The genus Glycyrrhiza consists of about 30 species in which G. glabra, G. uralensis, G. inflata, G. aspera, G. korshinskyi, and G. eurycarpa are generally recognized as licorice because of their sweet taste. The roots and rhizomes of licorice (Glycyrrhiza) species have long been used worldwide as a herbal medicine and natural sweetener. Licorice root is a traditional medicine used mainly for the treatment of peptic ulcer, skin diseases and clinical studies suggest that it has several other useful pharmacological properties such as antiinflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial, antioxidative, anticancer activities, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective and cardioprotective effects. A large number of components have been isolated from licorice, including triterpene saponins, flavonoids, isoflavonoids and chalcones, with glycyrrhitic acid normally being considered to be the main biologically active component. This review summarizes the phytochemical study and anticancer effects of bioactive components of licorice.
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