Licorice is a hardy herb or under shrub, usually of 2 m height. It is tall, erect and a perennial plant with light, gracefully-spreading pinnate foliage and dark green lanceolate leaflets that hang down at night and have violet to lavender color flower. The roots are brown, long and cylindrical. Licorice is used internally for asthma, bronchitis, coughs, peptic ulcer, arthritis and allergic complaints and after steroid therapy. It is said to accelerate the healing of peptic ulcers. It is also used in Chinese medicine to revitalize the heart and for coughing and wheezing as well as detoxifying the body and digestive system.