Licorice root for pharmaceutical manufacturing

Updated

Bogot Master supplies wild licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) from Khorezm, Uzbekistan, as a herbal substance: whole, cut or powdered. This page sets out what the pharmacopoeias require of liquorice root, and what goes into a supplier file. It describes the standards, not our test results: buyers test each load against the standard they name.

What pharmaceutical buyers buy

Manufacturers of herbal medicines buy the dried root and stolons of licorice, the herbal substance, in three states:

  • whole root, as sticks;
  • cut root, as slices, tablets, granules or crushed root;
  • powdered root.

They use it for herbal teas and for water extracts. In the EU, the herbal monograph on liquorice root covers the comminuted herbal substance and soft extracts made with water, and refers to the European Pharmacopoeia for the quality of the material (EMA).

Liquorice root in the pharmacopoeias

Liquiritiae radix is the pharmacopoeial name of liquorice root. The table compares what the European and Russian pharmacopoeias require, with the US food rule for comparison.

RequirementEuropean Pharmacopoeia 0277State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation, ФС.2.5.0040.15US 21 CFR 184.1408 (food use)
SpeciesG. glabra, G. inflata and G. uralensisG. glabra and G. uralensis, wild-growingG. glabra or other Glycyrrhiza species
Peeled or unpeeledBothBoth—
Marker18β-glycyrrhizic acid, not less than 4.0 %, on the dried drugGlycyrrhizic acid, not less than 6 %, on absolutely dry material (UV, 258 nm)Glycyrrhizin measured by a set AOAC method; no minimum
MoistureSee the monographNot more than 14 %—
Total ashSee the monographNot more than 8 %Not more than 9.5 %, anhydrous
Acid-insoluble ashSee the monographNot more than 2.5 %; whole peeled root, not more than 1 %Not more than 2.5 %, anhydrous
Foreign matterSee the monographOrganic and mineral matter each not more than 1 % (unpeeled), 0.5 % (peeled)—
Heavy metalsSee the monographBy the general monographNot more than 40 ppm (as lead); arsenic not more than 3 ppm
IdentificationSee the monographThin-layer chromatography against 18β-glycyrrhizic acid and quercetin reference standards—

The figures differ partly because each standard sets its own methods and basis: the Russian monograph measures glycyrrhizic acid by UV absorbance on absolutely dry material; the European one states its minimum on the dried drug. A lot that meets one standard is not automatically tested to another, so name the standard you buy to in your enquiry. The Russian figures are from the monograph's 2015 text; check the edition in force for your registration.

Glycyrrhizic acid content tends to follow root diameter and harvest season. If your specification sets a higher minimum, such as the Russian monograph's 6 %, say so in your enquiry: lots richer in glycyrrhizic acid can be selected.

If you buy to the United States Pharmacopeia, send its monograph with your enquiry; we do not quote it here.

Pharmacopoeial root is also tested for contaminants: heavy metals, pesticide residues, radionuclides and microbial contamination. The Russian monograph sets these by its general monographs (ОФС), not in its own text. Our product pages give the microbiology limits. Each load's certificate of analysis from the laboratory always covers glycyrrhizic acid, ash and moisture; heavy metals, pesticide residues and other tests are added when you name them in your enquiry.

Regulatory status in the EU

The European Medicines Agency's committee on herbal medicinal products has published an EU herbal monograph on Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat. and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., radix (Revision 1, adopted on 4 March 2026). It covers liquorice root preparations as traditional herbal medicinal products, under Article 16d(1) of Directive 2001/83/EC.

We supply the herbal substance; its medicinal use is a matter for the marketing-authorisation holder.

Species and identity

We supply Glycyrrhiza glabra L., the species named first by both pharmacopoeias. All of it is wild root, harvested across Khorezm under a permit from the National Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Ecology and Climate Change. The Russian monograph describes roots of wild-growing plants, collected at different times of the year.

The three licorice species can usually be told apart by typical compounds: glabridin for G. glabra, glycycoumarin for G. uralensis and licochalcone A for G. inflata. More on the species and how they differ is in our article on the plant.

Peeled or unpeeled

Both pharmacopoeias accept peeled and unpeeled root. The Russian monograph sets tighter limits for peeled root: acid-insoluble ash not more than 1 % for whole peeled root, and organic and mineral matter not more than 0.5 % each. We peel by hand and by machine, and peeled root needs no washing, because the soil comes off with the bark. See peeled sticks.

Soil left on unpeeled root shows up as acid-insoluble ash. If your specification is tight on it, ask for washed or peeled root: sticks and fingers are washed on request.

How the root is handled

Each product page lists its own steps. In outline:

  • Collection: wild root, dug across Khorezm all year round, except a few days of extreme cold.
  • Washing: root for slices and tablets is washed by machine, and so is the root that granules, crushed root and powder are made from. Sticks and fingers are washed on request; peeled root is not washed.
  • Cutting: sticks and fingers are cut by hand. Slices and tablets are cut by machine, after steaming, so the root cuts cleanly and keeps its colour.
  • Drying: in the open air, slices in the shade; in a dryer in cold or wet weather.
  • Cleaning and sorting: sticks and fingers turn in a drum sieve, where the pieces rub each other clean; cut root goes over sieves that remove the dust; slices A to C1 are sorted by hand.
  • Fumigation: every load, with phosphine (aluminium phosphide), before shipping. The root is never irradiated.

What goes in a supplier file

Available today:

  • Specification: for each grade, on its product page: identity, physical data, processing steps, quality and microbiology limits, storage and shelf life.
  • Certificate of analysis: for every export load, from a professional laboratory in Uzbekistan that you can choose: glycyrrhizic acid, ash and moisture always, and any other tests you ask for.
  • Free samples: 100–200 g of each grade, for companies; you pay the FedEx shipping, or use your own FedEx account.
  • Origin and species: wild G. glabra, harvested across Khorezm, Uzbekistan, all year round except a few days of extreme cold, under the national harvest permit.
  • Processing: the steps above, and in full on each product page.
  • Retained samples: we keep a sample of every shipment for one year.
  • Shipping documents: the phytosanitary certificate, the certificate of origin and the rest; see shipping and documents.
  • Audits and visits: your quality team is welcome to audit our site and records. We help with the visa and hotel and meet you at the airport.

The EMA's guideline on Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) says that compliance should be verified through regular audits of the collection sites and processing facilities by the buyer's experts. We welcome them.

Forms we supply

For a quote, a sample or an audit visit, use the button below.

Sources