Glycyrrhizic acid and the aqueous extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra attenuate hepatotoxicity in mice

The liver injury could be induced in the association of a wide range of etiologies. Therefore, finding hepatoprotective agents with the potential clinical application has great value. Glycyrrhiza glabra (GG) is widely used in traditional medicine. The natural habitats of this plant are abundantly found in Iran. Besides, this plant could be cultivated on an industrial scale. The current study was designed to evaluate and compare the hepatoprotective effects of GG aqueous extract in two animal models. Moreover, the effect of GG extract was compared with glycyrrhizic acid (GHZA) as one of its most abundant components. Mice were treated with APAP (800 mg/kg, i.p) and CCl4 (0.8 ml/kg, in olive oil, i.p) as hepatotoxicants. Then, animals were treated with GG (150, 300, and 600 mg/kg, oral) and GHZA (30 mg/kg, oral). Moreover, animals were pre-treated with GG (600 mg/kg, seven consecutive days) before hepatotoxicity induction. A significant increase in serum biomarkers of liver injury and liver histopathological alterations were detected in APAP and CCl4-treated animals. Moreover, significant glutathione depletion and lipid peroxidation were evident in the liver of hepatotoxin-treated mice. It was found that GG water extract and GHZA significantly alleviated APAP and CCl4-induced liver injury. However, the effects of GG extract pre-treatment were more significant in comparison with post-treatment groups. Moreover, GG extract had a more significant hepatoprotective effect in comparison with GHZA. The effects of GG extract and GHZA on oxidative stress parameters seem to play a fundamental role in its hepatoprotective properties.