ISO 19015:2025

International
Standard
ISO 19015
First edition
Traditional Chinese medicine —
2025-06
Glycyrrhiza uralensis and
Glycyrrhiza glabra seeds and
seedlings
Médecine traditionnelle chinoise — Graines et plants de
Glycyrrhiza uralensis et de Glycyrrhiza glabra
Reference number
© ISO 2025
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ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Descriptions . 3
5 Requirements and recommendations . 6
5.1 General characteristics .6
5.2 Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Glycyrrhiza glabra seeds .6
5.3 Glycyrrhiza uralensis seedlings.7
6 Sampling . 7
6.1 Seed sampling . .7
6.2 Seedling sampling .8
7 Test methods . 8
7.1 External test .8
7.2 Purity .8
7.3 Maturity .8
7.4 Seed viability .8
7.5 Germination percentage .8
7.6 Seed moisture content .8
7.7 1 000-seed mass .9
7.8 Nematode testing .9
7.9 Seedling mass .9
7.10 Hibernaculum diameter .9
7.11 Root length .9
8 Test report . 9
9 Packaging, storage and transportation . 9
10 Marking . .10
Bibliography .11

iii
Foreword
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iv
Introduction
Liquorice is one of the most frequently used medicinal plants and has been used as a traditional Chinese
medicine (TCM) for more than 4 000 years. It is widely used in medicine, food and cosmetics industry
worldwide. It is rich in triterpenoids and flavonoids, such as ammonium glycyrrhizinate, glycyrrhizin,
liquiritin, liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin, isoliquiritin, glabridin, and has antitumor, antimicrobial, antiviral,
antiinflammatory, immunoregulatory, antioxidant and other effects. It is included in the Pharmacopoeia of
the People's Republic of China, European Pharmacopoeia, Japanese Pharmacopoeia, Korean Pharmacopoeia
and United States Pharmacopoeia. It is also used as a sweetener, an antioxidant, an antibacterial agent, a
foaming agent and a flavour enhancer. Meanwhile, it is a food additive approved by the European Union,
the United States, China and other countries (or regions). Glabridin is recognized as a safe whitening agent
because it has a significant inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity and has low toxicity to melanocytes.
Between 2019 and 2021, a total of 119 countries (or regions) engaged in international trade of liquorice
products. 3 countries (or regions) only exported and 60 countries (or regions) only imported liquorice
products. 56 countries (or regions) both exported and imported liquorice products. It is ranked no. 1 in the
priority list of single herbal medicines for developing standards in ISO/TR 23975.
Three original plants, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., Glycyrrhiza glabra L. and Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat. are
defined as liquorice in the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China, European Pharmacopoeia and
Korean Pharmacopoeia. Due to high-intensity anthropogenic activities that cause habitat destruction and
uncontrolled exploitation, liquorice resources have become increasingly limited. With the development of
artificial cultivation technology geared towards meeting the growing market demands, cultivated varieties
of liquorice have become the primary source of liquorice products. At present, only G. uralensis and G. glabra
have realized the large-scale cultivation. High quality seeds and seedlings are the assurance of the efficacy
and safety of clinical drug use. In the production of G. uralensis and G. glabra, the problems of confusion,
heterozygosity and uneven quality of seeds and seedlings often occur. At present, an international
standard for G. uralensis and G. glabra seeds and seedlings is absent. Therefore, it is urgent to formulate
an international standard for G. uralensis and G. glabra seeds and seedlings. It is the requirement of the
global trade and production. It can ensure the higher productivity and better product quality from origin
and benefit seed or seedling trading, plantation and the related pharmaceutical industry.

v
International Standard ISO 19015:2025(en)
Traditional Chinese medicine — Glycyrrhiza uralensis and
Glycyrrhiza glabra seeds and seedlings
1 Scope
This document specifies the requirements and test methods of Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Glycyrrhiza glabra
seeds and seedlings.
This document is applicable to Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Glycyrrhiza glabra seeds and Glycyrrhiza uralensis
seedlings that are sold for the production of Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Glycyrrhiza glabra root as natural
medicines in international trade including Chinese materia medica (whole medicinal materials) and
decoction pieces.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 21371, Traditional Chinese medicine — Labelling requirements of products intended for oral or topical use
ISO 22217, Traditional Chinese medicine —Storage requirements for raw materials and decoction pieces
International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), International Rules for Seed Testing
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
seed lot
specified quantity of the seed (3.7) that is physically and u
...