PURPOSE: To obtain liquiritin as an active ingredient of licorice, by removing the solvent from the licorice extract with hot methanol, conducting distribution extraction of the residue with water and n-butanol, concentrating the n-butanol layer and removing insolubles by dissolving it in hot water.

CONSTITUTION: Licorice is extracted with methanol or ethanol under reflux, then the solvent is distilled off at temperature lower 60°C, the concentrate is subjected to distribution extraction using water and n-butanol at room temperature. The distribution extraction is conducted by dissolving the concentration in 5W10 fold weight of water, adding an equal or more amount, based on the water, of n-butanol which is saturated with water, mixing and settling the mixture. The collected n-butanol layer is washed with water, concentrated, dissolved in hot water to remove the insolubles. The filtrate is concentrated, the concentrate is allowed to stand and remove the insolubles. Then, the residue is dissolved in hot water, then cooled down by standing. The precipitate is recrystallized from aqueous lower alcohol to give liquiritin of the formula (R is glucosyl).