SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Ethnopharmacology
Glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid, natural products of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.: pharmacological and biological activities, pharmacokinetics, toxicological effects, and clinical applications to diseases
HUA ZHANG 1
Chun-li Wu 2
Ruoyu Chao 2
Xiang-yu Zhao 3
Yan-wei Zhang 3
Qinwei Fu 1
Qinxiu Zhang 1
Jianlin WU 2
1. Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
2. Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
3. Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Abstract
The liver has crucial roles in producing plasma proteins, secreting bile, metabolizing foreign substances, and regulating blood sugar and lipids. Any disrupted metabolism of such substances can result in various liver diseases and their associated complications, leading to high global morbidity and mortality. While current therapies focus on symptom management, novel treatment strategies are urgently needed to manage and prevent the progression. This study innovatively explores licorice-derived compounds as multi-target therapeutic agents, particularly highlighting glycyrrhizic acid (GA) and glycyrrhetinic acid (Gly), which demonstrate novel synergistic effects against liver pathologies. Key findings reveal that these bioactive substances possess anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, anti-lipotoxic, and anti-cancer properties with superior hepatoprotective efficacy compared to conventional drugs like entecavir. Notably, our research first establishes their dual functionality in both treating primary liver diseases and preventing drug-induced injury through modulation of multiple molecular pathways. This natural therapeutic approach presents a paradigm shift in managing hepatic disorders while reducing side effects associated with synthetic pharmaceuticals. Key words:Licorice; liver disease; glycyrrhizin; glycyrrhetinic acid
Summary
Keywords
Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Glycyrrhizin, Hepatoprotection, licorice, Liver disease
Received
28 October 2025
Accepted
19 December 2025
Copyright
© 2025 ZHANG, Wu, Chao, Zhao, Zhang, Fu, Zhang and WU. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Jianlin WU
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.