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

Abstract

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.

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Anti-cancerous Mechanism of Licochalcone A on Human Hepatoma Cell HepG2

“…LCA, recognized as a chalcone extracted from Glycyrrhiza, possesses anti-cancer abilities. Our previous study reported that LCA derived from Glycyrrhiza could restrain cell viability, induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and elevate the cellular ROS levels in HepG2 (8). The underlying mechanism of the anticancer activities of LCA remains elusive.…”

“…The sweetness of Glycyrrhiza makes it widely used as a confectionary and condiments. It also contains various nutrition, such as saponins and chalcones, which enabled it to display antioxidant, antiproliferative, anti-inflammation, and immunoregulatory activities (8). It contains diverse phytochemicals such as saponins and chalcones.…”

Herbals and Plants in the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review of Experimental and Clinical Studies

“…A large number of chemical substances, including 126 small molecules and 6 polysaccharides, have been isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis, mainly belonging to the categories of flavonoids and glycosides [11]. Glycyrrhiza uralensis encompases bioactive molecules, such as triterpene saponins and flavonoids [12]. Concerning Ziziphus jujuba Mill, 22 compounds were identified in the ethanol extract.…”

Revisiting liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) as anti-inflammatory, antivirals and immunomodulators: Potential pharmacological applications with mechanistic insight.

“…Its name derives from the Greek words ‘glykos’ that means sweet and ‘rhiza’ that means root ( Sharma et al, 2018 ). The genus Glycyrrhiza comprises more than 30 species that are extensively dispersed worldwide mainly at Mediterranean regions of Asia ( Sharifi-Rad et al, 2021 ). This plant has been documented and reviewed as traditional remedy for the prevention of painful swellings, cough, colds, and influenza.…”

“…G. glabra and its bioactive phytochemicals holds multiple pharmacological activities like, antidemulcent, expectorant, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antidiabetic as an evidence from various review held in recent past ( Pandey et al, 2017 ; Sharma et al, 2018 ). Wider utility in traditional medicinal system and proven scientific validated studies makes liquorice and its bioactive compounds ( Figure 1 ) as drug of choice to explore it more precisely for multiple health benefit possibilities as an evidence from many published studies reviewed in past ( Revers, 1956 ; Ren and Wang, 1988 ; Olukoga and Donaldson, 2000 ; Saxena, 2005 ; Asl and Hosseinzadeh, 2008 ; Kaur et al, 2013 ; Kao et al, 2014 ; Hosseinzadeh and Nassiri-Asl, 2015 ; Yang et al, 2015 ; Dastagir and Rizvi, 2016 ; Pastorino et al, 2018 ; Sharma et al, 2018 ; Bredin, 2019 ; Mamedov and Egamberdieva, 2019 ; Batiha et al, 2020 ; Chen et al, 2020a ; Jiang et al, 2020 ; Kwon et al, 2020 ; Rehman et al, 2020 ; Wang et al, 2020 ; Hasan et al, 2021 ; Sharifi-Rad et al, 2021 ). Further, utility through novel drug delivery specially nanomedicine approaches, cosmeceutical application and as an animal feed alternative are well discussed and reviewed recently ( Alagawany et al, 2019 ; Ciganovic et al, 2019 ; Rani et al, 2021 ).…”