Therapeutic Potential of Widely Used Unani Drug Asl-Us-Soos (Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn.): A Systematic Review

Abstract

Plants have been one of the important sources of therapeutics or other human health benefits  since the beginning of human civilization throughout history. Currently, there is increasing awareness and general acceptability of the use of herbs, as a medicines, health products, pharmaceuticals, food supplements, cosmetics etc. Traditional system of medicine including Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha etc. contributed in Health care dealing worldwide. The Unani system of medicine (USM) is an age old system of medicine which has a holistic approach to treat various kind of disease; most of the time the drugs mentioned in this system has tremendous effects in chronic disease.

Asl-Us-Soos (Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn), is a widely used herb in USM. Although the review articles on this plant are already published, this review article is presented to comply all the updated information on its therapeutic potency based on phytoconstituents and pharmacological activities and the potency which is described by renowned Unani physicians and scholars. The evidence based studies provides strengthen to the concept of Unani physicians as the Unani physician used and recommended the drug since along. Moreover the evidence based studies indicate that Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn possesses antibacterial, antioxidant, antimalarial, antispasmodic, expectorant, aphrodisiac, antimycobacterial activity, antiinflammatory and anti-hyper glycemic properties. Various other effects like antiulcer, antiviral, antihepatotoxic, antifungal and herpes simplex have also been studies. These results are very encouraging and indicate that this Unani drug can be studies more extensively with a well-planned and systematic scientific preclinical and clinical approach to explore the promising outcome. Further this review gives an account of the current knowledge on the morphological characters, microscopic characters, phytochemistry, and pharmacological actions present in root of Glycyrrhiza glabra along with its actions and therapeutic potential in the perspective of USM.

Keywords: Glycyrrhiza glabra, therapeutic potential, USM