Other Names: Piyan, Boyan, Glycyrrhiza, Licorice, Reglisse
Botanical Information: It is a legume plant that grows wild on riverbanks, in wet and humid places. Its length can reach 50-150cm and sometimes 200cm. It is a perennial plant. Its leaves are wing-shaped. The leaflets are elliptical in shape, entire on the edges, dark green above, grayish green and hairy below. flowers; It is lilac, light purplish lilac, pinkish lilac in color, butterfly-shaped, cup leaves are tubular in shape, and usually has a six-pointed spike appearance at the nodes. Its fruits are brownish red in color, bean capsule-shaped, and contain 3-6 dark colored seeds. Its roots are stake-shaped and consist of the main root and shoot side roots. Thanks to lateral roots, the plant spreads to its surroundings in a short time. The lateral roots are sometimes meters long and have a grayish-brown to brownish-red color on the outside.
Places where it is grown: Its homeland is Turkey, Mediterranean countries, Ukraine, Russia, Turkestan, and today it can be grown in every region with a temperate climate.
Collection – Storage: After the licorice roots are removed, they are washed, chopped into 15-40cm lengths and dried, and stored away from moisture and sunlight. Licorice roots are dried after peeling or without peeling, so there are two types: peeled and unpeeled.
Known Composition: The rhizome root of licorice contains glycyrrhizin, which is fifty times sweeter than normal sugar, and substances called flavones, saponins and coumarins; It contains bitter-tasting essential oils, starch and sticky plant liquid .
Areas of Use: These roots are used in the pharmaceutical and beer industries and in the production of cola drinks. In Anatolia, sherbet is made from this root and drunk. Licorice honey, obtained from three-year-old roots, is sold as dark-colored powder, sticks or rectangular pieces and is used as medicine.
Benefits:
It increases urination.
It has laxative properties.
It reduces indigestion, bloating and gas problems.
It is useful in treating menopausal symptoms by helping normalize women’s hormone levels.
It reduces pain and tension before menstruation.
It is useful in healing swelling and arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory activity.
Its tea may have a fatigue-relieving effect.
It protects and supports the liver. It is preventive and protective against virus-induced liver damage.
It also reduces symptoms of chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, increases energy and relieves fatigue.
It is good for hoarseness.
It is a chest softener and expectorant.
Usage :
Tea: Take 1/2-1 teaspoon, put it in 1 glass of water and heat it to boiling point. At this point, reduce the heat and continue heating for another 10-15 minutes. Drink a glass of the resulting tea three times a day.
Licorice, which is sold in sticks in the market, can be absorbed in the mouth to benefit from the same medicinal effects, or licorice honey can be easily dissolved in water and drunk. Additionally, licorice honey has mucosal protective and wound healing effects.
WARNING: It may rarely cause dizziness or headache. People with high blood pressure should not use it.
