Glycyrrhiza Uralensis

Glycyrrhiza uralensis, commonly known as Chinese licorice, is a species in the legume family that has held a significant place in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for thousands of years. Revered for its sweet flavor and potent medicinal properties, the roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis are particularly prized.

The plant contains up to 300 active compounds, with its primary bioactive constituents being triterpenoid saponins, such as glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhetinic acid, and liquiritic acid. Additionally, it is rich in flavonoids, including liquiritin, liquiritigenin, and neoliquiritin, as well as isoflavonoids like glabridin, glabrene, and formononetin. The plant also contains chalcone glycosides, such as isoliquiritigenin, neoisoliquiritin, and licochalcone A, B, C, and D, alongside amino acids like asparagine and glabrine, and various polysaccharides. These compounds contribute to its wide range of therapeutic effects, making Glycyrrhiza uralensis an essential component in herbal medicine.

Liquiritin

Liquiritin is a notable flavonoid compound found in the roots of licorice, recognized as one of the primary active constituents contributing to the plant's diverse pharmacological effects. This compound exhibits a range of therapeutic properties, including antidepressant-like, neuroprotective, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. Furthermore, liquiritin has demonstrated the ability to mitigate advanced glycation end products (AGEs)-induced endothelial dysfunction through the RAGE/NF-κB signaling pathway in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. This mechanism suggests that liquiritin holds promise as a potential therapeutic agent for addressing vasculopathy in diabetic patients.

Liquiritigenin

Liquiritigenin, a flavanone compound originally isolated from Glycyrrhiza uralensis and prevalent across various Glycyrrhiza species, exhibits notable estrogenic properties by selectively activating the β-subtype of the estrogen receptor. This compound has demonstrated a spectrum of beneficial effects, including anti-inflammatory, antihyperlipidemic, and antiallergic activities. Significantly, liquiritigenin has shown a dose-dependent efficacy in alleviating mechanical, thermal, and cold hyperalgesia, underscoring its potential as a novel therapy for neuropathic pain. Additionally, it shows promising antitumor activity in pituitary adenoma cells, largely through mechanisms involving the Ras/ERK and ROS-dependent mitochondrial signaling pathways.

Glabridin

Glabridin, a chemical compound found in the root extract of licorice, is an isoflavane belonging to the isoflavonoid family. It acts as a positive modulator of GABAA receptors, promoting fatty acid oxidation and enhancing learning and memory. Glabridin is renowned for its diverse biological activities, including antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, anti-metastatic, anti-melanogenesis, and neuroprotective effects. It also functions as an estrogen receptor agonist. Research indicates that glabridin may hold therapeutic potential for managing metabolic disorders such as diabetes and hyperglycemia. This is achieved through the modulation of glucose metabolism, particularly by activating AMPK pathways in skeletal muscle cells.

Glycyrrhizic Acid

Glycyrrhizic acid (GA) is a triterpene glycoside extracted from licorice, known for its diverse therapeutic properties. It exhibits anti-tumor, antiviral, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, and anti-diabetic activities. GA acts as a direct inhibitor of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), thereby suppressing HMGB1-dependent inflammatory molecule expression and oxidative stress. Additionally, it modulates signaling pathways by affecting p38 and phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (P-JNK), though it does not influence phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) signaling. Moreover, glycyrrhizic acid inhibits the activities of 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and monoamine oxidase (MAO).

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