A Study on the Pharmacological Problems and Glycyrrhizin of Licorice Distributed in Korea

Background: Scarcity of wild licorice, which is most commonly used in oriental medicine, has led to an increase in the use of various other licorice species. Diversification of licorice species can affect the quality, safety, and standardization of food and medicine; therefore, it is crucial to verify and evaluate their major pharmacological components.BRMethods and Results: In this study, we collected licorice produced and distributed in various regions of Asia, including Korea, and compared the content of glycyrrhizin. The average glycyrrhizin content of wild licorice produced in China (Yangoe), Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan was 3.2%, 5.5%, 5.5%, and 5.3%, respectively. In contrast, the average glycyrrhizin content of cultivated licorice from Xinjiang, China and Jecheon, Korea was 4.8% and 0.8%, respectively. The glycyrrhizin content of each licorice slice ranged from 1.0% to 12.4%. Wild licorice, in particular, had a high glycyrrhizin content and variation. In addition to pharmacological effects, glycyrrhizin has various side effects; therefore, the quality of wild licorice, which has been traditionally regarded as good, needs to be re-evaluated.BRConclusions: In terms of the stability of food and pharmaceutical raw materials, licorice with uniformity and appropriate content of glycyrrhizin is more effective in controlling and utilizing the pharmacology than licorice with considerably high glycyrrhizin content. To this end, it is crucial to shift production from wild licorice collection to cultivated licorice and develop related cultivation technologies.