Identification of Licocoumarone as an Apoptosis-Inducing Component in Licorice

Makoto Watanabe; Sumio Hayakawa; Mamoru Isemura; Shigenori Kumazawa; Tsutomu Nakayama; Chihiro Mori; Toshioki Kawakami

doi:10.1248/bpb.25.1388

Notes

Identification of Licocoumarone as an Apoptosis-Inducing Component in Licorice

Makoto Watanabe, Sumio Hayakawa, Mamoru Isemura, Shigenori Kumazawa, Tsutomu Nakayama, Chihiro Mori, Toshioki Kawakami

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Keywords: licorice, apoptosis, licocoumarone, Glycyrrhiza glabra, U937 cell

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2002 Volume 25 Issue 10 Pages 1388-1390

DOI https://doi.org/10.1248/bpb.25.1388

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Abstract

The 70% methanol soluble fraction from a licorice acetone extract was found to inhibit cell proliferation in human monoblastic leukemia U937 cells by inducing apoptosis. Separation by the methods including preparative HPLC provided us with an active compound, which was identified as licocoumarone. Several lines of evidence indicated that licocoumarone induced apoptosis in U937 cells. Thus, licocoumarone is suggested to be potentially useful as a natural anti-cancer agent.

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