Effects of liquorice extract on cardiac fibroblasts fibrosis induced by TGF-β1 / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

AIM: To investigate the effect of liquorice extract on TGF-β1-induced myocardial fibroblast (CFs) fibrosis. METHODS: 10 ng/mL TGF-β1 induced CFs to establish myocardial fibrosis cell model. Fibrotic cells were treated with liquorice extract and the cell activity was detected by MTT assay. CCK-8 was used to detect the effect of liquorice extract on CFs proliferation. The expression of smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was detected by immunofluorescence. Western blot was used to detect TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway related proteins and p-Smad2, p-Smad3 expression levels. The mRNA expression levels of Smad2, Smad3 and Smad4 were detected by RT-PCR. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, there were statistically significant differences in cell activity (P<0.05). The cell proliferation rate of glycyrrhiza uralensis extract groups was significantly lower than that of TGF-β1 group (P<0.05). The expression levels of α-SMA and TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway related proteins in 100 μg/mL liquorice extract were significantly lower than those in TGF-β1 group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Glycyrrhiza extract can improve the occurrence and development of TGF-β1-induced myocardial fibrosis, and its mechanism maybe related to the inhibition of TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.

Study on the substance basis of "property-taste-efficacy" of Liquorice and Rhizoma chinensis based on supramolecular system induced by weak bond / 药学学报

It is a common understanding that turbidity and precipitation of traditional Chinese medicine are easy to occur in the process of decocting. At present, our research group found that the cause of "multi-phase of traditional Chinese medicine decoction" mainly came from the interaction between the effective components of traditional Chinese medicine, especially the interaction of acid and base components. For example, the Liquorice and Rhizoma chinensis was a supramolecular system formed by a large number of active components in the decoction (>30%), and could stably exist in the decoction system. In this study, the supramolecular part was extracted, and the morphology of the supramolecular part was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. It was observed that the supramolecular particles were uniform in size and regular in shape. The main components of supramolecular sites were identified by liquid mass spectrometry (LC-MSn). The results of UV and IR spectra showed that the chemical components of Liquorice and Rhizoma chinensis in the co-decocting process collided with each other, and weak bonds were formed between the functional groups of the molecules, which then induced the aggregation to form supramolecules. Thereafter, Through the diarrhea model of mice, sensory evaluation and antibacterial activity evaluation found that Liquorice and Rhizoma chinensis decocted together enhanced the antibacterial activity of Rhizoma, and compatibility "reconcile" Rhizoma "big bitter cold" property compared with single decoction group and interval administration group. All animal experiments were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, and the relevant regulations of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine on experimental animals were strictly followed. In this study, supramolecular chemistry method was used to preliminarily discuss the scientific connotation of "increasing efficiency and decreasing toxicity" of Liquorice and Rhizoma chinensis combined decoction from three perspectives of "property, efficacy and taste", and provide new ideas for the basic research of "reconcile" compatibility of Liquorice.

Therapeutic benefits of liquorice in dentistry

Oral health influences general well-being and quality of life. Oral diseases can be debilitating and are amajor heath concern worldwide. Medicinal plants have been used for thousands of years for treatinghuman diseases. Considering the emergence of multi-drug resistant pathogens and financial difficultiesin developing countries, there is an urgent need for developing new antimicrobial compounds which aresafe, efficient and cost effective. Liquorice also known as yashtimadhu, sweetwood or mulhatti is onesuch herbal remedy which has shown to have immense potential in treatment of orofacial diseases.Liquorice is rich in secondary metabolites which are used in cosmetics, foods, traditional and modernmedicine. It has well known properties such as antiviral, glucocorticoid, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant,anti-ulcerative, anti-carcinogenic and many more. Liquorice extracts and liquorice bioactive ingredientssuch as glabridin, licoricidin, licorisoflavan A, licochalcone A, and glycyrrhizin have shown beneficialeffects in preventing and treating oral diseases. This paper reviews the effects of liquorice and its constituents on oral diseases such as dental caries, periodontitis, gingivitis, candidiasis, recurrent aphthousulcer and oral cancer and its use as a root canal medicament and summarizes the results of clinical trialsthat investigated the potential beneficial effects of liquorice and its constituents as a prevention andtreatment modality in oral diseases. Clinical trials, case reports and review of literature evaluating theeffect of liquorice on oral microorganisms and oral diseases are included. Literature pertaining to theeffects of liquorice on systemic diseases have been excluded from this review of literature.© 2018 Transdisciplinary University, Bangalore and World Ayurveda Foundation. Publishing Services byElsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Experimental Study on Enhancing the Antitussive Efficacy and Reducing the Toxicity of Dioscorea bulbifera L. by the Processing Technology / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of different processing methods on antitussive and hepatotoxicity of Dioscorea bulbifera L.. METHODS The raw and processed products of Dioscorea bulbifera L., fried Dioscorea bulbifera L. (FD), wine-fried Dioscorea bulbifera L. (WD), liquorice liquid-fried Dioscorea bulbifera L. (LD) and angelicae liquid-fried Dioscorea bulbifera L. (AD) were administered to mice at a dose of 1.7 g•kg-1 for 7 d. The effects of processing on the cough relief of Dioscorea bulbifera L. were evaluated by the cough test induced by concentrated ammonia water. The detoxification effect and the preliminary mechanism of processing on Dioscorea bulbifera L. were evaluated by the detection and analysis of the relevant indicators. RESULTS: Compared with the RD group, LD and AD group had longer cough latency (P0.05). Compared with the AD group, there were more coughing times in LD group (P0.05) in mice induced by concentrated ammonia water. The intervention of WD only had significant reversal effect on the low GST level of liver (P0.05). CONCLUSION: Processing with Angelica sinensis and licorice could enhance the antitussive effect of Dioscorea bulbifera L. and reduce its hepatotoxicity. The mechanism of attenuation may be related to the inhibition of lipid peroxidation and the enhancement of antioxidant level in liver. The antitussive effect of two kinds of processing, stir-fried and wine-fried, is only effective, but no synergistic effect, no toxic effect and no attenuation effect are found.

Metabolomics study on reduction of hepatotoxic of Tripterygium wilfordii processed by liquorice based on LC-MS / 中草药

Objective: To observe the effect of Tripterygium wilfordii processed by liquorice on the metabolites in the serum of mice, and to explore its possible metabolic pathways to reduce hepatotoxicity. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control (Con) group, raw T. wilfordii (Raw) group, and T. wilfordii processed by liquorice (Pro) group. Liver histopathological sections and biochemical indexes of liver function and inflammatory factors were detected. LC-MS technology combined with metabolomics methods were used to characterize the differences in metabolism between each group. Results: Compared with Raw group, the liver injury of mice in Pro group was significantly improved, the levels of biochemical indicators and inflammatory factors were significantly decreased, which indicated that TwHF could reduce the hepatotoxicity of mice after processing by liquorice. Twelve potential biomarkers including hexadecanoic acid, phosphatidic acid, glyceride, lecithin and cholic acid were screened, mainly involved nine metabolic pathways including biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, glycerophospholipid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, etc. Conclusion: TwHF processed by liquorice could reduce the hepatotoxicity of mice and the mechanism may be related to the regulation of fatty acid metabolism, which provides a reference for clinical rational application.

Antibacterial Activity of Glycyrrhiza Glabra Roots against food-borne bacterial pathogens / Actividad Antibacteriana de la Raíz de Glycyrrhiza glabra Contra las Bacterias Patógenas Transmitidas por los Alimentos

ABSTRACT Objective: The antibacterial activity of Glycyrrhiza glabra (Liquorice) roots was evaluated against several food-borne bacterial pathogens. Methods: The in vitro anti-bacterial activity was evaluated by determining the zone diameter of inhibition (ZDI), minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) using the aqueous. Ethanolic and methanolic extracts of the roots of Glycyrrhiza glabra. Results: Therefore, significant increase in inhibitory feature was observed because of increase in extracts concentration. In addition, the aqueous extract was more effective than the others; while, among the tested bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most sensitive and the most resistant, respectively. Conclusion: Extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra roots can potentially be used in the pharmaceutical and food industries as preservatives or antimicrobial agents.

RESUMEN Objetivo: La actividad antibacteriana del extracto de raíces de Glycyrrhiza glabra (regaliz) fue evaluada frente a varias bacterias patógenas trasmitidas por los alimentos. Métodos: La actividad antimicrobiana se evalúa determinando el diámetro de la zona de inhibición (DZI), y la concentración bactericida mínima (CBM). Extractos acuosos, etanólicos y metanólicos de la raíz de Glycyrrhiza glabra fueron analizados en su actividad antibacteriana in vitro. Resultados: Por lo tanto, se observó un aumento significativo en la característica inhibitoria debido al aumento en la concentración de extractos. Además, el extracto acuoso fue más eficaz que los otros, en tanto que, entre las bacterias probadas, Staphylococcus aureus y Pseudomonas aeruginosa fueron las más sensibles y las más resistentes, respectivamente. Conclusión: Los resultados sugieren que los extractos de raíz de Glycyrrhiza glabra tienen un uso potencial en la industria farmacéutica y alimentaria, y pueden ser útiles como conservantes o agentes antimicrobianos.

Therapeutic window analysis of Tripterygium wilfordii processed by liquorice: an instantiation using allergic contact dermatitis / 中国中药杂志

The present study was aimed to explore the dose-toxicity-effect relationship of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook f( TW) processed by liquorice,to establish the safe and effective therapeutic window,and further to provide scientific reference for the clinical use of TW. The toxicity and anti-inflammatory effect of six doses of raw TW and TW processed by liquorice( 0. 78,1. 56,3. 12,6. 24,12. 48,15. 60 g·kg-1) in 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene( DNFB)-induced allergic contact dermatitis( ACD) model were mainly examined by histopathology and serum biochemistry. The liver biochemical parameters including ALT and AST,related inflammatory factors including TNF-α and IL-2,together with liver index,kidney index and the other pharmacodynamic indicators,were examined and compared. The results showed that compared with the control group,the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-2 of the model group were significantly increased( P<0. 01),which proved that the ACD model was successful. The comprehensive analysis of liver biochemical indexes,serum inflammatory factors and the other indexes showed that the safe and effective therapeutic window of TW processed by liquorice was 3. 12-12. 48 g·kg-1. The results showed the therapeutic window of TW processed by liquorice was much broader than that of raw TW. And it could provide scientific reference for the clinical rational use of TW.

Study on technological conditions of complex extraction of isoliquiritin / 中草药

Objective: To investigate the effect of extraction and reverse extraction conditions on the transfer of isoliquiritin. Methods: The extraction rate of isoliquiritin was used as the index to determine the best composition and concentration of complexing extractant. Taking the reverse extraction rate of isoliquiritin as the index, the species and concentration of the reverse extraction agent were investigated, and finally the technological conditions for the extraction and reverse extraction of isoliquiritin from glycyrrhizin ultrafiltration were obtained. Results: The best complexation extraction condition was: the ratio of TRPO to sulfonated kerosene was 7:93, and the extraction rate of isoliquiritin reached 97.60%. The best reverse extraction agent was 0.26% NaOH aqueous solution, and the reverse extraction rate of isoliquiritin reached 95.40%. Conclusion: Under the optimal conditions of extraction and reverse extraction obtained in this experiment, isoliquiritin can be transferred from glycyrrhizin ultrafiltration to complexing extractant and then to alkaline reverse extraction agent, and finally isoliquiritin can be obtained by extraction and reverse extraction.

Simultaneous Determination of Morphine and Codeine Phosphate in Compound Liquorice Tablets by HPLC-ESI-MSMS / 中国药师

Objective:To establish a method to determine the content of morphine and codeine phosphate in compound liquorice tablets. Methods:The analysis was performed by HPLC-ESI-MSMS. The acquisition was MRM ( multi-reaction monitor) , the column wasAgilentZorbaxEclipseSBC18(2.1mm×100mm,3.5 μm),themobilephasewasacetonitrileand15mmol·L-1ammoniumac-etate with gradient elution. Results:The precursor (m/z) of morphine and codeine was 286. 0 and 300. 0, respectively, and the quan-titative ion was 165. 0 and 165. 0, respectively. The linearity of morphine was excellent between 25 and 500ng·ml-1 , and the average recovery was 103. 1%. The linearity of codeine was good between 0. 75 ng and 150 ng·ml-1 , and the average recovery was 101. 5%with RSD of 1. 7(n=6). Conclusion:The method is simple and accurate, which can be used for the quality control of compound ligu-orice tablets.

LC-MS/MS method for determination of sixteen bile acids in rat plasma and its application in liquorice detoxification research / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To establish an LC-MS/MS method for determination of the concentrations of 16 bile acids in rat plasma. METHODS: The plasma protein was precipitated with methanol and then the supernatant was dried. Liquid chromatographic separation was performed on a Xtimate™ C18 column with gradient elution of mobile phase consisting of methanol-ammonium acetate and formic acid buffer, the flow rate was 0.25 mL · min-1, and the injection volume was 5 μL. RESULTS: The calibration curves were linear in the concentration range of 0.0056-3.8000 μmol · L-1. The lower limit of quantification was 0.005 6μmol · L-1. The recoveries of the samples at low, middle and high concentrations were 70.3%-107.2%. The intra-day and inter-day RSDs were less than 12.9%. CONCLUSION: This method is accurate and sensitive for determination of bile acids in rat plasma, which provides reference for the determination of bile acids in clinical samples.

Laminaria japonica increases plasma exposure of glycyrrhetinic acid following oral administration of Liquorice extract in rats / 中国天然药物

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of Laminaria japonica (Laminaria) on pharmacokinetics of glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) following oral administration of Liquorice extract in rats. Following oral administrations of single-dose and multi-dose Liquorice extract and Liquorice-Laminaria extract, respectively, plasma samples were obtained at various times and the concentrations of GA, liquiritigenin, and isoliquiritigenin were measured by LC-MS. The effects of Laminaria extract on pharmacokinetics of GA were also investigated, following single-dose and multidose of glycyrrhizic acid (GL). The effects of Laminaria extract on intestinal absorption of GA and GL were studied using the in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion model. The metabolism of GL to GA in the contents of small and large intestines was also studied. The results showed Liquorice-Laminaria extract markedly increased the plasma concentration of GA, accompanied by a shorter Tmax. Similar alteration was observed following multidose administration. However, pharmacokinetics of neither liquiritigenin nor isoliquiritigenin was affected by Laminaria. Similarly, Laminaria markedly increased concentration and decreased Tmax of GA following oral GL were observed. The data from the intestinal perfusion model showed that Laminaria markedly increased GL absorption in duodenum and jejunum, but did not affect the intestinal absorption of GA. It was found that Laminaria enhanced the metabolism of GL to GA in large intestine. In conclusion, Laminaria increased plasma exposures of GA following oral administration of liquorice or GL, which partly resulted from increased intestinal absorption of GL and metabolism of GL to GA in large intestine.

The treatment of upper respiratory infection induced coughing with atomizated joint of compound liquorice oral solution and ipratropium bromide / 国际中医中药杂志

Obiective To observe the clinical effect of treating upper respiratory infection induced coughing with atomizated ioint of compound liquorice oral solution and ipratropium bromide.Methods 69 cases of respiratory tract infection induced coughing were randomly recruited into A,B,and C group.Group A was treated with atomizated joint of compound liquorice oral solution and ipratropium bromide;Group C was treated with azithromycin and levofloxaein;Group B was treated with the combined therapy of Group A and Group C.Clinical effects and side effects were observed after the treatment.Results Symptom scores of cough in group A and group B were lower than those in group C.The difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Dry mouth and throat complaints disappeared in group A and group A and group B after the treatment.Conclusion Tomizated ioint of compound liquorice oral solution and ipratropium bromide had good therapeutic effects in treating cough induced by upper respiratory infection.

Effect of liquorice on airway inflammation and TH_1/TH_2 imbalance in mouse model / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

AIM: To explore the effect of liquorice on airway inflammation and Th_1/Th_2 imbalance in chronic asthma. METHODS: The chronic asthma model was established by intraperitoneal ovalbumin. The effect of liquorice on mice model of chronic bronchial asthma was observed, and the levels of serum IFN-? and IL-4 were tested by ELISA. RESULTS: Decreasing inflammatary cells infiltration in pulmonary tissue slices of tiny bronchial wall together with increasing serum IFN-? and decreasing serum IL-4 levels. CONCLUSION: Liquorice can adjust Th_1/Th_2 imbalance and inhibit the airway inflammation.

Pharmacokinetics of Paeonia lacliflora and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Compound / 中成药

AIM: To study compatibility rationality of combination of Paeonia lacliflora and Glycyrrhiza uralensis. METHODS: The effective combination of paeoniflorin(44% purity),glycyrrhizic acid(50% purity) and liquorice flavones(52% purity),glycyrrhizic acid(50% purity) and liquorice flavones(52% purity) were respectively administered to rats.Pharmacokinetic change of these constituents in rat blood was studied. RESULTS: The pharmacokinetic parameters of these constituents in rat blood showed that the increases in AUC and C_(max) of effective combination group were more than that of glycyrrhizic acid group or that of liquorice flavones group.T_(max) of the former was extended with respect to the latters.Clearance of effective combination markedly slowed down. CONCLUSION: The effective combination of paeonia lacliflora and Glycyrrhiza uralensis have the advantage of either Paeonia lacliflora or Glycyrrhiza uralensis.