Inhibition of mutagenicity by glycyrrhiza extract and glycyrrhizin.

Abstract

The effects of Glycyrrhiza extract and one of its components, glycyrrhizin, on the mutagenicities of several mutagens were investigated by means of a modification of the Ames' test. Both inhibited the mutagenicities of 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5 H-pyrido[4,3-b]-indole (Trp-P-1) and 3-amino-1-methyl-5 H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole. Since the Glycyrrhiza extract and glycyrrhizin inhibited the mutagenicity of activated Trp-P-1, it was clear that their inhibitory effects were not due to inhibition of the enzyme activity of the S9 fraction. Both Glycyrrhiza extract and glycyrrhizin also inhibited the mutagenicities of benzo[a]pyrene, 3-methylcholanthrene, 2-naphthylamine, 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]-imidazole, dimethylnitrosoamine and dimethylaminoazobenzene. The mutagenicity of 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)acrylamide (AF-2) was inhibited by the Glycyrrhiza extract but not by glycyrrhizin. This suggested that a component different from glycyrrhizin, present in the Glycyrrhiza extract, inhibited the mutagenicity of AF-2.