title: Effects of glycyrrhizin on UVB-irradiated melanoma cells.
abstract: It is known that liquorice root is rich in compounds which exert several pharmacological actions. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of glycyrrhizin (the main constituent of liquorice root) and of its metabolite aglycone, 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid, on UVB-irradiated human melanoma cells: SKMEL-2 from metastatic tissue and SKMEL-28 from primary malignant melanoma. Tests performed (Trypan blue exclusion test, MTT and Western blot) showed that glycyrrhizin is not toxic for both types of cells. In SKMEL-28 cells, Bcl-2 expression was low after UVB irradiation, but it was increased when treated with glycyrrhizin. On the contrary, in the SKMEL-2 cell culture, Bcl-2 expression was not modified by the substances under study. The results show that glycyrrhizin treatment might offer protection from the damage induced in humans by UVB radiation, while it seems to be ineffective on metastatic cells. Further studies must be performed to understand the mechanism of the protective effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41100 Modena, Italy. rossi.tiziana@unimore.it
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benassi
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Magnoni
authors.forename: Antonio Ippazio
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Ruberto
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coppi
authors.forename: Giosué
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baggio
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000528:radiation effects; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D006131:Growth Inhibitors; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid; D006034:Glycyrrhetinic Acid