| Properties | Information | |
|---|---|---|
| PhytoCAT-ID | PhytoCAT-497 | |
| Phytochemical name or plant extracts | Chinese licorice extract | |
| PMID | 16297710 | |
| Literature evidence | In this study the ethanol extract of Chinese licorice root, Glycyrrhiza uralensis (G. uralensis) was investigated for its estrogenic effect and the ability to inhibit cell proliferation in the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line. | |
| IUPAC name | NA | |
| Phytochemicals’ class or type of plant extracts | Ethanolic extract | |
| Source of phytochemicals or plant Extracts | Glycyrrhiza uralensis | |
| Geographical availability | Afghanistan, Altay, Buryatiya, China North-Central, Chita, East European Russia, Inner Mongolia, Irkutsk, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Krasnoyarsk, Manchuria, Mongolia, Northwest European R, Pakistan, Qinghai, South European Russi, Tadzhikistan, Tuva, West Siberia, Xinjiang | |
| Plant parts | Root | |
| Other cancers | Breast cancer | |
| Target gene or protein | p53, Bax, p21(waf1/cip1), CDK 2, Cyclin E | |
| Gene or Protein evidence | The extract exhibited estrogenic effects similar to 17beta- estradiol (E2) and induced apoptosis at the same dose level (100 microg/ml) in MCF-7 breast cancer cells, results were associated with up-regulation of tumor suppressor gene p53 and pro-apoptotic protein Bax. G. uralensis extract caused the up-regulation of p21(waf1/cip1) and down-regulation of cdk 2 and cyclin E and most significantly, induced G1 cell cycle arrest. | |
| Target pathways | NA | |
| IC50 | NA | |
| Potency | Whilst the use of phytoestrogens to protect against hormone-dependent cancers or as a 'natural' alternative to hormone replacement therapy remains controversial, the data in this paper support the suggestion that extracts of root of the Chinese licorice G. uralensis might be of importance in this debate. | |
| Cell line/ mice model | MCF-7 | |
| Additional information | This is the first study to show that the ethanolic extract of the root of G. uralensis has an estrogen-like activity and anti-cancer effects against MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Whilst the use of phytoestrogens to protect against hormone-dependent cancers or as a 'natural' alternative to hormone replacement therapy remains controversial, the data in this paper support the suggestion that extracts of root of the Chinese licorice G. uralensis might be of importance in this debate. | |
| PubChem ID | NA | |
| Additional PMIDs | NA | |
| Additional sources of information | https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:496974-1 | |
| Safety | NA |