title: Isoliquiritigenin, one of the antispasmodic principles of Glycyrrhiza ularensis roots, acts in the lower part of intestine.
abstract: Glycyrrhizae radix is used to treat abdominal pain as a component of shakuyakukanzoto (shaoyao-gancao-tang), a traditional Chinese medicine formulation. Previously, we have reported the isolation of glycycoumarin as a potent antispasmodic with an IC50 value of 2.93+/-0.94 microM for carbamylcholine (CCh)-induced contraction of mouse jejunum from an aqueous extract of Glycyrrhizae radix (licorice), and clarified that its mechanism of action involves inhibition of phosphodiesterase 3. The purpose of the present study was to examine an antispasmodic principle of licorice other than glycycoumarin. Isoliquiritigenin was isolated from an aqueous extract of licorice as a potent relaxant, which inhibited the contraction induced by various types of stimulants, such as CCh, KCl, and BaCl2 with IC50 values of 4.96+/-1.97 microM, 4.03+/-1.34 microM and 3.70+/-0.58 microM, respectively, which are close to those of papaverine. However, the amount of isoliquiritigenin in the aqueous extract of licorice was very small. When the aqueous licorice extract was treated with naringinase, the amounts of glycosides such as isoliquiritin, which were abundant but had much less potent relaxant activity, were decreased while isoliquiritigenin was increased. At the time, the relaxant activity of the treated sample was increased significantly, shifting the IC50 from 358+/-104 to 150+/-38 microg/ml for CCh-induced contraction. Isoliquiritigenin also showed the most potent inhibition of mouse rectal contraction induced by CCh with an IC50 value of 1.70+/-0.07 microM. These results suggest that isoliquiritigenin acts as a potent relaxant in the lower part of the intestine by transformation from its glycosides.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Sugitani, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Ju-Xiu
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Hidemasa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Tadato
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tani
authors.forename: Teruaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D047188:Chalcones / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D029882:Glycyrrhiza uralensis / Q000737:chemistry*; D007082:Ileum / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000378:metabolism; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects*; D010208:Papaverine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010276:Parasympatholytics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D018517:Plant Roots; D012007:Rectum / Q000187:drug effects; D001617:beta-Glucosidase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D047188:Chalcones; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D010276:Parasympatholytics; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts; C040920:isoliquiritigenin; D010208:Papaverine; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; C039827:naringinase; D001617:beta-Glucosidase