yashtimadhu :
Phytochemistry:
The
principal constituent of liquorice to which it owes its characteristic sweet
taste is glycyrrhizin, which is present in
different varieties in a concentration of 2-14%.
This
principle is not found in the aerial parts of the plant.
Other
constituents present in liquorice are:
·
glucose (up to 3.8%),
·
sucrose (2.4-6.5%),
·
mannite, starch ( 30% ),
·
asparagine,
·
bitter principles,
·
resins (2-4%),
·
a volatile oil (0.03-0.035%) and
·
coloring matter.
v The
yellow color is due to the anthoxanthin glycoside, iso liquiritin which,
undergoes partial conversion to liquiritin during drying and storage of roots.
v Iso
liquiritin gives on hydrolysis iso liquiritigenin,
v while
liquiritin gives liquiritigenin as a glucone.
v Both
iso liquiritin and liquiritin are bitter with a sweet after-taste and stimulate
the salivary glands.
v Commercial
samples contain c. 2.2% of iso liquiritin.
v A
steroid estrogen, possibly estriol, is also reported to be present in
liquorice.
v The
presence in the inner bark of a hemolytically active saponin has been
reported1.
v The
plant contains phytoestrogens in the form of isoflavones such as formononetin;
glabrone, neoliquiritin and hispaglabridin A & B.
PHARMACOLOGY:
Glycyrrhizin,
a glycoside obtained from G. glabra was studied for its anti-arthritic and
anti-inflammatory effect on formaldehyde induced rat-paw edema in
adrenalectomised rats.
It was
found to potentiate the anti-arthritic action of hydrocortisone in rats
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