extract in large amounts should be avoided", ==Gallery==

File:Réglisse(racine).JPG|Liquorice root with bark File:Glycyrrhiza glabra inflorescence.jpg|Inflorescence of G. glabra File:2013.02-402-022aP Liquorice products tue05feb2013.jpg|Various liquorice products File:Liquorice4.jpg|Different flavoured liquorice sticks File:Gardenology.org-IMG 2804 rbgs11jan.jpg|Foliage File:Glycyrrhiza glabra - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-207.jpg|G. glabra from Koehler's Medicinal-Plants ==References==