What is Mulethi?

About Mulethi:

• Mulethi,  commonly known as licorice, is a sweet-tasting perennial shrub.
• Scientific name: Glycyrrhiza glabra
• The roots have a sweet taste due to the presence of glycyrrhizin, which is 50 times sweeter than sucrose. 
• It has been traditionally known and used as medicine in Ayurveda (known in Ayurveda as ‘Yashtimadhu’)  for rejuvenation.
• Uses of Mulethi:
• Herbal medicines use Mulethi for its natural sweetness.
• It is also used in traditional medicines against chest and lung diseases.
• It is used to flavor candies, tobacco, and alcohol, artificial and natural sweeteners.
• Health Benefits of Mulethi:
• It has anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-bacterial properties.
• It is known to boost immunity due to the increase in the production of macrophage and lymphocytes.
• Mulethi herb can treat asthma, cough, cold, sore throat, and other respiratory ailments. 
• It helps in weight loss as it contains flavonoids that help to reduce excessive fats accumulated in the body. 
• It helps improve the digestive system, lessens the acidic level in the intestines, and also helps to detox our body.
• Distribution:
• The plant thrives in a dry and sunny climate and is cultivated in subtropical and warm temperate regions.
• Countries producing licorice include Iran, Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Turkey.
• It is also cultivated in Punjab and Sub Himalayan tracts in India.

Q1)  What is glycyrrhizin ?

Glycyrrhizin is a saponin-like compound that provides the main sweet flavor for Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice), with potential immunomodulating, anti-inflammatory, hepato- and neuro-protective, and antineoplastic activities.

Source: Himachal Pradesh to become first state in India to have organised cultivation of Mulethi

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