| Summary: | <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> or licorice has long been known as a commonly used Ayurvedic herb. This study aims to investigate the effect of extraction methods on the chemical composition and biologically active properties of <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> extract samples. The highest yield of the <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> extract (21.31 ± 0.64 wt.%) was produced using the Soxhlet extraction method with methanol. The highest concentrations of biologically active substances (3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, n-coumaric acid, luteolin-7-glucoside, acacetin, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, chicoric acid, and hesperetin) were found in these samples of <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> extracts. When applying the maceration method using a mixture of solvents methanol-NaOH, rosmarinic acid was identified, and catechin was found in large quantities with a mixture of methanol-trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). Growth inhibition zones were determined for <i>Escherichia coli</i> (13.6 ± 0.41 mm), <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> (10.8 ± 0.32 mm), <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> (16.1 ± 0.48 mm), and <i>Candida albicans</i> (13.2 ± 0.39 mm) when exposed to samples of <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> extracts obtained by the Soxhlet method with methanol. The antioxidant activity of <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> extract samples obtained by the Soxhlet method was 117.62 ± 7.91 µmol Trolox equivalent/g, using the ABTS method (highest value), and 23.91 ± 1.12 µmol Trolox equivalent/g according to the FRAP method (smallest). The antioxidant activity of the extract samples according to the DPPH method was an intermediate value of 58.16 ± 3.90 µmol Trolox equivalent/g. Antibacterial and antioxidant activities are manifested by the polyphenolic compounds and flavonoids contained in the samples of the methanol extract of <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> produced using the Soxhlet method. These <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> extract samples have the potential to become a natural alternative to existing therapies for the elimination of bacterial infections or the prevention of premature aging caused by free radicals and oxidative stress in the human body.
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