Background

Licorice is extensively and globally utilized as a medicinal herb and is one of the traditional Chinese herbal medicines with valuable pharmacological effects. Its therapeutic components primarily reside within its roots and rhizomes, classifying it as a tonifying herb. As more active ingredients in licorice are unearthed and characterized, licorice germplasm resources are gaining more and more recognition. However, due to the excessive exploitation of wild licorice resources, the degrading germplasm reserves fail to meet the requirements of chemical extraction and clinical application.

Aim of Review

This article presents a comprehensive review of the classification and phylogenetic relationships of species in genus Glycyrrhiza, types of active components and their pharmacological activities, licorice omics, biosynthetic pathways of active compounds in licorice, and metabolic engineering. It aims to offer a unique and comprehensive perspective on Glycyrrhiza, integrating knowledge from diverse fields to offer a comprehensive understanding of this genus. It will serve as a valuable resource and provide a solid foundation for future research and development in the molecular breeding and synthetic biology fields of Glycyrrhiza.

Key Scientific Concepts of Review

Licorice has an abundance of active constituents, primarily triterpenoids, flavonoids, and polysaccharides. Modern pharmacological research unveiled its multifaceted effects encompassing anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anticancer, antiviral, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective activities. Many resources of Glycyrrhiza species remain largely untapped, and multiomic studies of the Glycyrrhiza lineage are expected to facilitate new discoveries in the fields of medicine and human health. Therefore, strategies for breeding high-yield licorice plants and developing effective biosynthesis methods for bioactive compounds will provide valuable insights into resource conservation and drug development. Metabolic engineering and microorganism-based green production provide alternative strategies to improve the production efficiency of natural products.

中文翻译：

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甘草，一种常用的草药：物种分类、药理学、活性成分生物合成和合成生物学综述

 背景

甘草作为一种药草在全球范围内被广泛使用，是具有宝贵药理作用的传统中草药之一。它的治疗成分主要存在于其根和根茎中，将其归类为滋补草药。随着甘草中活性成分的挖掘和表征，甘草种质资源越来越得到认可。然而，由于野生甘草资源的过度开发，退化种质储备未能满足化学提取和临床应用的要求。

 审查目的

本文全面综述了甘草属物种的分类和系统发育关系、活性成分的类型及其药理活性、甘草组学、甘草中活性化合物的生物合成途径和代谢工程。它旨在提供对甘草的独特而全面的视角，整合来自不同领域的知识，以提供对该属的全面理解。它将作为宝贵的资源，并为甘草分子育种和合成生物学领域的未来研发提供坚实的基础。

综述的关键科学概念

甘草具有丰富的活性成分，主要是三萜类化合物、类黄酮和多糖。现代药理学研究揭示了其多方面的作用，包括抗炎、镇痛、抗癌、抗病毒、抗氧化和保肝活性。甘草物种的许多资源在很大程度上仍未开发，甘草谱系的多组学研究有望促进医学和人类健康领域的新发现。因此，培育高产甘草植物和开发生物活性化合物的有效生物合成方法的策略将为资源保护和药物开发提供有价值的见解。代谢工程和基于微生物的绿色生产为提高天然产物的生产效率提供了替代策略。