ácido glicirretínico glycyrrhetinic acid
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| Language pair: | Spanish to English |
| Definition / notes: | GLYCYRRHETINIC ACID ****************** I. General Description Perennial, warm temperate zone (Old and New Worlds) herb or subshrub, 3-7 feet high, with light, spreading, pinnate foliage (feathery appearance) and spikes of small blue, violet, cream colored flowers. Genus Glycyrrhiza contains 14 species with G. Glabra being the chief source of the drug. Parts used are dried runners and roots, harvested in autumn of the third or fourth season. One of the most extensively used and scientifically investigated herbal products II. Chemical Composition Major active component is glycyrrhizin (6-10%). Glycyrrhizin is cleaved by intestinal flora to glycyrrhetinic acid and a disaccharide. Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) is a licorice extract with the glycyrrhizin removed. Other important constituents include flavonoids, isoflavonoids, chalcones, coumarins, triterpenoids, sterols, starch (2-20%), sucrose and glucose (3-14%), lignins, amino acids, amines, gums, volatile oils. III. History and Folk Use Use dates back several thousand years in both Western and Eastern cultures. Traditional uses: peptic ulcers, asthma, pharyngitis, malaria, abdominal pain, insomnia, infections. Also used as a vehicle for disguising taste of acrid / bitter medicines. Other uses: brewers add licorice to porter and stout beer to give thickness and blackness; black licorice is used in manufacture of tobacco. IV. Pharmacology (active compounds are glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhetinic acid, and flavonoids). Estrogenic activity 1. alterative action on estrogen metabolism. 2. estrogenic activity is due to its isoflavone content. 3. glycyrrhetinic acid antagonizes estrogens 4. experimental animal studies using crude licorice extract suggest estrogenic activity of isoflavones is more important than estrogen antagonism of glycyrrhetic acid. Pseudoaldosterone activity causes loss of potassium along with sodium and water retention, resulting in increased blood pressure. results from glycyrrhetinic acid inhibition of aldosterone breakdown by 5-beta-reductase in the liver. 5-beta reductase also responsible for inactivating cortisol and progesterone in addition to aldosterone. Antiinflammatory antiallergic activity 1. "cortisol-like-effects" plus antagonism of negative effects of cortisol (increased cholesterol synthesis, thymus atrophy, adrenal atrophy). 2."cortisol-like-effects" of licorice include: inhibition of antibody formation, inhibition of stress reaction and inflammation. 3. "cortisol-like-effects" of licorice are due to inhibition of cortisol degradation in the liver by 5-beta-reductase, and inhibition of phospholipase A2 (first step in the synthesis of inflammatory prostaglandins and leukotrienes). Immunostimulatory /antiviral effects 1. glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhetinic acid induce interferons. 2. interferons bind to cell surfaces, and stimulate synthesis of intracellular proteins that block viral DNA. 3. interferons also activate macrophages, and increase natural killer cell activity. 4. viruses inhibited include: vaccina, Newcastle disease, vesicular stomatitis, herpes simplex 1 (irreversible), HIV. Antibacterial activity alcohol extracts show in vitro activity against Staph aureus, Strep mitans, Mycobacterium smegmatis, Candida albicans. majority of effects are due to isoflavonoids. Antihepatotoxic activity inhibition of chemically-induced liver damage in animal studies. mechanism believed to be inhibition of free radical formation by NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase. V. Clinical Uses of Licorice Oral Deglycyrrhinized licorice (DGL) peptic ulcers (most popular) canker sores Viral infections Inflammation Menstrual and menopausal disorders Topical glycyrrhetinic acid Herpes Eczema Psoriasis |
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