------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Review ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- INCREDIBLE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF GLYCIRRHIZA GLABRA Izharul Hasan 1 , Mahboob Ali 2 , Danish Kamal Chishti 3 and Mushtaq Hussain 4 1 Dept of Juris and toxicology, A & U Tibbia College, New Delhi, India 2 Dept of preventive and social medicine, AIUMC Muzaffarnagar, India 3 Dept of Physiology, A & U Tibbia College, New Delhi, India 4 Dept of Regimenal Therapy, AIUMC Muzaffarnagar, India Accepted 27 JUNE, 2013 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ABSTRACT Glycyrrhiza glabra has been used in medicine for more than 4000 years. The earliest record of its use in medicine is found in Ǯcode (ammurabiǯ ȋʹͳͲͲ BCȌ. )t was also one of the important plants mentioned in Assyrian herbal (2000BC). Hippocrates (400BC) mentioned its use as a remedy of ulcers and quenching of thirst. Theophrastos of Lesbos, writing in the fourth century BC wrote that 'It has the property of quenching thirst if one holds it in the mouth'. Dioscorides gave the plant its botanical name (Greek glukos = sweet, riza = root). Its 13th century English name was Lycorys, a corruption of glycyrrhiza. Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) has long been used for both culinary and medical purposes. It is widely used in bronchial problems such as catarrh, bronchitis, cold, flu and coughs. It reduces irritation of the throat and yet has an expectorant action. It produces its demulcent and expectorant effects. It is used in relieving stress. It is a potent healing agent for tuberculosis, where its effects have been compared to hydrocortisone. Glycyrrhiza is also effective in helping to reduce fevers (glycyrretinic acid has an effect like aspirin), and it may have an antibacterial action as well. Its use in the treatment of chronic inflammations such as arthritis and rheumatic diseases, Anti-inflammatory, chronic skin conditions, and autoimmune diseases in general. Keywords: Glycirrhiza, Liquorice, tuberculosis -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Corresponding Author. Email: drizharnium@gmail.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ADVANCEMENT IN MEDICINAL PLANTS AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE (AMPAM) VOL. 1(1), pp. 1-6, JULY 2013 REF NUMBER: 0120130601 ONLINE: http://www.propub.org/pro_journal/AMPAM