Phytochemical, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Safety Profile of <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> L. Extract Obtained from Romania

<i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> L., also known as licorice, belongs to the <i>Fabaceae</i> family and is one of the most commercially valuable plants worldwide, being used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries, both for its therapeutic benefits as well as for the swe...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Iulia Semenescu, Stefana Avram, Diana Similie, Daliana Minda, Zorita Diaconeasa, Delia Muntean, Antonina Evelina Lazar, Daniela Gurgus, Corina Danciu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Plants
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/23/3265
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846123965427220480
author Iulia Semenescu
Stefana Avram
Diana Similie
Daliana Minda
Zorita Diaconeasa
Delia Muntean
Antonina Evelina Lazar
Daniela Gurgus
Corina Danciu
author_facet Iulia Semenescu
Stefana Avram
Diana Similie
Daliana Minda
Zorita Diaconeasa
Delia Muntean
Antonina Evelina Lazar
Daniela Gurgus
Corina Danciu
author_sort Iulia Semenescu
collection DOAJ
description <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> L., also known as licorice, belongs to the <i>Fabaceae</i> family and is one of the most commercially valuable plants worldwide, being used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries, both for its therapeutic benefits as well as for the sweetening properties of the extract. This study evaluates the phytochemical composition, the biological activities, and the safety profile of a methanolic extract of licorice root (LRE) obtained from Romania. Ten phytocompounds were quantified by the HPLC-DAD-ESI+, the most abundant being the triterpene glycyrrhizin (13.927 mg/g dry extract.), followed by these flavonoids: liquiritin, liquiritigenin-apiosyl-glucoside, and apigenin-rutinoside liquiritigenin. The total phenolic content of the LRE was found to be 169.83 mg gallic acid/g dry extract. (GAE/g d.e.), and the extract showed a maximum of 79.29% antioxidant activity in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Good antimicrobial activity of the LRE was observed for Gram-negative bacteria, especially for <i>S. pneumoniae</i> and <i>S. pyogenes</i>. The mineral content of the LRE was indicative of the lack of toxicity; heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, nickel, and cobalt were below the detection limit. The safety profile of the licorice extract was assessed using the in vivo hen egg test-chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM protocol), indicating no irritability, good tolerability, and biocompatibility. The phytochemical and biological characterization of the Romanian licorice root extract reveals a good source of glycyrrhizin and polyphenols with antioxidant and antimicrobial potential, along with a safety profile that may be useful for future therapeutic applications.
format Article
id doaj-art-1de50c1a72e7442080c98e77adb428b3
institution Kabale University
issn 2223-7747
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Plants
spelling doaj-art-1de50c1a72e7442080c98e77adb428b32024-12-13T16:29:39ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472024-11-011323326510.3390/plants13233265Phytochemical, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Safety Profile of <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> L. Extract Obtained from RomaniaIulia Semenescu0Stefana Avram1Diana Similie2Daliana Minda3Zorita Diaconeasa4Delia Muntean5Antonina Evelina Lazar6Daniela Gurgus7Corina Danciu8Department of Pharmacognosy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2nd Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Pharmacognosy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2nd Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Pharmacognosy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2nd Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Pharmacognosy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2nd Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Science and Veterinary Medicine, Calea Manastur, 3-5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, 2nd Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, RomaniaNational Institute of Research and Development for Electrochemistry and Condensed Matter, 144 Dr. A. P. Podeanu, 300569 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Balneology, Medical Recovery and Rheumatology, Family Discipline, Center for Preventive Medicine, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2nd Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Pharmacognosy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2nd Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, Romania<i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> L., also known as licorice, belongs to the <i>Fabaceae</i> family and is one of the most commercially valuable plants worldwide, being used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries, both for its therapeutic benefits as well as for the sweetening properties of the extract. This study evaluates the phytochemical composition, the biological activities, and the safety profile of a methanolic extract of licorice root (LRE) obtained from Romania. Ten phytocompounds were quantified by the HPLC-DAD-ESI+, the most abundant being the triterpene glycyrrhizin (13.927 mg/g dry extract.), followed by these flavonoids: liquiritin, liquiritigenin-apiosyl-glucoside, and apigenin-rutinoside liquiritigenin. The total phenolic content of the LRE was found to be 169.83 mg gallic acid/g dry extract. (GAE/g d.e.), and the extract showed a maximum of 79.29% antioxidant activity in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Good antimicrobial activity of the LRE was observed for Gram-negative bacteria, especially for <i>S. pneumoniae</i> and <i>S. pyogenes</i>. The mineral content of the LRE was indicative of the lack of toxicity; heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, nickel, and cobalt were below the detection limit. The safety profile of the licorice extract was assessed using the in vivo hen egg test-chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM protocol), indicating no irritability, good tolerability, and biocompatibility. The phytochemical and biological characterization of the Romanian licorice root extract reveals a good source of glycyrrhizin and polyphenols with antioxidant and antimicrobial potential, along with a safety profile that may be useful for future therapeutic applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/23/3265licorice root extractmethanolglycyrrhizinphenolic compoundsantioxidantmetals
spellingShingle Iulia Semenescu
Stefana Avram
Diana Similie
Daliana Minda
Zorita Diaconeasa
Delia Muntean
Antonina Evelina Lazar
Daniela Gurgus
Corina Danciu
Phytochemical, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Safety Profile of <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> L. Extract Obtained from Romania
Plants
licorice root extract
methanol
glycyrrhizin
phenolic compounds
antioxidant
metals
title Phytochemical, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Safety Profile of <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> L. Extract Obtained from Romania
title_full Phytochemical, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Safety Profile of <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> L. Extract Obtained from Romania
title_fullStr Phytochemical, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Safety Profile of <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> L. Extract Obtained from Romania
title_full_unstemmed Phytochemical, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Safety Profile of <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> L. Extract Obtained from Romania
title_short Phytochemical, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Safety Profile of <i>Glycyrrhiza glabra</i> L. Extract Obtained from Romania
title_sort phytochemical antioxidant antimicrobial and safety profile of i glycyrrhiza glabra i l extract obtained from romania
topic licorice root extract
methanol
glycyrrhizin
phenolic compounds
antioxidant
metals
url https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/23/3265
work_keys_str_mv AT iuliasemenescu phytochemicalantioxidantantimicrobialandsafetyprofileofiglycyrrhizaglabrailextractobtainedfromromania
AT stefanaavram phytochemicalantioxidantantimicrobialandsafetyprofileofiglycyrrhizaglabrailextractobtainedfromromania
AT dianasimilie phytochemicalantioxidantantimicrobialandsafetyprofileofiglycyrrhizaglabrailextractobtainedfromromania
AT dalianaminda phytochemicalantioxidantantimicrobialandsafetyprofileofiglycyrrhizaglabrailextractobtainedfromromania
AT zoritadiaconeasa phytochemicalantioxidantantimicrobialandsafetyprofileofiglycyrrhizaglabrailextractobtainedfromromania
AT deliamuntean phytochemicalantioxidantantimicrobialandsafetyprofileofiglycyrrhizaglabrailextractobtainedfromromania
AT antoninaevelinalazar phytochemicalantioxidantantimicrobialandsafetyprofileofiglycyrrhizaglabrailextractobtainedfromromania
AT danielagurgus phytochemicalantioxidantantimicrobialandsafetyprofileofiglycyrrhizaglabrailextractobtainedfromromania
AT corinadanciu phytochemicalantioxidantantimicrobialandsafetyprofileofiglycyrrhizaglabrailextractobtainedfromromania