182 LEGUMINOSiE. 



By melting glycyrretin with about 5 parts of caustic potash paraoxy- 

 bcnzoic acid is produced. 



Alkalis 



easily dissolve glycyrrhiziu with a brown colour and emis- 

 mliar odour. In the root it perhaps exists combined with 



sion of a peculiar odour. In the root it perhap 

 ammonia, inasmuch as the aqueous extract evolves that alkali wlien 

 warmed with potash (Roussin, 1875). According to Sestini (1878) 

 glycyrrhiziu is present in the root combined with calcium ; he obtauied 

 6'3 per cent, of glycyrrhiziu from the root previously dried at 110 . 

 By exhausting glycyrrhiziu with glacial acetic acid Habermann in 

 1876 succeeded in isolating almost colourless crystals having the sweet 

 taste of the root. They yield, by boiling them with dilute acids, a yellow 

 substance which would appear to "agree with glycyrretin. The deep 

 yellow walls of the vessels and prosenchymatous cells appear to be the 

 chief seat of the glycyrrhiziu. 



The sugar of liquorice root has not yet been isolated ; the aqueous 

 infusion of the dried root separates protoxide of copper from an alkaline 

 solution of cupric tartrate. Yet the sugar as extracted from the fmli 

 root by cold water does not precipitate alkaline cupric tartrate at all in 

 the cold, and not abundantly even on prolonged boiling. 



Asparagin was obtained from the root by Kobiquet (1809) and by 

 Phsson (1827). Sestini (1878) isolated 2-4 parts of asparagin from lUU 

 parts of the root dried at 110° C. Robiquet also found the root to 

 contain malic acid. The presence of starch in abundance is shown b) 

 the microscope as well as by testing a decoction of the root with iodine. 



hat 



The outer bark of the root contains a small quantity of tannin 



Commerce— Liquorice root is imported into Great Britain frouj 

 Germany, Russia and Spain, but there are no data for showing to w ^''^ 

 extent. France imported in 1872 no less than 4,348,789 kilogrammes 

 (4282 tons), which was more than double the quantity imported iw 

 previous year.^ 



Liquorice root is much used in China, and is largely produced in 

 some of the northern provinces. In 1870, 1,304 peculs were shipF 

 from Ningpo,' and 7,147 peculs in 1877 from Cheefu (one pecui- 

 133-33 lb. avdp.). ^ 



Uses.— Liquorice root is employed for making extract of lj'l"'^"''jg 

 and m some other pharmaceutical preparations. The powdered rooi 

 used to impart stiffness to pill masses and to prevent the adhesion ^^ 

 piiis. Liquorice has a remarkable power of covering the ^f^^\ 

 nauseous medicines. As a domestic medicine, liquorice root is far »« 

 largely used on the Continent than in Great Britain. 



r„L£°'f '""i"* ^'A' '"''■'-'"" '"^««« i'«'* ^^^l- » ^<iPorts on Trade at the fjf 'f/jf "* 



Z7rn "'' '^'! ^ouane.snr h oommerce de China for 1870, Shangli.ai, 18*1. 13- ">- 

 ia Iiaiice, ann^e 1872, Paris, 1873. 



4^ 



