Abstract
The purpose of this investigation was to study the anti-inflammatory activities of both glycerrhitinic acid (GA) and the aqueous licorice extract (ALE) in comparison with diclofenac sodium (DS) (10 mg/kg), using the carrageenan-induced paw edema model in male albino rats. In addition, the anti-ulcer activities of ALE, famotidine (FT), and a combination of ALE and FT using indomethacin-induced ulceration technique in rat stomach were investigated. Conventional DS tablets containing GA, as well as DS chewable tablets containing either GA or ALE with different tastes were prepared. Also, rapidly disintegrating FT tablets were prepared using direct compression and camphor sublimation methods. ALE or GA produced significant anti-inflammatory activity similar to DS, and when taken concomitantly, there is no possible antagonism. The anti-ulcer activity of licorice was found to be similar to that of FT in indomethacin-induced ulceration technique in rat stomach. Combination therapy of both FT and licorice showed higher anti-ulcer activity than either of them alone. Generally, tablets containing the crosslinked sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (AcDisol) showed more rapidly disintegrating effect than those including Sodium starch glycolate (Primojel). The oral disintegration was very rapid for all the tested formulations. Also, the amount of FT absorbed from the oral cavity was nearly 9 from 10 mg theoretically present in each formula. It could be concluded that both GA and ALE have anti-inflammatory activity comparable with DS. It may be recommended to add ALE to either FT or diclofinac for more effective anti-inflammatory or anti-ulcer formulations, respectively.
Keywords: glycerrhitinic acid, licorice extract, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.3 MB).
References
- 1.Ody P. The Complete Medicinal Herbal. New York, NY: Dorling Kindersley; 1998. [Google Scholar]
- 2.Lust J. The Herb Book. New York, NY: Bantam Books; 1994. [Google Scholar]
- 3.Hanrahan C. Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine, Licorice. [book on CD-ROM] Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale; 2001. [Google Scholar]
- 4.Rossum TG, Vulto AG. Intravenous glycyrrhizin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase I/II trial. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 1999;14:1093–1099. doi: 10.1046/j.1440-1746.1999.02008.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 5.Murray MT. The Healing Power of Herbs. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press; 1995. [Google Scholar]
- 6.Edwards GR, Bene DR, Lindsay RS, Seckl JR. 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase: key enzymes in determining tissue-specific glucocorticoid effects. Steroids. 1996;61:263–269. doi: 10.1016/0039-128X(96)00033-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 7.Duke JA. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 1985. [Google Scholar]
- 8.Dehpour AR. The protective effect of licorice components and their derivatives against gastric ulcer induced by aspirin in rats. J Pharm Pharmacol. 1994;46:148–152. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-7158.1994.tb03760.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 9.Beil W, Birkholz C, Sewing KF. Effects of the flavonoids on parietal cell acid secretion, gastric mucosal prostaglandin production andHelicobacter pylori growth. Arzneim Forsch. 1995;45:697–700. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 10.Hurwitz ES, Barrett MJ, Bregman D. Public health service study of Reye's syndrome and medications report of the main study. JAMA. 1987;257:1905–1908. doi: 10.1001/jama.257.14.1905. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 11.Clark WG, Johnson AR. Goth's Medical Pharmacology. 13th ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby Year Book; 1991. [Google Scholar]
- 12.Conforti A, Donini M, Brocco G, Soldato P, Benoni G, Cuzzolin L. Acute anti-inflammatory activity and gastrointestinal tolerability of DS and nitrofenac. Agents Actions. 1993;40:176–180. doi: 10.1007/BF01984058. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 13.Katzung BG. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 7th ed. San Mateo, CA: Appleton and Lange; 1998. [Google Scholar]
- 14.Scheiman JM, Tillner A, Pohl T, et al. Reduction of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug induced gastric injury and leukocyte endothelial adhesion by octreotide. Gut. 1997;40:720–725. doi: 10.1136/gut.40.6.720. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 15.Winter CA, Risley EA, Nuss GW. Carrageenan-induced edema in hind paw of rat as an assay for anti-inflammatory drugs. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1962;111:544–547. doi: 10.3181/00379727-111-27849. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 16.Koizumi KI, Watanabe Y, Morita K, Utoguchi N, Matsumoto M. New method of preparing high-porosity rapidly saliva soluble compressed tablets using mannitol with camphor, a subliming material. Int J Pharm. 1997;152:127–131. doi: 10.1016/S0378-5173(97)04924-7. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
- 17.Ito A, Sugihara M. Development of oral dosage form for elderly patients: use of agar as base of rapidly disintegrating oral tablets. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 1996;44:2132–2136. doi: 10.1248/cpb.44.2132. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 18.Ishikawa T, Watanabe Y, Utoguchi N, Matsumoto M. Preparation and evaluation of tablets rapidly disintegrating in saliva containing bitter-taste-masked granules by the compression method. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 1999;47:1451–1454. doi: 10.1248/cpb.47.1451. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 19.Rosa M, Giround PJ, Willoughby DA. Studies of the mediators of acute inflammatory response induced in rats in different sites by carrageenan and turpine. J Pathol. 1971;101:15–29. doi: 10.1002/path.1711040103. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 20.Vinegar R, Schreiber W, Hugo R. Biphasic development of carrageenan edema in rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1969;166:96–103. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 21.Crunkhon P, Meacock SE. Mediators of the inflammation induced in the rat paw by carrageenan. Br J Pharmacol. 1971;42:392–402. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1971.tb07124.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 22.Azimov MM, Zakirov VB, Radzhapova SD. Pharmacological study of anti-inflammatory agent glyderinine. Farmacol Toxicol. 1988;51:90–93. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 23.Sigurijonsdottir HA, Ragnarsson J, Franzson L, Sigurdsson G. Is blood pressure commonly raised by moderate consumption of liquorice? J Hum Hypertens. 1995;9:345–348. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 24.Robberts JE, Tyler VE. Tyler's Herbs of Choice, The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals. Bingamon, NY: The Halworth Herbal Press; 2000. [Google Scholar]
- 25.Baker ME. Licorice and enzymes other than 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase: an evolutionary perspective. Steroids. 1994;59:136–141. doi: 10.1016/0039-128X(94)90091-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]