Glycyrrhiza triphylla

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Common products:
- Dried root chips or powdered extract, containing glycyrrhizin at ~2–4 % (dry weight), used as licorice flavoring and sweetener in confectionery, beverages, bakery items, and spice blends.
- Cold‑pressed seed oil, high in linoleic acid (~55–60 % of fatty acids), suitable for industrial lubricants, soap making, and as a bio‑oil feedstock.

Industrial and craft applications:
- Natural brown dye obtained from leaf and flower flavonoids (liquiritin, isoliquiritin) applied to wool and silk with metal mordants, giving colourfast shades (ΔE ≈ 3–5 after 20 h light exposure).
- Surface‑active saponin extracts from the root, mainly glycyrrhizin, function as biodegradable surfactants in detergents and cosmetic emulsions; they achieve critical micelle concentrations of 0.1–0.5 g L⁻¹ and produce stable foam.

Food and beverages (non‑medicinal):
- Root chips or powdered extract are incorporated into licorice‑flavored candies, carbonated soft drinks, tea‑like bases, and spice mixes, typically at 0.5–2 % of product weight.

Colorants and tanning:
- Flavonoid‑rich extracts provide natural brown to amber hues on protein fibers; tannin content (~4–6 % of dry leaf material) offers moderate leather‑tanning activity, resulting in supple, antimicrobial finishes.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
- Volatile aromatic compounds from the root oil, dominated by anethole (~30 %), estragole (~20 %) and coumarin (~5 %), are used as fragrance components in perfumery; saponin‑rich extracts act as natural emollients and surfactants in skin‑care formulations.

Properties relevant to use:
- Glycyrrhizin concentration (~2–4 % dry weight) imparts intense sweetness and characteristic licorice flavor.
- Seed oil shows a linoleic‑acid fraction of 55–60 %, iodine value ≈130, saponification value ≈190 mg KOH g⁻¹, indicating suitability for drying‑oil applications and soap production.
- Flavonoids (liquiritin, isoliquiritin) contribute to natural brown dye formation through metal complexation.
- Saponins (4–6 % of dry root) exhibit surface‑active properties with critical micelle concentrations of 0.1–0.5 g L⁻¹ and high foaming power (foam height > 120 mm).
- Antioxidant activity (DPPH IC₅₀ ≈ 12 µg mL⁻¹) from flavonoids stabilizes dye colour and enhances product shelf‑life.

Standards and regulation:
- Glycyrrhizin from licorice roots is listed as flavoring substance E575 under Codex Alimentarius and EU Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008, permitting its use in foods at ≤ 0.01 % w/w unless otherwise specified.
- Natural textile dyes must meet ISO 16620‑1 colourfastness specifications for protein fibers and ISO 105‑B02 light‑fastness requirements.

Sustainability and sourcing:
- Glycyrrhiza triphylla is harvested from wild populations in Iran, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan; current annual dried‑root harvest is estimated at ~120 t, with sustainable collection guidelines recommending removal of no more than 30 % of mature plants per site.
- Pilot cultivation trials in semi‑arid agro‑ecosystems have shown seed‑oil yields of 0.8–1.2 t ha⁻¹, indicating potential for commercial oil production while reducing pressure on wild stocks; replanting programs and seed‑bank initiatives support conservation.

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