i4 
Licorice  Root, 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
1     January,  1897. 
ers  still  demand  Spanish  root  and  Spanish  extract.  The  Spanish 
root  is  sweeter  and  with  less  acridity  than  the  other  varieties,  and 
if  Spanish  root  was  what  it  once  was  in  mature  condition  when 
found  in  the  market,  the  preference  above  noted  might  be  justified; 
but,  as  it  actually  is,  this  prejudice  is  based  on  its  ancient  reputa- 
tion, and  is  now  unwarranted.  The  close  digging  and  limited  and 
practically  exhausted  fields  of  Spain  are  the  causes  of  this. 
Turning  now  to  Russia,  with  its  new  and  almost  unlimited  fields, 
as  yet  but  lightly  worked  (exports  from  Russia  only  began  in  1887), 
we  find  a  mature  root,  rich  in  glycyrrhizin  and  extractive,  much 
better  suited  for  commercial  purposes  because  better  and  cheaper 
than  Spanish  root,  the  sole  objection  to  it  being  in  the  taste,  which, 
in  addition  to  the  usual  sweetness  of  Spanish  root,  has  a  slight 
acridity,  which  is  really  not  objectionable,  but  gives  the  impression 
of  being  "  stronger." 
Anatolian  root  ranks  between  Spanish  a*nd  Russian  in  the  quality 
of  sweetness  (or  absence  of  bitterness).  In  commerce  no  attention  is 
paid  to  the  botanical  varieties  of  licorice  root,  and  from  the  root 
alone  it  is  quite  impossible  to  determine  its  true  botanical  origin, 
the  usual  designations  being  from  the  countries  of  growth,  as  Span- 
ish, Russian,  Anatolian,  etc. ;  though  all  varieties,  except  Spanish, 
are  often  classified  as  "  Greek  root,"  it  must  be  remembered,  too, 
that  all  licorice  root  of  commerce  is  wild  root,  none  being  cul- 
tivated. 
The  variety  in  the  market  known  as  "  selected  "  licorice  root, 
and  put  up  in  small  bundles,  was  formerly  selected  from  Spanish 
sources,  but  as  demand  increased  and  supply  diminished,  other  vari- 
eties having  the  requisite  straightness  and  thickness  were  mixed 
with  the  Spanish,  until  now  "  selected  root "  consists  of  root  from 
any  and  all  sources  if  of  the  proper  quality — straight,  sound — and 
of  the  requisite  length  and  thickness. 
Peeled  Russian  root  may  now  be  prepared  in  Russia.  I  know  of 
no  reason  why  it  should  not  be,  but  Syria  formerly  prepared 
"  peeled  "  root  for  shipment  to  Europe,  some  of  which  found  its 
way  into  the  market  as  "  peeled  Russian."  Any  variety  might  be 
peeled  as  well  as  Russian  and  be  just  as  good.  It  would  be  a  satis- 
faction, however,  to  have  things  called  by  their  correct  names  and 
pay  for  them  accordingly.  Peeled  "  Russian  root "  has  always 
commanded  a  good  price,  doubtless  partly  on  account  of  the  cost  of 
