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The anti‐inflammatory effects of Glycyrrhiza uralensis licorice extract
Author(s) -
Cho Han Jin,
Lim Soon Sung,
Kim JongSang,
Park Jung Han Yoon
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.23.1_supplement.910.5
Subject(s) - glycyrrhizin , glycyrrhiza uralensis , chemistry , pharmacology , lipopolysaccharide , glycyrrhiza , tumor necrosis factor alpha , inflammation , nf κb , nitric oxide , anti inflammatory , iκbα , apoptosis , biochemistry , biology , immunology , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology , organic chemistry
Glycyrrhiza uralensis has long been used throughout the world as a sweetener and in folk medicine because of its antioxidative, anti‐inflammatory, antibacterial, antiangiogenic properties. Licorice contains various bioactive compounds, including glycyrrhizin, which is known to induce hypertension. We assessed the effect of the hexane/ethanol (90:10) extract of licorice (HEL) lacking glycyrrhizin on inflammatory responses in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐treated Raw264.7 murine macrophages. HEL (0 ‐ 2 μg/mL) decreased nitric oxide release, which was accompanied by decreases in the protein expression and transcriptional activity of iNOS. HEL decreased prostaglandin E 2 release via inhibition of phospholipase A 2 expression. HEL decreased LPS‐induced increases in the protein and mRNA levels of tumor necrosis factor‐α, IL‐6, and IL‐1β. HEL prevented LPS‐induced degradation of inhibitor of κBα, translocation of p65 to the nucleus, and NF‐κB DNA binding activities. HEL inhibited LPS‐induced phosphorylation of SAPK/JNK and c‐Jun, and LPS‐induced AP‐1 DNA binding activity. In skin inflammation model, HEL suppressed TPA‐induced swelling of skin. These results suggest that HEL exerts anti‐inflammatory effects via inhibition of NF‐κB and AP‐1 signaling.