Abstract
Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma is regarded as one of the most popular and commonly used herbal medicines and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescriptions for over 2000 years. Pentacyclic triterpene saponins are common secondary metabolites in these plants, which are synthesized via the isoprenoid pathway to produce a hydrophobic triterpenoid aglycone containing a hydrophilic sugar chain. This paper systematically summarizes the chemical structures of triterpene saponins in Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and reviews and updates their main biological activities studies. Furthermore, the solubilization characteristics, influences, and mechanisms of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma are elaborated. Solubilization of the triterpene saponins from Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma occurs because they contain the nonpolar sapogenin and water-soluble sidechain. The possible factors affecting the solubilization of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma are mainly other crude drugs and the pH of the decoction. Triterpene saponins represented by glycyrrhizin from Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma characteristically form micelles due to amphiphilicity, which makes solubilization possible. This overview provides guidance regarding a better understanding of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and its TCM compatibility, alongside a theoretical basis for the further development and utilization of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma.
Highlights
The Glycyrrhiza genus belongs to the Fabaceae family, comprising approximately 20 species primarily distributed across Asia, Europe, North America, and South America, with eight distributed throughout China [1]
Even the number of triterpenoid saponins in some references is not up-to-date. Another aspect of concern is that the solubilization characteristics of glycyrrhiza received increasing attention in recent years due to the possibility of triterpene saponins from glycyrrhiza increasing the solubility of coexisting bioactive constituents in herbal extracts [15]
Tsuruoka et al [41] showed that GL (1, 10.5 mg/kg) suppressed increases in aspartate aminotransaminase (AST) and alanine aminotransaminase (ALT), inhibited inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA expression, and reduced protein and cell infiltration and the degeneration of hepatocytes in the liver of concanavalin A (Con A)-treated BALB/c mice
Summary
The Glycyrrhiza genus belongs to the Fabaceae family, comprising approximately 20 species primarily distributed across Asia, Europe, North America, and South America, with eight distributed throughout China [1]. Even the number of triterpenoid saponins in some references is not up-to-date Another aspect of concern is that the solubilization characteristics of glycyrrhiza received increasing attention in recent years due to the possibility of triterpene saponins from glycyrrhiza increasing the solubility of coexisting bioactive constituents in herbal extracts [15]. We systematically summarize the chemical structures, origins, and solubilization characteristics of triterpene saponins in glycyrrhiza and mainly focus on their chemical structures and characterization as natural surfactants. Their biological activities are reviewed and updated
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