Effect of liquorice and glycyrrhizin on rat liver carcinogen metabolizing enzymes

Cancer Lett. 1999 Oct 18;145(1-2):35-42. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3835(99)00225-6.

Abstract

We investigated the effect of single or repeated intake of conspicuous amounts of licorice root extract (LE, 3138 or 6276 mg/kg body weight (bw) per os) or its natural constituent glycyrrhizin (G, 240 or 480 mg/kg bw per os) on Sprague-Dawley rat liver monooxygenases. Whereas a single LE or G dose was unable to affect CYP superfamily, four daily doses induced CYP3A, CYP1A2 and to varying extents CYP2B1-linked monooxygenases. A boosting effect on testosterone 6beta- (CYP3A1/2, CYP1A1/2), 7alpha- (CYP1A1/2, CYP2A1), 16alpha- (CYP2B1, CYP2C11), 2alpha- (CYP2C11) and 2beta- (CYP3A1, CYP1A1) -dependent oxidases as well as on androst-4-ene-3,17-dione- (CYP3A1/2) -supported monooxygenases were also achieved. Harmful outcomes associated to CYP changes (e.g. cotoxicity, cocarcinogenicity and promotion) may be of concern.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases*
  • Carcinogens / metabolism*
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / drug effects*
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / metabolism
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Enzyme Induction
  • Female
  • Glycyrrhiza*
  • Glycyrrhizic Acid / pharmacology*
  • Hydroxylation
  • Liver / drug effects*
  • Liver / enzymology
  • Male
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plants, Medicinal*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Substrate Specificity

Substances

  • Carcinogens
  • Plant Extracts
  • Glycyrrhizic Acid
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System
  • Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases
  • Cyp3a23-3a1 protein, rat
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A