Effect of Glycyrrhizin, an Active Component of Licorice Roots, on HIV Replication in Cultures of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells from HIV-Seropositive Patients

Abstract

The effect of glycyrrhizin (GR) on HIV replication in cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from HIV-infected patients was investigated. After the depletion of CD8+ T cells, PBMC from HIV+ patients (patient PBMC) and PBMC from healthy donors (healthy PBMC) were cocultured in the presence or absence of GR (100 µg/ml) for 21 days. In cultures of 13 of 42 samples of patient PBMC (13/42, 31%), GR inhibited more than 90% of HIV replication. Among 42 samples of patient PBMC, 20 were identified to be infected with a non-syncytium-inducing variant of HIV (NSI-HIV), 15 with a syncytium-inducing variant of HIV (SI-HIV), and the remaining 7 were classified as cells infected with SI-HIV and/or NSI-HIV. GR inhibited more than 90% of HIV replication in cultures of 12 patient PBMC samples infected with NSI-HIV (12/20, 60%). In patient PBMC infected with SI-HIV, GR inhibited HIV replication in only 1 patient (1/15, 7%). In cultures of patient PBMC, GR induced the production of CC chemokine ligand (CCL)4 and CCL5 in a dose-dependent manner. When the assay was performed in PBMC cultures supplemented with a mixture of monoclonal antibodies for CCL4 and CCL5, no evidence of anti-HIV activity of GR was found. These results indicate that GR has the potential to inhibit NSI-HIV replication in patient PBMC cultures by inducing the production of β-chemokines.

Exploration of the in vitro cytotoxic and antiviral activities of different medicinal plants against infectious bursal disease (IBD) virus

“…GGL has traditionally been used as anti-inflammatory agent, antibacterial agent, expectorant, mild laxative and diuretic [20]. The extract from GGL has also been used to treat Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV) [21], influenza virus [22], HIV-1 [23], vaccinia virus, ND virus, vesicular stomatitis virus [24], respiratory syncytial virus [25], and herpes viruses [26]. Similarly, EJL is traditionally used as anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcerogenic, cardio-protective, anti-allergic, anticancer, anti-oxidant, hepatoprotective, anti-diarrheal and hypoglycemic [27].…”

Licorice Extract Does Not Impair the Male Reproductive Function of Rats

“…In addition to the above-mentioned activities, the indications of licorice in Oriental medicine include pharyngitis, cough, palpitations, gastric pain, ulcers, cancers and diverse poisoning [13]. Furthermore, it is well known that licorice allevi-ates viral infection by inhibiting viral replication and stimulating interferon production [8,9,21,31,34,41].…”

Glycyrrhizin Inhibits R5 HIV Replication in Peripheral Blood Monocytes Treated with 1-Methyladenosine

“…More recently, GL has been shown to inhibit replication of coronavirus from patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome [22]. Previously, we have reported the inhibitory effect of GL on the replication of HIV in cultures of PBMC from HIV-infected patients [23]. This inhibition appeared to be specific to R5 HIV.…”

“…This inhibition appeared to be specific to R5 HIV. More than 90% of HIV replication was inhibited by GL in the majority of PBMC samples (12/20, 60%) from patients [23]. In cultures of HIV patient PBMC, GL induced the production of CCL4 and CCL5 in a dose-dependent fashion [23].…”