review · Plants
Licorice root, derived from Glycyrrhiza glabra L., has an established history of use in traditional medicine across the world. Its primary active metabolite, 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid, is a pentacyclic triterpene that shows broad pharmacological activity. Research across recent decades documents its potential in treating a wide spectrum of conditions. Documented activities include anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, and antiasthmatic actions. The compound also exhibits antileishmanial, antibacterial, antiviral, antiepileptic, and antiarrhythmic effects, as well as therapeutic potential in cerebral ischemia, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and antipsychotic-induced hyperprolactinemia. Analysis of these diverse pharmacological features and their underlying mechanisms clarifies both the therapeutic capabilities of the molecule and the remaining research gaps, establishing a clearer foundation for future drug research and development.
Natural compounds from traditional medicine remain important starting points for therapeutic discovery. Clarifying the biological mechanisms and wide-ranging effects of 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid helps scientists understand how traditional licorice preparations function. By highlighting therapeutic potential across complex diseases, such research provides researchers with a consolidated basis for targeting unmet clinical needs, including respiratory illnesses, metabolic disorders, and viral infections.
This work informs pharmaceutical developers, medicinal chemists, and drug discovery programmes exploring plant-derived lead compounds. The documented biological properties could support development pathways across infectious diseases, oncology, and inflammatory conditions. However, because the evidence is derived from a review of historical pharmacological research and mechanism studies aimed at identifying future development opportunities, the compound sits at an early, pre-development stage far from immediate commercial use.
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Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (belonging to the family Leguminosae), commonly known as Licorice, is a popular medicinal plant that has been used in traditional medicine worldwide for its ethnopharmacological efficacy in treating several ailments. Natural herbal substances with strong biological activity have recently received much attention. The main metabolite of glycyrrhizic acid is 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (18βGA), a pentacyclic triterpene. A major active plant component derived from licorice root, 18βGA has sparked a lot of attention due to its pharmacological properties. The current review thoroughly examines the literature on 18βGA, a major active plant component obtained from Glycyrrhiza glabra L. The current work provides insight into the pharmacological activities of 18βGA and the potential mechanisms of action involved. The plant contains a variety of phytoconstituents such as 18βGA, which has a variety of biological effects including antiasthmatic, hepatoprotective, anticancer, nephroprotective, antidiabetic, antileishmanial, antiviral, antibacterial, antipsoriasis, antiosteoporosis, antiepileptic, antiarrhythmic, and anti-inflammatory, and is also useful in the management of pulmonary arterial hypertension, antipsychotic-induced hyperprolactinemia, and cerebral ischemia. This review examines research on the pharmacological characteristics of 18βGA throughout recent decades to demonstrate its therapeutic potential and any gaps that may exist, presenting possibilities for future drug research and development.
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DOI: 10.3390/plants12051086
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