ANTI-INFLAMMATORY MECHANISM OF SODIUM GLYCYRRHETINATE / 中国药理学通报

ABSTRACT

Glycyrrhetic acid is a hydrolytic product of .glycyrrhizin which comes from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. This study showed that its sodium salt, sodium glycyrrhetinate ( SGA, 28mg/kg ip ) inhibited egg white or yeast-induced edema of rat hind paws; Meanwhile, SGA decreased prostaglandin E2 in inflammatory fluid. Malonyldialdehyde in mouse swelling paws stimulated by egg white was decreased by SGA and increased by arachidonic acid. The inhibitory action of SGA on production of malonyldialdehyde c.ould be entirely abolished by arachidonic acid,suggesting that phospholipase A2 bo inhibited by SGA. Also, SGA antagonized the contracting effect of inflammatory mediators such as histamine ( IC50 = 12 ,7mg/ L), 5 -hydroxytrypataminG (IC50=16.1 mg/L ) and SRS-A ( IC5O = 17.0mg/L)on isolated guinea-pig ileum. Because SGA inhibited cro-ton oil-induced ear-swelling of adrenalectomized mice, its anti-inflammatory action has no relationship with hypophysial-adrenocortial axis.