Easily confused with : Wild Liquorice (Astragalus glycyphyllos) [a plant with similar name belonging to a differing genus]

Not to be semantically confused with : Russian Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza echinata) [a plant with similar name, and which, unlike the above mentioned Liquorice, is in the same genus].

Both of the above probably taste of or similar to liquorice.

This Liquorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra, is the real McCoy, but is not native to the UK. Nor does it grow wild in the UK (according to BSBI maps), although in this field it does seem to be surviving, and possibly spreading (?). It does not seem to be grown commercially on this farm any longer, although it used to be, but rather is now grown commercially on another nearby farm.

Liquorice was first sold in shops in the UK as 'twigs' to chew on. The fibres released the liquorice-tasting compound(s?) when chewed. It was not usual for the fibres to be eaten, they were rather tough. The 'twigs' were not twigs are such, but rather the roots of the plant, growing underground. And from these roots the liquorice is extracted as a raw ingredient. One source claims that the compound most responsible for the flavour (and sweetness) of liquorice is Enoxolone, a pentacyclic triterpenoid derivative of β-Amyrin, which is obtained by hydrolysing Glycyrrhizin (aka Glycyrrhizic Acid aka Glycyrrhetic Acid). Another source claims that it is Glycyrrhizin itself, found in the roots of the Liquorice plant, which is the compound responsible for most of the flavour and sweetness of Liquorice.

Glycyrrhizin tastes very sweet, being between 30 to 50 times sweeter than Sucrose (sugar), although that is by no means the sweetest substance; that accolade is awarded to Lugduname, a synthetic Guanidine compound whose estimated sweetness is 225,000 fold higher than sucrose.

The smell of liquorice is due to various other substances in Liquorice, such as Anethole which constitutes about 3% of the volatile components in Liquorice.

INTERESTING COMPOUNDS IN LIQUORICE PLANTS Liquiritigenin is a flavanone and chromenone which is found in both the Liquorice plant and in a relative of that called Glycyrrhiza uralensis. It is an oestrogenic compound inhibiting the main female hormone in certain ways. IsoLiquiritigenin (aka 6'-deoxyChalcone) and has a broken central ring. It has a tranquilising effect on the human body that is 65 times stronger effect than diazepam targetting the GABA-A benzodiapine receptor. It also shows potential on inhibiting the growth of malenoma skin cancers but has not yet been tried on humans. Glabrene is an isoFlavonoid which has two chromen units joined asymmetrically. One is a chromenol unit, the other a chromenyn. It is phyto-oestrogen found in Liquorice plants and it too exhibits oestrogenic activity effects on breast, veins and bones. Both Liquiritigenin and Glabrene are Tyrosinase inhibitors found in the roots of the Liquorice plant. Glabridin is an isoFlavane type of isoFlavonoid which is also found in the roots of Liquorice plants. It has a wide range of effects on the human body: it is an anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenic, anti-osteoporotic, neuroprotective, anti-tumorigenic, anti-nephritic, ant-bacterial and exhibits oestrogenic effects. The compound most responsible for the flavour (and sweetness) of liquorice is Enoxolone, a pentacyclic triterpenoid derivative of β-Amyrin, which is obtained by hydrolysing Glycyrrhizin (aka Glycyrrhizic Acid / Glycyrrhetic Acid). Glycyrrhizin, a saponin containing two additional sugar moieties, is found in the roots of the Liquorice plant. Consuming Glycyrrhizin results in a reduction in blood potassium levels and a rise in blood pressure, which may result in adverse effects on the heart, such as an irregular heart beat as well as adverse interactions with some medicines the person may be taking. People with certain medical conditions should not consume much (if any) Liquorice. Certain sensitive individuals may experience problems after consuming 50g of liquorice sweets, but most people can consume 200g of liquorice sweets before experiencing symptoms. Side effects of ingestion include oedema, lethargy, muscle weakness, headache, temporary visual loss, increased body mass, acute kidney failure, tachycardia, paralysis and cardiac arrest! Other symptoms seem to be sex dependant: premature birth (which is also presumably dependant upon the person also being heavily pregnant) and reduced testosterone.