The anti-inflammatory activity of licorice, a widely used Chinese herb
Context: Increasing incidence and impact of inflammatory diseases have encouraged the search of new pharmacological strategies to face them. Licorice has been used to treat inflammatory diseases since ancient times in China. Objective: To summarize the current knowledge on anti-inflammatory properti...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2017-01-01
|
| Series: | Pharmaceutical Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13880209.2016.1225775 |
| _version_ | 1818418015401672704 |
|---|---|
| author | Rui Yang Bo-Chuan Yuan Yong-Sheng Ma Shan Zhou Ying Liu |
| author_facet | Rui Yang Bo-Chuan Yuan Yong-Sheng Ma Shan Zhou Ying Liu |
| author_sort | Rui Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Context: Increasing incidence and impact of inflammatory diseases have encouraged the search of new pharmacological strategies to face them. Licorice has been used to treat inflammatory diseases since ancient times in China. Objective: To summarize the current knowledge on anti-inflammatory properties and mechanisms of compounds isolated from licorice, to introduce the traditional use, modern clinical trials and officially approved drugs, to evaluate the safety and to obtain new insights for further research of licorice. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct and ResearchGate were information sources for the search terms ‘licorice’, ‘licorice metabolites’, ‘anti-inflammatory’, ‘triterpenoids’, ‘flavonoids’ and their combinations, mainly from year 2010 to 2016 without language restriction. Studies were selected from Science Citation Index journals, in vitro studies with Jadad score less than 2 points and in vivo and clinical studies with experimental flaws were excluded. Results: Two hundred and ninety-five papers were searched and 93 papers were reviewed. Licorice extract, 3 triterpenes and 13 flavonoids exhibit evident anti-inflammatory properties mainly by decreasing TNF, MMPs, PGE2 and free radicals, which also explained its traditional applications in stimulating digestive system functions, eliminating phlegm, relieving coughing, nourishing qi and alleviating pain in TCM. Five hundred and fifty-four drugs containing licorice have been approved by CFDA. The side effect may due to the cortical hormone like action. Conclusion: Licorice and its natural compounds have demonstrated anti-inflammatory activities. More pharmacokinetic studies using different models with different dosages should be carried out, and the maximum tolerated dose is also critical for clinical use of licorice extract and purified compounds. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T12:15:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3d6e7b1baa0847ff98079dcb710be706 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1388-0209 1744-5116 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T12:15:57Z |
| publishDate | 2017-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmaceutical Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-3d6e7b1baa0847ff98079dcb710be7062022-12-21T23:01:37ZengTaylor & Francis GroupPharmaceutical Biology1388-02091744-51162017-01-0155151810.1080/13880209.2016.12257751225775The anti-inflammatory activity of licorice, a widely used Chinese herbRui Yang0Bo-Chuan Yuan1Yong-Sheng Ma2Shan Zhou3Ying Liu4School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese MedicineContext: Increasing incidence and impact of inflammatory diseases have encouraged the search of new pharmacological strategies to face them. Licorice has been used to treat inflammatory diseases since ancient times in China. Objective: To summarize the current knowledge on anti-inflammatory properties and mechanisms of compounds isolated from licorice, to introduce the traditional use, modern clinical trials and officially approved drugs, to evaluate the safety and to obtain new insights for further research of licorice. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct and ResearchGate were information sources for the search terms ‘licorice’, ‘licorice metabolites’, ‘anti-inflammatory’, ‘triterpenoids’, ‘flavonoids’ and their combinations, mainly from year 2010 to 2016 without language restriction. Studies were selected from Science Citation Index journals, in vitro studies with Jadad score less than 2 points and in vivo and clinical studies with experimental flaws were excluded. Results: Two hundred and ninety-five papers were searched and 93 papers were reviewed. Licorice extract, 3 triterpenes and 13 flavonoids exhibit evident anti-inflammatory properties mainly by decreasing TNF, MMPs, PGE2 and free radicals, which also explained its traditional applications in stimulating digestive system functions, eliminating phlegm, relieving coughing, nourishing qi and alleviating pain in TCM. Five hundred and fifty-four drugs containing licorice have been approved by CFDA. The side effect may due to the cortical hormone like action. Conclusion: Licorice and its natural compounds have demonstrated anti-inflammatory activities. More pharmacokinetic studies using different models with different dosages should be carried out, and the maximum tolerated dose is also critical for clinical use of licorice extract and purified compounds.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13880209.2016.1225775glycyrrhiza uralensis fisch.glycyrrhiza inflata bat.glycyrrhiza glabra l.glycyrrhizinglycyrrhetinic acidflavonoid |
| spellingShingle | Rui Yang Bo-Chuan Yuan Yong-Sheng Ma Shan Zhou Ying Liu The anti-inflammatory activity of licorice, a widely used Chinese herb Pharmaceutical Biology glycyrrhiza uralensis fisch. glycyrrhiza inflata bat. glycyrrhiza glabra l. glycyrrhizin glycyrrhetinic acid flavonoid |
| title | The anti-inflammatory activity of licorice, a widely used Chinese herb |
| title_full | The anti-inflammatory activity of licorice, a widely used Chinese herb |
| title_fullStr | The anti-inflammatory activity of licorice, a widely used Chinese herb |
| title_full_unstemmed | The anti-inflammatory activity of licorice, a widely used Chinese herb |
| title_short | The anti-inflammatory activity of licorice, a widely used Chinese herb |
| title_sort | anti inflammatory activity of licorice a widely used chinese herb |
| topic | glycyrrhiza uralensis fisch. glycyrrhiza inflata bat. glycyrrhiza glabra l. glycyrrhizin glycyrrhetinic acid flavonoid |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13880209.2016.1225775 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ruiyang theantiinflammatoryactivityoflicoriceawidelyusedchineseherb AT bochuanyuan theantiinflammatoryactivityoflicoriceawidelyusedchineseherb AT yongshengma theantiinflammatoryactivityoflicoriceawidelyusedchineseherb AT shanzhou theantiinflammatoryactivityoflicoriceawidelyusedchineseherb AT yingliu theantiinflammatoryactivityoflicoriceawidelyusedchineseherb AT ruiyang antiinflammatoryactivityoflicoriceawidelyusedchineseherb AT bochuanyuan antiinflammatoryactivityoflicoriceawidelyusedchineseherb AT yongshengma antiinflammatoryactivityoflicoriceawidelyusedchineseherb AT shanzhou antiinflammatoryactivityoflicoriceawidelyusedchineseherb AT yingliu antiinflammatoryactivityoflicoriceawidelyusedchineseherb |