Chemical constituents and chemotaxonomic study of Glycyrrhiza glabra L

Twenty compounds were obtained from Glycyrrhiza glabra L., which were divided as fatty alcohols (1 and 5), sterols (2, 4 and 8), triterpenes (3, 6 and 7), flavones (9, 12–15), coumarins (10, 11, 19 and 20) and stilbenes (16–18). The chemotaxonomic significance of G. glabra and the other species among Fabaceae was also discussed. As a result, genus Glycyrrhiza may have close relationships with genera Caesalpinia and Dalbergia, and Trib. Galegeae may have close relationships with Caesalpinieae, Desmodieae, Dipterygeae and Millettieae. •Twenty compounds are reported and elucidated from G. glabra L.•Six compounds were firstly isolated from this plant.•Glycyrrhiza may have close relationships with Caesalpinia and Dalbergia.