Identification and Chemical Standardization of Licorice Raw Materials and Dietary Supplements Using UHPLC-MS/MS

Abstract

Defined as the roots and underground stems of principally three Glycyrrhiza species, G. glabra L., G.uralensis Fish. ex DC. and G. inflata Batalin, licorice has been used as a medicinal herb for millennia and is marketed as root sticks, powders and extracts. Identity tests described in most pharmacopeial monographs enabled the distinction of Glycyrrhiza species. Accordingly, an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) assay using the method of standard addition was developed to quantify 14 licorice components (liquiritin, isoliquiritin, liquiritin apioside, isoliquiritin apioside, licuraside, liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin, glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhetinic acid, glabridin, glycycoumarin, licoricidin, licochalcone A, and p-hydroxybenzylmalonic acid), representing several natural product classes including chalcones, flavanones, saponins, and isoflavonoids. Using this approach, G. glabra, G. uralensis and G. inflata in a variety of forms including root powders and extracts as well as complex dietary supplements could be differentiated and chemically standardized without concerns due to matrix effects.

Cytochrome P450 inhibition by three licorice species and fourteen licorice constituents

“…The root powders from each species were extracted by maceration at room temperature with a solvent mixture consisting of ethanol (200 USP proof), isopropanol and water (90:5:5, v/v/v) and a plant powder/volume of solvent ratio of 1:15 (Hajirahimkhan et al , 2015). The quantitative analysis of 14 licorice constituents in the extracts was carried out using a UHPLC-MS/MS assay as described previously (Li, et al ., 2016). …”

Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Processed by Sulfur Fumigation Damaged the Chemical Profile Accompanied by Immunosuppression and Liver Injury

“…HE staining sectioning (2 μm) was read under optical microscope (OLYMPUS BX41, Japan) [26]. e main examination of the liver was (1) whether there is hepatocyte degeneration (steatosis and edema), (2) whether there is hepatocyte degeneration and necrosis, (3) whether there is inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver lobule, (4) whether there is inflammation or fibrous tissue proliferation in the portal area, and (5) whether there is atrophy of hepatocyte and expansion of hepatic sinuses. Five visual fields were selected for each slice, and then the average percentage of lesion in different groups was calculated.…”

“…UPLC-Orbitrap-MS has been widely used in the identification of characteristic components of traditional Chinese medicine [29,30]. According to related literature [2,4,13,[31][32][33][34] and the transformation rule before and after SF, the molecular weight ranging from 500 to 1800 (m/z) was screened one by one under the UPLC-Orbitrap-MS system. products (m/z, 631.13) also had been screened out in SF-GRER (Table 3 and Figure 4).…”

“…Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (GRER) has been used as a medicinal plant and dietary supplements since ancient times in China, Japan, Italy, United States, and other different countries and regions [1][2][3][4]. Modern research studies showed that GRER had extensive pharmacological effects in antispasmodic, antidiabetic, antiosteoporosis, antidepressive, antitussive and expectorant, hepatoprotective, and memory-enhancing [5][6][7][8][9][10][11].…”

Hepatic metabolism of licochalcone A, a potential chemopreventive chalcone from licorice (Glycyrrhiza inflata), determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

“…The roots of three licorice species are commonly used in botanical dietary supplements and as medicinal plants, namely Glycyrrhiza glabra L, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., and Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat [8,9]. Licochalcone A (( E )-3-(4-hydroxy-2-methoxy-5-(2-methylbut-3-en-2-yl)phenyl)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one, Figure 1), is a Michael acceptor occurring in Glycyrrhiza inflata [10] root extracts at levels of approximately 8% (w/w) [11]. …”