Glycyrrhizin inhibits the lytic pathway of complement--possible mechanism of its anti-inflammatory effect on liver cells in viral hepatitis.
Glycyrrhizin, an aqueous extract of licorice root, has anti-inflammatory activity and has been used for the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis. In the present study we describe the mechanism by which glycyrrhizin inhibits complement. Glycyrrhizin inhibited the cytolytic activity of complement via the activation of both the classical and alternative pathways, while it had no effect on immune adherence, suggesting that it blocks C5 or a later stage of the complement cascade. Further analysis revealed that glycyrrhizin inhibits the lytic pathway in which the membrane attack complex (MAC) is formed. This mechanism suggests that glycyrrhizin may prevent tissue injury caused by MAC not only in chronic hepatitis but in many autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
Fujisawa
Y
Y
Department of Health and Nutrition, School of Home Economics, Wayo Women's University, Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan.
Sakamoto
M
M
Matsushita
M
M
Fujita
T
T
Nishioka
K
K
D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003169:Complement Inactivator Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015938:Complement Membrane Attack Complex / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000188:drug therapy*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D012756:Sheep
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D003169:Complement Inactivator Proteins; D015938:Complement Membrane Attack Complex; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid