Antioxidant activities of licorice-derived prenylflavonoids

Glycyrrhiza uralensis crude water extract and licochalcone A and B to enhance chicken muscle satellite cell differentiation for cultured meat production

Muscle satellite cells (MSCs) are the most commonly used cells in cultured meat research and development. Enhancing MSC proliferation and differentiation while reducing cell culture costs is requisite to commercializing cultured meat. This study explored the effects of Glycyrrhiza uralensis crude water extract (GU-CWE) and licochalcone A and B (Lic A or B) on the proliferation and differentiation of chicken, bovine, and porcine MSCs. While GU-CWE and Lic A and B had negligible effects on bovine and porcine MSCs, GU-CWE significantly enhanced chicken MSC differentiation, and Lic A and B promoted both the proliferation and differentiation of chicken MSCs. Furthermore, GU-CWE was found to mitigate reactive oxygen species activity during chicken MSC differentiation and promote cell proliferation and adhesion in spheroid culture, thereby maintaining a spherical shape. Collectively, this study suggests that GU-CWE and Lic A and B can significantly reduce costs and safely increase the productivity of chicken MSCs in cultured meat production processes.

Soothing the Itch: The Role of Medicinal Plants in Alleviating Pruritus in Palliative Care

Chronic pruritus, or persistent itching, is a debilitating condition that severely impacts quality of life, especially in palliative care settings. Traditional treatments often fail to provide adequate relief or are associated with significant side effects, prompting interest in alternative therapies. This review investigates the antipruritic potential of eight medicinal plants: chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis), calendula (Calendula officinalis), curcumin (Curcuma longa), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), peppermint (Mentha piperita), and evening primrose (Oenothera biennis). These plants are analyzed for their traditional applications, active bioactive compounds, mechanisms of action, clinical evidence, usage, dosage, and safety profiles. Comprehensive searches were conducted in databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and b-on, focusing on in vitro, animal, and clinical studies using keywords like "plant", "extract", and "pruritus". Studies were included regardless of publication date and limited to English-language articles. Findings indicate that active compounds such as polysaccharides in aloe vera, curcuminoids in turmeric, and menthol in peppermint exhibit significant anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-modulating properties. Chamomile and calendula alleviate itching through anti-inflammatory and skin-soothing effects, while lavender and licorice offer antimicrobial benefits alongside antipruritic relief. Evening primrose, rich in gamma-linolenic acid, is effective in atopic dermatitis-related itching. Despite promising preclinical and clinical results, challenges remain in standardizing dosages and formulations. The review highlights the necessity of further clinical trials to ensure efficacy and safety, advocating for integrating these botanical therapies into complementary palliative care practices. Such approaches emphasize holistic treatment, addressing chronic pruritus's physical and emotional burden, thereby enhancing patient well-being.

Disease-Modifying Effects of Vincamine Supplementation in Drosophila and Human Cell Models of Parkinson's Disease Based on DJ-1 Deficiency

Parkinson's disease (PD) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder caused by the selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Current therapies are only symptomatic and are not able to stop or delay its progression. In order to search for new and more effective therapies, our group carried out a high-throughput screening assay, identifying several candidate compounds that are able to improve locomotor ability in DJ-1β mutant flies (a Drosophila model of familial PD) and reduce oxidative stress (OS)-induced lethality in DJ-1-deficient SH-SY5Y human cells. One of them was vincamine (VIN), a natural alkaloid obtained from the leaves of Vinca minor. Our results showed that VIN is able to suppress PD-related phenotypes in both Drosophila and human cell PD models. Specifically, VIN reduced OS levels in PD model flies. Besides, VIN diminished OS-induced lethality by decreasing apoptosis, increased mitochondrial viability, and reduced OS levels in DJ-1-deficient human cells. In addition, our results show that VIN might be exerting its beneficial role, at least partially, by the inhibition of voltage-gated sodium channels. Therefore, we propose that these channels might be a promising target in the search for new compounds to treat PD and that VIN represents a potential therapeutic treatment for the disease.

MKK4 Inhibitors-Recent Development Status and Therapeutic Potential

MKK4 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4; also referred to as MEK4) is a dual-specificity protein kinase that phosphorylates and regulates both JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase) and p38 MAPK (p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase) signaling pathways and therefore has a great impact on cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Overexpression of MKK4 has been associated with aggressive cancer types, including metastatic prostate and ovarian cancer and triple-negative breast cancer. In addition, MKK4 has been identified as a key regulator in liver regeneration. Therefore, MKK4 is a promising target both for cancer therapeutics and for the treatment of liver-associated diseases, offering an alternative to liver transplantation. The recent reports on new inhibitors, as well as the formation of a startup company investigating an inhibitor in clinical trials, show the importance and interest of MKK4 in drug discovery. In this review, we highlight the significance of MKK4 in cancer development and other diseases, as well as its unique role in liver regeneration. Furthermore, we present the most recent progress in MKK4 drug discovery and future challenges in the development of MKK4-targeting drugs.

Perturbed autophagy intervenes systemic lupus erythematosus by active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a common multisystem, multiorgan heterozygous autoimmune disease. The main pathological features of the disease are autoantibody production and immune complex deposition. Autophagy is an important mechanism to maintain cell homeostasis. Autophagy functional abnormalities lead to the accumulation of apoptosis and induce the autoantibodies that result in immune disorders. Therefore, improving autophagy may alleviate the development of SLE. For SLE, glucocorticoids or immunosuppressive agents are commonly used in clinical treatment, but long-term use of these drugs causes serious side effects in humans. Immunosuppressive agents are expensive. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) are widely used for immune diseases due to their low toxicity and few side effects. Many recent studies found that TCM and its active ingredients affected the pathological development of SLE by regulating autophagy. This article explains how autophagy interferes with immune system homeostasis and participates in the occurrence and development of SLE. It also summarizes several studies on TCM-regulated autophagy intervention in SLE to generate new ideas for basic research, the development of novel medications, and the clinical treatment of SLE.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) Extracts-Suitable Pharmacological Interventions for COVID-19? A Review

Even though vaccination has started against COVID-19, people should continue maintaining personal and social caution as it takes months or years to get everyone vaccinated, and we are not sure how long the vaccine remains efficacious. In order to contribute to the mitigation of COVID-19 symptoms, the pharmaceutical industry aims to develop antiviral drugs to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 replication and produce anti-inflammatory medications that will inhibit the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which is the primary cause of mortality among the COVID-19 patients. In reference to these tasks, this article considers the properties of a medicinal plant named licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), whose phytochemicals have shown both antiviral and anti-inflammatory tendencies through previous studies. All the literature was selected through extensive search in various databases such as google scholar, Scopus, the Web of Science, and PubMed. In addition to the antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, one of the licorice components has an autophagy-enhancing mechanism that studies have suggested to be necessary for COVID-19 treatment. Based on reviewing relevant professional and historical literature regarding the medicinal properties of licorice, it is suggested that it may be worthwhile to conduct in vitro and in vivo studies, including clinical trials with glycyrrhizic and glycyrrhetinic acids together with other flavonoids found in licorice, as there is the potentiality to provide natural interventions against COVID-19 symptoms.

The potential of glycyrrhizin and licorice extract in combating COVID-19 and associated conditions

BACKGROUND

Several recent studies have stated that glycyrrhizin and licorice extract are present in most traditional Chinese medicine formulas used against SARS-CoV-2 in China. Significant data are showing that glycyrrhizin and licorice extract have multiple beneficial activities in combating most features of SARS-CoV-2.

PURPOSE

The aim of current review was to highlight recent progresses in research that showed the evidence of the potential use of glycyrrhizin and licorice extract against COVID-19.

METHODOLOGY

We have reviewed the information published from 1979 to October 2020. These studies demonstrated the effects , use and safety of glycyrrhizin and icorice extract against viral infections,bacterial infections, inflammatory disorders of lung ( in vitro and in vivo).  These studies were collated through online electronic databases research (Academic libraries as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Egyptian Knowledge Bank).

RESULTS

Pooled effect size of articles provides information about the rationale for using glycyrrhizin and licorice extract to treat COVID-19. Fifty studies demonstrate antiviral activity of glycyrrhizin and licorice extract. The most frequent mechanism of the antiviral activity is due to disrupting viral uptake into the host cells and disrupting the interaction between receptor- binding domain (RBD) of SARS-COV2 and ACE2 in recent articles. Fifty studies indicate that glycyrrhizin and licorice extract have significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. Twenty five studies provide evidence for the protective effect of glycyrrhizin and licorice extract against inflammation-induced acute lung injury and cardiovascular disorders.

CONCLUSION

The current study showed several evidence regarding the beneficial effects of glycyrrhizin and licorice extract in combating COVID-19. More randomized clinical trials are needed to obtain a precise conclusion.

Glycyrrhiza Genus: Enlightening Phytochemical Components for Pharmacological and Health-Promoting Abilities

The Glycyrrhiza genus, generally well-known as licorice, is broadly used for food and medicinal purposes around the globe. The genus encompasses a rich pool of bioactive molecules including triterpene saponins (e.g., glycyrrhizin) and flavonoids (e.g., liquiritigenin, liquiritin). This genus is being increasingly exploited for its biological effects such as antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and cytotoxic activities. The species Glycyrrhiza glabra L. and the compound glycyrrhizin (glycyrrhizic acid) have been studied immensely for their effect on humans. The efficacy of the compound has been reported to be significantly higher on viral hepatitis and immune deficiency syndrome. This review provides up-to-date data on the most widely investigated Glycyrrhiza species for food and medicinal purposes, with special emphasis on secondary metabolites' composition and bioactive effects.

Phytochemistry, pharmacological activity, and potential health benefits of Gly cyrrhiza glabra

Nature has always been an excellent source for many therapeutic compounds providing us with many medicinal plants and microorganisms producing beneficial chemicals. Therefore, the demand for medicinal plants, cosmetics, and health products is always on the rise. One such plant from the Leguminosae family is licorice and the scientific name is Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn. It is an herb-type plant with medicinal value. In the following article, we shall elaborately look at the plants' phytochemical constituents and the pharmacological impact of those substances. Several compounds such as glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhizinic acid, isoliquiritin, and glycyrrhizic acid have been found in this plant, which can provide pharmacological benefit to us with its anti-cancer, anti-atherogenic, anti-diabetic, anti-asthmatic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and antispasmodic activity. Alongside, these products have a different role in hepatoprotective, immunologic, memory-enhancing activity. They can stimulate hair growth, control obesity, and have anti-depressants, sedatives, and anticoagulant activity. This review examines recent studies on the phytochemical and pharmacological data and describes some side effects and toxicity of licorice and its bioactive components.

Association analysis and molecular tagging of phytochemicals in the endangered medicinal plant licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.)

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) is a medicinal plant species valued in many countries in Asia and Europe for its phytochemical characteristics. Licorice biodiversity is becoming threatened nowadays in Iran due to increasing demand and a drastic decline of its natural habitats. Therefore, licorice domestication would be necessary in the near future, and molecular breeding would help to introduce genotypes suitable for cultivation. The present study was carried out with 170 individual licorice plants sampled in the wild in 59 localizations in 21 provinces of Iran. The association of 436 polymorphic AFLP markers, produced by 15 primer combinations (EcoRI/MseI), with six phenotypic phytochemical traits was studied. The AMOVA analysis show gene diversity among and within localizations. The population structure analysis identified two main sub-populations with significant genetic variation. Significant associations were identified between three markers (E3/M40-4, E34/M4-12 and E12/M31-15) and glycyrrhizin concentration, and between four markers (E11/M34-12, E11/M34-15, E9/M7-29, and E9/M7-30) and phenolic compounds contents. Markers detected can be useful in the domestication of licorice as well as in breeding programs. Licorice sampled in four localizations (KBA1, KBA2, SKh2 and Fa1) were found to be superior in terms of glycyrrhizin and antioxidants content, and therefore they can be considered as elite genotypes which could be included in the domestication process.

Quantitative Analysis of Flavonoids in Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch by 1H-qNMR

OBJECTIVE

To establish a method for simultaneous determination of liquiritin, liquiritigenin, and isoliquiritinin glycyrrhizin using hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance quantitative technology (¹H-qNMR). Methodology. Deuterated dimethyl sulfoxide was used as the solvent, and dichloromethane was used as the internal standard. The probe temperature was 298.0 K, the pulse sequence was Zg30, the number of scans was 16, and relaxation delay (D1) was 10 s. Quantitative characteristic signal peaks were δ 4.891∼4.878 ppm, δ 8.187∼8.172 ppm, and δ 6.790∼6.776 ppm for liquiritin, isoliquiritin, and liquiritigenin, respectively.

RESULTS

The experimental result showed that the content of flavonoids in Licorice, from Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, was the highest.

CONCLUSION

In this study, a new method for determination of three flavonoids in Licorice using ¹H-qNMR was established. This experimental method has the advantages of accuracy, efficiency, and economy. It lays a foundation for the study on the determination of flavonoids content in licorice by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Mori Cortex Radicis Attenuates High Fat Diet-Induced Cognitive Impairment via an IRS/Akt Signaling Pathway

Present study was conducted to investigate ameliorating effects of Mori Cortex radicis on cognitive impair and neuronal defects in HFD-induced (High Fat Diet-Induced) obese mice. To induce obesity, C57BL/6 mice were fed an HFD for 8 weeks, and then mice were fed the HFD plus Mori Cortex radicis extract (MCR) (100 or 200 mg/kg/day) for 6 weeks. Prior to sacrifice, body weights were measured, and Y-maze test and oral glucose tolerance test were performed. Serum lipid metabolic biomarkers (TG, LDL, and HDL/total cholesterol ratio) and antioxidant enzymes (glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase), malondialdehyde (MDA), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) levels were measured in brain tissues. The expressions of proteins related to insulin signaling (p-IRS, PI3K, p-Akt, and GLUT4) and neuronal protection (p-Tau, Bcl-2, and Bax) were examined. MCR suppressed weight gain, improved serum lipid metabolic biomarker and glucose tolerance, inhibited AChE levels and MDA production, and restored antioxidant enzyme levels in brain tissue. In addition, MCR induced neuronal protective effects by inhibiting p-Tau expression and increasing Bcl-2/Bax ratio, which was attributed to insulin-induced increases in the expressions p-IRS, PI3K, p-Akt, and GLUT4. These indicate MCR may reduce HFD-induced insulin dysfunction and neuronal damage and suggest MCR be considered a functional material for the prevention of T2DM-associated neuronal disease.

Effects of phytogenic feed additives on cellular oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions in intestinal porcine epithelial cells1

Due to increasing concerns about the use of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in livestock production and their complete ban in the European Union in 2006, suitable alternatives are urgently needed. Among others, anti-inflammatory activities of AGP are discussed as their putative mode of action. As numerous phytochemicals are known to modulate the cellular antioxidant capacity and immune response, we studied the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties of a phytogenic (plant-derived) feed additive (PFA) in intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC-J2). The effects of the PFA were compared with those of selected phytogenic ingredients (grape seed extract [GRS], licorice extract [LIC], menthol [MENT], methyl salicylate [MES], oak bark extract [OAK], oregano essential oil [ORE], and a plant powder mix [PLA]), and with the effects of the AGP tylosin (TYL). Oxidative or inflammatory stress was induced by stimulating IPEC-J2 with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2; 0.5 mM) or tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α; 10 ng/mL), respectively. The antioxidative effects of feed additives were assessed with a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-sensitive probe and by measuring the expression of 6 antioxidative target genes via quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). Anti-inflammatory potential was analyzed using a nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) reporter gene assay. Moreover, the expression levels of 6 NF-κB target genes were measured using RT-qPCR analysis, and the release of IL-6 was analyzed via ELISA. Significant decreases in cellular ROS upon H2O2 treatment were observed for the PFA (P < 0.001), LIC (P < 0.001), ORE (P < 0.05), and GRS (P < 0.01). No significant changes in the expression of antioxidative genes were found. NF-κB activation upon TNF-α treatment was significantly inhibited by the PFA (P < 0.05) and by ORE (P < 0.001). Moreover, the PFA and ORE significantly reduced the gene expression of IL-6 (P < 0.001), IL-8 (P < 0.001), and C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2; P < 0.05), as well as the release of IL-6 (P < 0.05). The other phytogenic compounds as well as the AGP TYL did not significantly affect any of the inflammatory parameters. In summary, we revealed the antioxidative properties of the PFA, LIC, ORE, and GRS, as well as anti-inflammatory properties of the PFA and ORE in IPEC-J2, providing a better understanding of the mode of action of this PFA under our experimental conditions.

Anti-melanogenesis effect of dehydroglyasperin C through the downregulation of MITF via the reduction of intracellular cAMP and acceleration of ERK activation in B16F1 melanoma cells

BACKGROUND

In mammals, UV radiation induces melanin synthesis in melanocyte for protecting their skin through the stimulation of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) from keratinocytes. In this study, the inhibitory effects of dehydroglyasperin C (DGC), an useful component of Glycyrrhiza uralensis (G. uralensis), was investigated on melanogenesis induced by α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) and its mechanisms.

METHODS

Melanogenesis suppression effect of DGC on α-MSH induced B16F1 melanoma cells. The cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Expression and phosphorylation of melanogeic protein were conducted using western blot. cAMP acceleration was measured by cAMP immunoassay kit. To investigate whitening mechanism, we used ERK inhibitor (PD98059).

RESULTS

DGC decreased intra cellular tyrosinase (TYR) activity and expression of melanin synthesis related proteins (TYR and TRP-1) in a dose-dependent manner on α-MSH induced melanogenesis. In addition, DGC induced the downregulation of MITF (melanocyte-specific transcription factor) through suppression of cAMP-CREB pathway. Also, phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) decreased MITF by DGC treatment.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, DGC could be used as a whitening ingredient in skin and clinical usage against hyperpigmentation.

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 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.

Antioxidant Potential of Selected Korean Edible Plant Extracts

This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of various plant extracts. A total of 94 kinds of edible plant extracts obtained from the Korea Plant Extract Bank were screened for cytotoxicity, following which the total phenolic content of 24 shortlisted extracts was determined. Of these, extracts from three plants, namely, Castanea crenata (CC) leaf, Camellia japonica (CJ) fruit, and Viburnum dilatatum (VD) leaf, were examined for antioxidant capabilities by measuring radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing/antioxidant power, and lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity. In addition, cellular antioxidant activities of the three extracts were assessed by a cell-based dichlorofluorescein assay and antioxidant response element (ARE) reporter activity assay. The results demonstrated that all three extracts concentration-dependently scavenged free radicals, inhibited lipid peroxidation, reduced the cellular level of reactive oxygen species, and increased ARE-luciferase activity, indicating antioxidant enzyme-inducing potential. In particular, CJ extract showed significantly greater antioxidative activity and antimigratory effect in a breast cancer cell line compared to CC and VD extracts. Hence, CJ extract deserves further study for its in vivo functionality or biologically active constituents.

Pharmacological Activities and Phytochemical Constituents

Glycyrrhiza glabra is one of the most popular medicinal plants and it has been used in traditional herbal remedy since ancient times (Blumenthal et al. in Herbal medicine: expanded commission E monographs. Integrative Medicine Communications, Newton, 2000; Parvaiz et al. in Global J Pharmocol 8(1):8–13, 2014; Altay et al. in J Plant Res 129(6):1021–1032, 2016). Many experimental, pharmacological and clinical studies show that liquorice has antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antihepatotoxic, antioxidant, antiulcer, anti-hemorrhoid antihyperglycemic, antidiuretic, antinephritic, anticarcinogenic, antimutagenic, anticytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, and blood stopper activity.

Hataedock Treatment Has Preventive Therapeutic Effects in Atopic Dermatitis-Induced NC/Nga Mice under High-Fat Diet Conditions

This study investigated the preventive therapeutic effects of Hataedock (HTD) treatment on inflammatory regulation and skin protection in AD-induced NC/Nga mice under high-fat diet conditions. Before inducing AD, the extract of Coptidis Rhizoma and Glycyrrhiza uralensis was administered orally to the 3-week-old mice. After that, AD-like skin lesions were induced by applying DNFB. All groups except the control group were fed a high-fat diet freely. We identified the effects of HTD on morphological changes, cytokine release and the induction of apoptosis through histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and TUNEL assay. HTD downregulated the levels of IL-4 and PKC but increased the levels of LXR. HTD also suppressed the mast cell degranulation and release of MMP-9, Substance P. The levels of TNF-α, p-IκB, iNOS, and COX-2 were also decreased. The upregulation of inflammatory cell's apoptosis is confirmed by our results as increase of apoptotic body and cleaved caspase-3 and decrease of Bcl-2. HTD also reduced edema, angiogenesis, and skin lesion inflammation. Our results indicate HTD suppresses various inflammatory response on AD-induced mice with obesity through the regulation of Th2 differentiation and the protection of lipid barrier. Therefore, HTD could be used as an alternative and preventive therapeutic approach in the management of AD.

Dehydroglyasperin D Inhibits the Proliferation of HT-29 Human Colorectal Cancer Cells Through Direct Interaction With Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase

Background:

Despite recent advances in therapy, colorectal cancer still has a grim prognosis. Although licorice has been used in East Asian traditional medicine, the molecular properties of its constituents including dehydroglyasperin D (DHGA-D) remain unknown. We sought to evaluate the inhibitory effect of DHGA-D on colorectal cancer cell proliferation and identify the primary signaling molecule targeted by DHGA-D.

Methods:

We evaluated anchorage-dependent and -independent cell growth in HT-29 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells. The target protein of DHGA-D was identified by Western blot analysis with a specific antibody, and direct interaction between DHGA-D and the target protein was confirmed by kinase and pull-down assays. Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry and further Western blot analysis was performed to identify the signaling pathway involved.

Results:

DHGA-D significantly suppressed anchorage-dependent and -independent HT-29 colorectal cancer cell proliferation. DHGA-D directly suppressed phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) activity and subsequent Akt phosphorylation and bound to the p110 subunit of PI3K. DHGA-D also significantly induced G1 cell cycle arrest, together with the suppression of glycogen synthase kinase 3β and retinoblastoma phosphorylation and cyclin D1 expression.

Conclusions:

DHGA-D has potent anticancer activity and targets PI3K in human colorectal adenocarcinoma HT-29 cells. To our knowledge, this is the first report to detail the molecular basis of DHGA-D in suppressing colorectal cancer cell growth.

Pharmacological Effects of Glycyrrhiza spp. and Its Bioactive Constituents: Update and Review

The roots and rhizomes of various species of the perennial herb licorice (Glycyrrhiza) are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of several diseases. In experimental and clinical studies, licorice has been shown to have several pharmacological properties including antiinflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial, antioxidative, antidiabetic, antiasthma, and anticancer activities as well as immunomodulatory, gastroprotective, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective effects. In recent years, several of the biochemical, molecular, and cellular mechanisms of licorice and its active components have also been demonstrated in experimental studies. In this review, we summarized the new phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological data from recent experimental and clinical studies of licorice and its bioactive constituents after our previous published review.

The antiviral and antimicrobial activities of licorice, a widely-used Chinese herb

Licorice is a common herb which has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. More than 20 triterpenoids and nearly 300 flavonoids have been isolated from licorice. Recent studies have shown that these metabolites possess many pharmacological activities, such as antiviral, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor and other activities. This paper provides a summary of the antiviral and antimicrobial activities of licorice. The active components and the possible mechanisms for these activities are summarized in detail. This review will be helpful for the further studies of licorice for its potential therapeutic effects as an antiviral or an antimicrobial agent.

MLK3 is a novel target of dehydroglyasperin D for the reduction in UVB-induced COX-2 expression in vitro and in vivo

Dehydroglyasperin D (DHGA-D), a compound present in licorice, has been found to exhibit anti-obesity, antioxidant and anti-aldose reductase effects. However, the direct molecular mechanism and molecular targets of DHGA-D during skin inflammation remain unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effect of DHGA-D on inflammation and its mechanism of action on UVB-induced skin inflammation in HaCaT human keratinocytes and SKH-1 hairless mice. DHGA-D treatment strongly suppressed UVB-induced COX-2 expression, PGE2 generation and AP-1 transactivity in HaCaT cells without affecting cell viability. DHGA-D also inhibited phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MKK) 3/6/p38, MAPK/Elk-1, MKK4/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) 1/2/c-Jun/mitogen, and stress-activated protein kinase (MSK), whereas phosphorylation of the mixed-lineage kinase (MLK) 3 remained unaffected. Kinase and co-precipitation assays with DHGA-D Sepharose 4B beads showed that DHGA-D significantly suppressed MLK3 activity through direct binding to MLK3. Knockdown of MLK3 suppressed COX-2 expression as well as phosphorylation of MKK4/p38 and MKK3/6/JNK1/2 in HaCaT cells. Furthermore, Western blot assay and immunohistochemistry results showed that DHGA-D pre-treatment significantly inhibits UVB-induced COX-2 expression in vivo. Taken together, these results indicate that DHGA-D may be a promising anti-inflammatory agent that mediates suppression of both COX-2 expression and the MLK3 signalling pathway through direct binding and inhibition of MLK3.

Bu-zhong-yi-qi pill alleviate the chemotherapy-related fatigue in 4 T1 murine breast cancer model

Background

Paclitaxel induced fatigue still remains underrecognized and undertreated, partly because of limited understanding of its pathophysiology and lack of effective treatments. This study is aim to evaluate the anti-fatigue effects and mechanism of Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi pill in murine 4 T1 breast cancer mice were treated with paclitaxel.

Methods

Breast cancer mice established with murine 4 T1 cells were randomly and repectively divided into five groups: negative control group (NC), tumor control group (TC), paclitaxel group (PTX), Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi pill group (BZYQ) and Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi pill plus paclitaxel group (BZYQ + PTX). The mice were administered for 21 days. During this period, the tumor volume, body weight and the weight-loaded swimming time were measured. After the last administration, all mice were sacrificed, weighted the tumor, measured immune cell cytokines and oxidative stress indicator. The remaining 10 mice in each group were observed for survival analysis.

Results

Treatments with BZYQ + PTX and PTX significantly reduced the rates of tumor volume in comparison with TC starting on the 9th day and the 18th day respectively (P < 0.05-0.01), and presented decreased tumor weight compared to TC (P < 0.05-0.01). Compared with mice in TC group, the median survival time and the average survival time in BZYQ + PTX group, BZYQ group and PTX group were significantly prolonged (P < 0.05-0.01). The swimming time of the BZYQ + PTX group gradually increased, which is longer than the PTX group on Day 14 and Day 21 (P < 0.01). The level of TNF-α was lower in BZYQ + PTX group than PTX group (P < 0.01). The level of SOD activity in BZYQ + PTX group was lower than the NC group (P <0.01), but much higher than the PTX group (P < 0.01). The level of MDA of BZYQ + PTX group was higher than the NC group (P < 0.01), but significant lower than the PTX group (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

BZYQ has the potential of alleviating paclitaxel chemotherapy-related fatigue in 4 T1 breast cancer mice by reducing the serum levels of TNF-α and modulating the level of MDA and the SOD activity.

Bioactivity and potential health benefits of licorice

Licorice is an herbal plant named for its unique sweet flavor. It is widely used in the food and tobacco industries as a sweetener. Licorice is also used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and complementary medicine. Because the use of licorice has long been a part of TCM, the details of its therapeutic applications have been thoroughly established. In modern science, licorice is of interest because of its broad range of applications. Extracts of and compounds isolated from licorice have been well studied and biologically characterized. In this review, we discuss the nutraceutical and functional activities of licorice as well as those of the extracts of and the isolated compounds from licorice, including agents with anti-inflammatory activity, cell-protective abilities, and chemopreventive effects. The side effects of licorice are also enumerated. A comparison of the activities of licorice described by modern science and TCM is also presented, revealing the correspondence of certain characteristics.