[Review of pharmacological effects of Glycyrrhiza radix and its bioactive compounds].

Glycyrrhiza Radix is a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine, derived from the dried roots and rhizomes of Glycyrrhiza uralensis, G. glabra and G. inflata. The main bioactive constituents of licorice are triterpene saponins and flavonoids. There are various types of pharmacological properties of licorice are proved, including antiulcer, antiinflammation, spasmolysis, antioxidative, contravariance, antiviral, anticancer activities, hepatoprotective, eliminating phlegm and reinforcing remembrance effects. Triterpene saponins are the main components of Glycyrrhiza Radix and its pharmacological activities are comparatively thorough and clear. In recent years, licorice flavonoids, proved to have a variety of pharmacological activities, become one of the hot of pharmacological studies. In this review, we summarized the latest five-year progress in pharmacological activities of licorice extract, its triterpenoid saponins and flavonoids, and experimental researches indicated that licorice had both accommodation and protection activity on the digestive system, respiratory system, nervous system, and endocrine system, etc.