@article {631, title = {Modulation of Genotoxicity of Oxidative Mutagens by Glycyrrhizic Acid from Glycyrrhiza glabra L.}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {4}, year = {2012}, month = {October ,2012}, pages = {189-195}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {189}, abstract = {

Background: The chemopreventive effects of certain phytoconstituents can be exploited for their use as functional foods, dietary supplements and even as drugs. The natural compounds, acting as anti-genotoxic and free radical scavenging compounds, may serve as potent chemopreventive agents. These can inhibit DNA modulatory activities of mutagens and help preventing pathological processes. Objectives: Present study on Glycyrrhiza glabra L., a promising medicinal plant, widely used in traditional medicine, focused on the bioassay-guided fractionation of its extracts for the isolation of certain phytochemicals with anti-genotoxic potential against oxidative mutagens. Materials and Methods: The methanol extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra rhizomes was subjected to column chromatography, and isolated fraction was evaluated for its anti-genotoxic and antioxidant potential using SOS chromotest, Comet assay, and DPPH radical scavenging assay. Results: GLG fraction, which was characterized as Glycyrrhizic acid, inhibited the genotoxicity of oxidative mutagens viz., H 2 O 2 and 4NQOquite efficiently. In SOS chromotest, using E.coli PQ37 tester strain, it inhibited induction factor induced by H 2 O 2 and 4NQO by 75.54\% and 71.69\% at the concentration of 121.46 μM,respectively. In Comet assay, it reduced the tail moment induced by H 2 O 2 and 4NQO by 70.21\% and 69.04\%, respectively, at the same concentration in human blood lymphocytes. The isolated fraction also exhibited DPPH free radical scavenging activity and was able to scavenge 85.95\% radicals at a concentration of 120 μM. Conclusion: Glycyrrhizic acid is a potential modulator of genotoxins as well as efficient scavenger of free radicals.

}, keywords = {4NQO, Chemoprevention, Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Glycyrrhizic acid, H 2 O 2, Oxidative mutagens}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.102260}, author = {Prabhjit Kaur and Neha Sharma and Bikram Singh and Subodh Kumar and Satwinderjeet Kaur} }