Licorice contains
glycyrrhizin, saponins, asparagine, sugars, resin, bitter principles, a volatile oil, and
other compounds. The main constituents of licorice are the triterpenoid saponin
glycyrrhizin and a mixture of calcium and potassium salts of glycyrrhizinic acid. Other
constituents include triterpenoid saponins (glabridin, glycyrrhetol, glabrolide, and
isoglabrolide), isoflavones (formononetin, neoliquiritin, glabrone and hispaglabridin),
triterpene sterols (onocerin,
b
-amyrin and stigmasterol), and coumarins
(herniarin and umbelliferone). The hydrophobic fraction of licorice contains
glabridin, the main ingredient, and several flavonoids, while the main
constituents of the hydrophilic fraction are glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhetinic acid.