title: Glycyrrhizin stimulates growth of Eubacterium sp. strain GLH, a human intestinal anaerobe.
abstract: Eubacterium sp. strain GLH was isolated from human feces and produced two kinds of beta-D-glucuronidase (EC 3.2.1.31), one new enzyme specific for glycyrrhizin (GL) and the other for phenyl beta-D-glucuronides. GL or p-nitrophenyl-mono-beta-D-glucuronide (pNPG) stimulated the production of GL or pNPG beta-glucuronidases and the growth of strain GLH in a basal medium lacking carbohydrate. D-Glucuronic acid also stimulated the growth of the bacterium, but glycyrrhetic acid did not. The increase of GL beta-glucuronidase paralleled the growth of the Eubacterium strain in pure culture. These results suggest that glucuronides such as GL and pNPG stimulate the growth of the Eubacterium strain in a nutrient-poor medium by providing D-glucuronic acid through the activity of beta-glucuronidases. The increase in GL beta-glucuronidase activity in the presence of GL was observed during the cultivation of human intestinal flora in a general anaerobic medium. During mixed cultivation of the Eubacterium strain with Streptococcus faecalis, which does not produce GL beta-glucuronidase, GL beta-glucuronidase was also increased by GL or pNPG, but not by glycyrrhetic acid and p-nitrophenol. It is suggested that GL stimulates the growth of strain GLH even in the mixed culture.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akao
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akao
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobashi
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003470:Culture Media; D005051:Eubacterium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005965:Glucuronates / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003470:Culture Media; D005965:Glucuronates; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; C052783:glycyrrhizin beta-D-glucuronidase; D005966:Glucuronidase; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid