亚洲传统医药

关键词: licorice, diabetes, diabetic complications, flavonoids, triterpene saponins, molecular mechanism

Abstract: Licorice is one of the oldest herbal medicines for its various ethno pharmacological uses. In both Asian and European countries, it has been recorded for treatment of inflammatory diseases. A large number of ingredients have been isolated from licorice, including triterpene saponins and flavonoids, which are normally being considered to be the main biologically active components. In the last decade, licorice has been proved exert anti-diabetic effect in various in vivo and in vitro models of diabetes mellitus. Furthermore, licorice can also antagonize all sorts of diabetes complications, including diabetic nephropathy, atherosclerosis, diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy. Except anti-inflammation, licorice and its active components show anti-diabetic effects by improving insulin resistance and increasing insulin secretion, regulating lipid metabolism, and anti-oxidation. The useful effects of licorice and its active components are due to regulating different pathways and proteins, including NF-κB, AMPK, insulin signaling pathway, MAPK, etc. In this review, we provide an overview of the beneficial effects and related molecular mechanism of licorice and its effective components on improving diabetes and its complications.

Key words: licorice, diabetes, diabetic complications, flavonoids, triterpene saponins, molecular mechanism