Traditional Uses, Bioactive Chemical Constituents, and Pharmacological and Toxicological Activities of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (Fabaceae)

Abstract

Traditional herbal remedies have been attracting attention as prospective alternative resources of therapy for diverse diseases across many nations. In recent decades, medicinal plants have been gaining wider acceptance due to the perception that these plants, as natural products, have fewer side effects and improved efficacy compared to their synthetic counterparts. Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (Licorice) is a small perennial herb that has been traditionally used to treat many diseases, such as respiratory disorders, hyperdipsia, epilepsy, fever, sexual debility, paralysis, stomach ulcers, rheumatism, skin diseases, hemorrhagic diseases, and jaundice. Moreover, chemical analysis of the G. glabra extracts revealed the presence of several organic acids, liquirtin, rhamnoliquirilin, liquiritigenin, prenyllicoflavone A, glucoliquiritin apioside, 1-metho-xyphaseolin, shinpterocarpin, shinflavanone, licopyranocoumarin, glisoflavone, licoarylcoumarin, glycyrrhizin, isoangustone A, semilicoisoflavone B, licoriphenone, and 1-methoxyficifolinol, kanzonol R and several volatile components. Pharmacological activities of G. glabra have been evaluated against various microorganisms and parasites, including pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and Plasmodium falciparum, and completely eradicated P. yoelii parasites. Additionally, it shows antioxidant, antifungal, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic activities. The current review examined the phytochemical composition, pharmacological activities, pharmacokinetics, and toxic activities of G. glabra extracts as well as its phytoconstituents.

The Pharmacological Activity, Biochemical Properties, and Pharmacokinetics of the Major Natural Polyphenolic Flavonoid: Quercetin

“…Moreover, quercetin is a potent competitive inhibitor of CYP3A4 (the enzyme responsible for drug degradation in the body) and was thus predicted to increase the serum concentrations of drugs (e.g., diltiazem) that are metabolized by this enzyme [107]. Therefore, research towards the optimum mechanism of action of natural compounds that prevents the adverse effects of plants and the development of new molecules with new pharmacological effects will continue [108][109][110].…”

COVID-19: Is There Evidence for the Use of Herbal Medicines as Adjuvant Symptomatic Therapy?

“…Chemical composition. Saponins (e.g., glycyrrhizin); triterpenes (glycyrrhetinic acid); flavonoids (liquiritin, rhamnoliquirilin, liquiritigenin, besides others); coumarins (e.g., licoarylcoumarin); essential oil (Saxena, 2005;Öztürk et al, 2017;Frattaruolo et al, 2019;El-Saber Batiha et al, 2020a).…”

Biological Properties, Bioactive Constituents, and Pharmacokinetics of Some Capsicum spp. and Capsaicinoids

“…The pods are the major constituents for processing "shiro" powder, recognized as a common condiment [9]. Herbal medicine remains generally exercised in major emerging countries, whereas the process of employing alternate medicine is rapidly cumulative [10,11]. In Eritrea, the usage of herbal medicine is comparable to several countries with copious therapeutic traditions in numerous situations [12,13].…”