Enrichment of biologically active 18-β glycyrrhetinic acid in Glycyrrhiza glabra root by solid state fermentation

Abstract

This paper describes the in situ bioconversion of glycyrrhizin of Glycyrrhiza glabra root to 18-β glycyrrhetinic acid by solid state fermentation. Fermentation was carried out with two different fungal strains, Penicillium chrysogenum and Rhizopus oryzae. The solid state fermentation was carried out under stationary state and under rotating state. Penicillium chrysogenum is a better producer of 18-β glycyrrhetinic acid than Rhizopus oryzae . The induced P. chrysogenum seed culture produces higher 18-β glycyrrhetinic acid with 2.955 mg g −1 and maximum β-glucuronidase activity of 3,583.8 U ml −1 under stationary solid state fermentation. The mycelium growth and bioconversion rate is highest at pH of 5.5 and 4.5, respectively. G. glabra root supplemented with a solution of dextrose 9 g l −1 , MnSO 4 •H 2 O 3 g l −1 and (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 0.540 g l −1 produces 48.580 mg of 18-β glycyrrhetinic acid per gram of G. glabra root, i.e. 86.74 % bioconversion by P. chrysogenum in 96 h under stationary state solid state fermentation.

A review of typical biological activities of glycyrrhetinic acid and its derivatives

“…1), derived from the roots of the licorice plant (Glycyrrhiza glabra). 6,7 There are two isomers of glycyrrhetinic acid (GA), one is (3b,18b)-3-hydroxy-11oxoolean-12-en-30-oic acid, oen called 18b-glycyrrhetinic acid or enoxolone, denoted by 18b-GA. Another one is (3b,18a)-3hydroxy-11-oxoolean-12-en-29-oic acid, known as 18a-glycyrrhetinic acid, denoted by 18a-GA, as shown in Fig. 2.…”

Thermally controlled biotransformation of glycyrrhizic acidviaan asymmetric temperature-responsive polyurethane membrane

“…The biological actions of both compounds cover a wide spectrum, including anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidative, and anticancer activities. 19,20 When GL is converted to GA, the intermediate product glycyrrhetinic acid 3- O -mono-β- d -glucuronide (GAMG) is often produced. GAMG exhibits even higher antitumor and anti-inflammatory activities than GA.…”