Yashtimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
Yashtimadhu- Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) Dr. Hemant Vinze (M. S.) Introduction Yashtimadhu-Licorice/Liquorice ( Glycyrrhiza glabra ) exhibiting pleotropic pharmacological activity has been used as a medicine worldwide since ancient times. In India it has been in vogue as a traditional medicine for more than 3000 years. Its use as a medicine has been described in Ayurveda, a system of medicine in ancient India. The word yashtimadhu is made up of two words: yashti and madhu where yashti stands for stalk (stem of a plant) or cudgels (a short, thick stick), and madhu stands for honey or sweet; thus literally meaning a "sweet stem" or a "sweet stick". The word licurice or liquorice also means a "sweet root". The genus-name " Glycyrrhiza" is derived from two Greek words: Glykys, meaning "sweet" and Rhiza meaning "root". The species-name glabra (from glaber) means " bald or hairless". Thus the bota...