Present Situation and Strategies of Liquorices Industry in Ningxia

摘要

Based on the evaluation of Liquorices' value,the status of Liquorices industry in Ningxia was analyzed.Opportunities and challenges of Liquorices industry were discussed.In this study,the suggestion and the related proposals from the strategic stratification plane were put forward to the development of Liquorices industry in Ningxia.Liquorice(licorice)is the sweet root of Glycyrrhiza glabra,also known as Sweet Grass,Red Licorice,Pink Licorice,Dense Sweet,Dense Grass[1].The liquorice plant is a legume that is native to arid regions of southern Europe and parts of west Asia.As the superior pharmaceutical activity,liquorice is considered outstanding medicinal plant in the inese traditional medical writings,as early as 2000 years ago,"Shen Nong's Herbal Classic" listed it as the superior drug.Chinese physician Tao Hong-Jing revered licorice as "Panacea" and describe it as follow: "This is the most applicable drug; King of medicinal plants"[2].Another extraordinary Chinese pharmacologist Li Shi-Zhen said: "Licorice is the King of Drugs,it is a Pharyngitis Killer,Detoxification Promoter,and the best pharmaceutical additives." in his illustrious work "Compendium of Material Medica"[2].According to modern pharmacological research,licorice mainly contains large amounts of active ingredients such as licorice glycyrrhizin,glycyrrhetinic acid and licorice flavonoid[3],which widely used in adjusting biological immune function,anti-viral,anti-bacterial,anti-inflammatory,anti-allergic and other clinical applications[4].Recent studies showed,effective ingredient in licorice extract also has anti-biological synthesis effects on AIDS,Hepatitis B,and other viruses[5],by interfering the formation of virus plaque[6].These features make licorice has a great potential in developing the new pharmaceutical.The value of licorice was not just restricted to the medical fields; it is also an important sweetener and active component in skin care cosmetic.