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

Although there is a lack of well-controlled experiments investigating the effect of licorice extract on cytotoxicity, glycyrrhizin, a major active component of licorice roots (4) , prevented development of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis C patients (5) , protected aflatoxin-induced cytotoxicity (6) , and inhibited replication of the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) associated virus in patients (7) and of the HIV in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (8) . In addition, we showed that G. radix and its component, liquiritigenin, could inhibit cadmium (Cd)-induced toxicity in a rat-derived hepatocyte cell line (3) . Liquiritigenin was also reported to have hepatoprotective effects against acetaminophen-induced acute injuries in rats (9) . Arsenic (As) as a toxic metal affects the functions of mitochondrial enzymes and subsequently impairs tissue respiration, which is believed to cause its cytotoxicity (10, 11) . Chronic exposure to arsenic can cause severe jaundice, liver cirrhosis (12, 13) , ascites and cancer (14, 15) . In Bangladesh and India, about 100 million people are at risk of As poisoning because of drinking groundwater contaminated with As (16) . Although homeopathic arsenic remedy was reported to alleviate As poisoning in humans (17, 18) , attempts to remove As have mostly been unsuccessful.