Licorice reduces serum testosterone in healthy women.
Licorice has been considered a medicinal plant for thousands of years. The most common side effect is hypokalemic hypertension, which is secondary to a block of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 at the level of the kidney, leading to an enhanced mineralocorticoid effect of cortisol. We have investigated the effect of licorice on androgen metabolism in nine healthy women 22-26 years old, in the luteal phase of the cycle. They were given 3.5 g of a commercial preparation of licorice (containing 7.6% W.W. of glycyrrhizic acid) daily for two cycles. They were not on any other treatment. Plasma renin activity, serum adrenal and gonadal androgens, aldosterone, and cortisol were measured by radioimmunoassay. Total serum testosterone decreased from 27.8+/-8.2 to 19.0+/-9.4 in the first month and to 17.5+/-6.4 ng/dL in the second month of therapy (p<0.05). It returned to pre-treatment levels after discontinuation. Androstenedione, 17OH-progesterone, and LH levels did not change significantly during treatment. Plasma renin activity and aldosterone were depressed during therapy, while blood pressure and cortisol remained unchanged.


CONCLUSIONS
Licorice can reduce serum testosterone probably due to the block of 17-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17-20 lyase. Licorice could be considered an adjuvant therapy of hirsutism and polycystic ovary syndrome.
Armanini
Decio
D
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences-Endocrinology, University of Padua, Via Ospedale 105, 35100 Padua, Italy. decio.armanini@unipd.it
Mattarello
Mee Jung
MJ
Fiore
Cristina
C
Bonanni
Guglielmo
G
Scaroni
Carla
C
Sartorato
Paola
P
Palermo
Mario
M
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006035:Glycyrrhiza / Q000378:metabolism*; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008183:Luteal Phase; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000628:therapy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D013739:Testosterone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors
D000728:Androgens; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D000450:Aldosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid; D012083:Renin; D006854:Hydrocortisone