Cytoprotective Activity of Glycyrrhizae radix Extract Against Arsenite-induced Cytotoxicity

Kim, Sang Chan; Park, Sook Jahr; Lee, Jong Rok; Seo, Jung Cheol; Yang, Chae Ha; Byun, Sung Hui

Licorice, G. radix, is very common in most of the polyherbal preparations in oriental medicine. For example, 70 of 110 prescriptions in one Chinese medicine text book include G. radix. Licorice extract is believed to have life-enhancing properties, as well as curing and detoxifying effects against injury or swelling. In the United States and European countries, G. radix products are currently used as flavoring or sweetening agents for tobaccos, chewing gums, candies or beverages and are consumed in large quantities at approximately 1.5 kg per person per year (1). Glycyrrhizae radix prevents carcinogenesis induced by toxicants and hormones (24) . It suppressed estradiolinduced expression of c-Fos/Jun in the uterine corpus, and prevented endometrial carcinogenesis (25) . Glycyrrhizae radix comprises flavonoids and pentacyclic triterpene saponins as the major constituents, which include liquiritin, liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin, liquiritin apioside, glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhizic acid. Glycyrrhizin is reported to be one of the most important constituents with a content variation from minimum 4% to maximum 13% of the dried root weight (1). Glycyrrhizin and 3-glycyrrhetinic monodesmoside suppressed lactate dehydrogenase leakage and malonedialdehyde release in rats subjected to ischemia-reperfusion (26) , showing the anti-oxidative function of these compounds. We also reported that licorice and liquiritigenin prevented Cd-induced apoptosis, and Cd-induced non-apoptotic cell death, irrespective of sulfhydryl deficiency, whereas liquiritin, isoliquiritigenin or glycyrrhizin did not prevent Cd-induced cell death (3, 27) .