“Liquorice, the Wonder Herb” Awarded 2012 Medicinal Plant of the Year

“Liquorice, the Wonder Herb” Awarded 2012 Medicinal Plant of the Year

After a thorough and vivid selection from a panel of judges from the University of Wurzburg, WWF Germany and Traffic, Liquorice was selected as the “Medicinal plant of the year 2012” because of its  supreme significant contribution to man.

Liquorice is a woody shrub that grows up to a metre tall and a member of the Fabaceae or pea family. This shrub is widely cultivated for medical purposes. It is also used in beverages because of its possessed chemical known as glycyrrhizin which is 50 times sweeter than sugarcane.

According to Prof. Johannes Mayer of the University of Wurzburg, Liquorice is unique because of its ability to quickly soothe coughs and sore throats. Further, centuries ago, Liquorice is used by Ancient Greek and Egyptian medical experts to treat coughing, asthma and hoarseness. Mediaeval German nun likewise added that Liquorice have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-spasmodic actions, and also protect the mucous membranes.

In traditional Chinese medicine, Liquorice is used as an important ingredient. While in Germany, around 500 tonnes of Liquorice are  imported annually for consumption and medical use. Also in Japan, Liquorice is used as an ingredient of cosmetics and medicinal studies.

Posted by George Daniels on Wednesday November 30 2011, 5:38 AM EST. Ref: Prof. Johannes Mayer. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0