Glycyrrhizic acid is a kind of anti-inflammatory triterpene glycoside extracted from the licorice root. Inside the body, it can be metabolized to glycyrrhetinic acid which inhibits the 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and some other enzymes related to the corticosteroid metabolism. Glycyrrhizic acid has various pharmacological effects including suppressing hepatic apoptosis and necrosis, anti-inflammatory and immune regulatory actions, antiviral effects, antineoplastic and anticancer effects. It is the active ingredient of licorice root which is commonly used in the treatment of acute and chronic liver injury, viral hepatitis, hepatic steatosis, liver fibrosis, hepatoma, viral myocarditis and other diseases such as psoriasis or prostate cancer. Glycyrrhizic acid is also widely used as a sweetening and flavoring agent in food.
