1991 Volume 111 Issue 6 Pages 311-321
The roots and/or rhizomes of Glychyrrhiza uralensis, G. glabra and G. inflata, and commercial licorice specimens from various regions or countries were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and classified into three types based on their phenolic constituents. i) Type A : The roots and rhizomes of G. uralensis, commercial licorice specimens from northwestern region of China (Seihoku-kanzo) and from northeastern region of China (Tohoku-kanzo) in Japanese markets, and also several licorice specimens from Chinese markets. They contain licopyranocoumarin (6), glycycoumarin (7) and/or licocoumarone (8), which were not found in G. glabra and G. inflata. ii) Type B : The root and rhizome of G. glabra, and the licorice specimens imported from the Soviet Union and Afghanistan. They contain glabridin (9) and glabrene (10), which were not found in the samples of the other two Glycyrrhiza species. A root sample of Glycyrrhiza species from Turkey also contains 9 and 10. iii) Type C : The root sample of G. inflata. They contain licochalcones A (11) and B (12), which were not found in the samples of the other two Glycyrrhiza species. Commercial licorice specimens obtained in Japan, which were imported from Sinkiang of China (Shinkyo-kanzo), and some licorice specimens obtained from Chinese markets, have also been found to contain 11 and 12. The phenolics 6-12, characteristic constituents of types A, B or C, were not found in a specimen of cortex-free licorice from a Japanese market (kawasari-kanzo). Extracts of some licorice specimens of types A and B, and all of the licorice specimens of type C inhibited 40-56% of the xanthine oxidase activity at the concentration of 30μg/ml. Extracts of some licorice specimens of types A and B also showed inhibitory effects on monoamine oxidase (44-64% inhibition, at the concentration of 30μg/ml), which were slightly weaker than that of harmane hydrochloride.
