A review of the traditional medicinal properties of licorice in Iran and its antiviral properties

Abstract

Glycyrrhiza glabra L. native to Central and Southwest Asia, as well as the Mediterranean Sea It is cultivated in temperate and subtropical regions. In regions of the world including Europe and Asia. The root, dried and processed, is called licorice. In traditional Iranian medicine, it has also been used as a treatment for gastritis and antitussives . In today’s study, have been seen the effects of licorice and its active ingredients on the respiratory system and cough relief, asthma and chest infections. In ethnobotanical studies in Iran in northeastern Khuzestan and Isfahan and Semirom, the roots and leaves of the plant are used for stomach ulcers. People in northern Iran use a concentrated decoction of licorice root to treat stomach ulcers and cough. Glycyrrhizin is an active component of licorice roots that has antiviral properties against Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), Influenza virus, HBV, HCV, HAV, HIV, SARS-related coronavirus, Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Studies in Iran have shown that aqueous extracts and methanolic of this plant have an antiviral effect on HSV-1.