Glycyrrhizic Acid and Its Hydrolyzed Metabolite 18β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid as Specific Ligands for Targeting Nanosystems in the Treatment of Liver Cancer
Glycyrrhizic acid and its hydrolyzed metabolite 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid, obtained from the plant <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i>, have numerous pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcerative, antiallergic, immunomodulatory, antiviral, antitumor, hepatoprotective, and an...
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Pharmaceutics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/13/11/1792 |
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| author | Luciano A. Stecanella Antonio P. R. Bitencourt Gustavo Richter Vaz Eride Quarta José O. C. Silva Júnior Alessandra Rossi |
| author_facet | Luciano A. Stecanella Antonio P. R. Bitencourt Gustavo Richter Vaz Eride Quarta José O. C. Silva Júnior Alessandra Rossi |
| author_sort | Luciano A. Stecanella |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Glycyrrhizic acid and its hydrolyzed metabolite 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid, obtained from the plant <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i>, have numerous pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcerative, antiallergic, immunomodulatory, antiviral, antitumor, hepatoprotective, and antioxidant effects, and others. In addition to the pharmacological activities, in the 1980s, an interaction and uptake of these molecules by the liver was verified, which was later confirmed by other studies through the discovery of specific receptors in the hepatocytes. The presence of these specific receptors in the liver led to vectorization and delivery of drugs, by the introduction of glycyrrhizic acid or glycyrrhetinic acid on the surface of nanosystems, for the treatment of liver diseases. This review describes experimental evidence of vectorization by conjugating glycyrrhizic acid or glycyrrhetinic acid to nanosystems and delivery of antitumor drugs for the treatment of liver cancer and also describes the techniques used to perform this conjugation. We have shown that due to the existence of specific receptors for these molecules, in addition to the targeting of nanosystems to hepatocytes, nanosystems having glycyrrhizic acid or glycyrrhetinic acid on their surface had the same therapeutic effect in a significantly lower dose compared to the free drug and unconjugated nanosystems, with consequent reduction of side effects and toxicity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:08:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1504cb8602084cd19ea84b4a22e4f8e6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4923 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:08:38Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmaceutics |
| spelling | doaj.art-1504cb8602084cd19ea84b4a22e4f8e62023-11-23T00:57:40ZengMDPI AGPharmaceutics1999-49232021-10-011311179210.3390/pharmaceutics13111792Glycyrrhizic Acid and Its Hydrolyzed Metabolite 18β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid as Specific Ligands for Targeting Nanosystems in the Treatment of Liver CancerLuciano A. Stecanella0Antonio P. R. Bitencourt1Gustavo Richter Vaz2Eride Quarta3José O. C. Silva Júnior4Alessandra Rossi5Laboratory R&D Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic, Federal University of Pará, Street Augusto Correa 01, Belém 66075-110, BrazilLaboratory R&D Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic, Federal University of Pará, Street Augusto Correa 01, Belém 66075-110, BrazilDepartment of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, 43124 Parma, ItalyDepartment of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, 43124 Parma, ItalyLaboratory R&D Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic, Federal University of Pará, Street Augusto Correa 01, Belém 66075-110, BrazilDepartment of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, 43124 Parma, ItalyGlycyrrhizic acid and its hydrolyzed metabolite 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid, obtained from the plant <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i>, have numerous pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcerative, antiallergic, immunomodulatory, antiviral, antitumor, hepatoprotective, and antioxidant effects, and others. In addition to the pharmacological activities, in the 1980s, an interaction and uptake of these molecules by the liver was verified, which was later confirmed by other studies through the discovery of specific receptors in the hepatocytes. The presence of these specific receptors in the liver led to vectorization and delivery of drugs, by the introduction of glycyrrhizic acid or glycyrrhetinic acid on the surface of nanosystems, for the treatment of liver diseases. This review describes experimental evidence of vectorization by conjugating glycyrrhizic acid or glycyrrhetinic acid to nanosystems and delivery of antitumor drugs for the treatment of liver cancer and also describes the techniques used to perform this conjugation. We have shown that due to the existence of specific receptors for these molecules, in addition to the targeting of nanosystems to hepatocytes, nanosystems having glycyrrhizic acid or glycyrrhetinic acid on their surface had the same therapeutic effect in a significantly lower dose compared to the free drug and unconjugated nanosystems, with consequent reduction of side effects and toxicity.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/13/11/1792glycyrrhizic acidglycyrrhetinic acidliver cancernanosystemsdrug targeting |
| spellingShingle | Luciano A. Stecanella Antonio P. R. Bitencourt Gustavo Richter Vaz Eride Quarta José O. C. Silva Júnior Alessandra Rossi Glycyrrhizic Acid and Its Hydrolyzed Metabolite 18β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid as Specific Ligands for Targeting Nanosystems in the Treatment of Liver Cancer Pharmaceutics glycyrrhizic acid glycyrrhetinic acid liver cancer nanosystems drug targeting |
| title | Glycyrrhizic Acid and Its Hydrolyzed Metabolite 18β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid as Specific Ligands for Targeting Nanosystems in the Treatment of Liver Cancer |
| title_full | Glycyrrhizic Acid and Its Hydrolyzed Metabolite 18β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid as Specific Ligands for Targeting Nanosystems in the Treatment of Liver Cancer |
| title_fullStr | Glycyrrhizic Acid and Its Hydrolyzed Metabolite 18β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid as Specific Ligands for Targeting Nanosystems in the Treatment of Liver Cancer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Glycyrrhizic Acid and Its Hydrolyzed Metabolite 18β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid as Specific Ligands for Targeting Nanosystems in the Treatment of Liver Cancer |
| title_short | Glycyrrhizic Acid and Its Hydrolyzed Metabolite 18β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid as Specific Ligands for Targeting Nanosystems in the Treatment of Liver Cancer |
| title_sort | glycyrrhizic acid and its hydrolyzed metabolite 18β glycyrrhetinic acid as specific ligands for targeting nanosystems in the treatment of liver cancer |
| topic | glycyrrhizic acid glycyrrhetinic acid liver cancer nanosystems drug targeting |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/13/11/1792 |
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