Bioactive Constituents of Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Licorice): Discovery of the Effective Components of a Traditional Herbal Medicine

J Nat Prod. 2016 Feb 26;79(2):281-92. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.5b00877. Epub 2016 Feb 3.

Abstract

Traditional herbal medicines have been reported to possess significant bioactivities. In this investigation, a combined strategy using both phytochemical and biological approaches was conducted to discern the effective components of licorice, a widely used herbal medicine. Altogether, 122 compounds (1-122), including six new structures (1-6), were isolated and identified from the roots and rhizomes of Glycyrrhiza uralensis (licorice). These compounds were then screened using 11 cell- and enzyme-based bioassay methods, including Nrf2 activation, NO inhibition, NF-κB inhibition, H1N1 virus inhibition, cytotoxicity for cancer cells (HepG2, SW480, A549, MCF7), PTP1B inhibition, tyrosinase inhibition, and AChE inhibition. A number of bioactive compounds, particularly isoprenylated phenolics, were found for the first time. Echinatin (7), a potent Nrf2 activator, was selected as an example for further biological work. It attenuated CCl4-induced liver damage in mice (5 or 10 mg/kg, ip) and thus is responsible, at least in part, for the hepatoprotective activity of licorice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholinesterase
  • Animals
  • Carbon Tetrachloride / pharmacology
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal* / chemistry
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal* / isolation & purification
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal* / pharmacology
  • GPI-Linked Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Glycyrrhiza uralensis* / chemistry
  • Glycyrrhiza* / chemistry
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / drug effects
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology
  • Liver* / drug effects
  • Liver* / metabolism
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Macrophages / drug effects
  • Medicine, Traditional*
  • Mice
  • Molecular Structure
  • Monophenol Monooxygenase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • NF-kappa B / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Nitric Oxide / biosynthesis
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
  • Plant Roots / chemistry
  • Plants, Medicinal* / chemistry
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 1 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / chemistry
  • Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / isolation & purification
  • Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / pharmacology
  • Rhizome / chemistry
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Acetylcholinesterase
  • ACHE protein, human
  • Carbon Tetrachloride
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • GPI-Linked Proteins
  • indicine
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Monophenol Monooxygenase
  • NF-kappa B
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 1
  • PTPN1 protein, human
  • Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids