Search Results (27)

Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. is an important economic plant. With its wild populations on the brink of extinction and the area of salinized soil increasing sharply, farmers have gradually used saline soil to carry out artificial cultivation of the licorice. However, the salt stress has led to a significant decrease in the yield and quality of its medicinal organ (root), seriously restricting the sustainable development of the licorice industry. Therefore, we investigated zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) as a nano-fertilizer to enhance root biomass and bioactive compound accumulation under salinity. Our results indicate that under 160 mM NaCl stress, the application of 30 mg/kg ZnO NPs increased the root biomass of the licorice and the contents of glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhizin, and total flavonoids in the roots by 182%, 158%, 87%, and 201%, respectively. And the ZnO treatment made the enzyme activities of SOD, CAT, and POD exhibit increase, and made the levels of superoxide anions, electrolyte leakage, soluble sugar, and proline reduce. These results demonstrate that ZnO NPs not only enhance salt tolerance but also redirect metabolic resources toward medicinal compound biosynthesis. Our findings provide a mechanistic basis for utilizing nanotechnology to sustainably cultivate the licorice in marginal saline environments, bridging agricultural productivity and pharmacological value. Full article

Cadmium (Cd) accumulation in plants hinders their growth and development while posing significant risks to human health through food chain transmission. Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (G. uralensis) is a medicinal plant valued for its roots and plays a crucial role in harmonizing various herbs in traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions. However, widespread Cd contamination in soil limits safe cultivation and application. Selenium (Se), a beneficial element in plants, can regulate plant growth by enhancing carbon metabolism and reducing heavy metal uptake. This study aimed to elucidate the protective mechanisms of Se application in licorice plants exposed to 20 μM Cd. Experiments with 1 and 5 μM of Se revealed that 1 μM of Se provided the best protective effects. This concentration reduced the Cd²⁺ content in the roots of G. uralensis, while significantly increasing plant biomass, root length, SPAD value, and contents of K⁺, Ca²⁺, and S²⁻. Additionally, the treatment reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) content by 30.71% and 58.91% at 12 h and 30 d, respectively. The transcriptome analysis results suggest that Se mitigated Cd toxicity by enhancing carbon metabolism, regulating the AsA-GSH cycle, reducing Cd absorption, promoting Cd transport and compartmentalization, and modulating Cd resistance-associated transcription factors. These findings clarify the mechanisms by which Se alleviates Cd toxicity in G. uralensis and offer a promising strategy for the safe cultivation and quality control of medicinal herbs in Cd-contaminated soils. Full article

Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. is considered one of the most economically important medicinal plants worldwide. However, the quality of cultivated G. uralensis has not been adequate to meet the market demand. As one of the most important factors for plant growth, light influences the production and accumulation of metabolites in plants. However, the effect of light on the development and accumulation of components of G. uralensis is unclear. In this study, we found that red light and 4R1B (red/blue = 4:1) could promote the growth of licorice, such as the plant height, diameter of the reed head, and biomass accumulation, while blue light inhibited indicators of reed head diameter, biomass accumulation, etc. The impact of the light system is reflected in blue light significantly suppressing the photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance, while red light and mixed light had the opposite effects. The red group had the lowest superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, which suggested the production and scavenging of O₂ was balanced in red light. Additionally, the red group had the highest content of soluble sugars and soluble proteins. We combined metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis and found that the gene expression in the treatment groups was up-regulated in the liquiritin synthesis pathway, and the liquiritin content of the 4R1B group and R group was significantly increased by 275% and 191% that of the CK group. Moreover, 4R1B significantly promoted the accumulation of glycyrrhizic acid (94% higher than in the CK group) and the expression of genes in the glycyrrhizic acid synthesis pathway. In addition, the light treatments affected seven phytohormone pathways (abscisic acid, brassinosteroid, salicylic acid, auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin, and jasmonic acid) in G. uralensis, which was related to cell elongation, stem elongation, stress resistance, and other aspects. In general, we analyzed the response mechanism of G. uralensis to red and blue light at the physiological, medicinal component, and molecular levels. The results will provide a new perspective for studying the regulatory effect of light quality on the growth and medicinal components of G. uralensis. Full article

Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) serves as a pivotal regulatory enzyme at the initial branching point of the phenylpropanoid pathway, exerting a profound influence on downstream reactions essential for flavonoid biosynthesis. Glycyrrhiza species are important medicinal plants and provide plenty of roots as raw materials for further utilization, with the components of glycyrrhizic acid and flavonoids as two major active ingredients. However, functional studies of the PAL genes in the medicinal Glycyrrhiza species remain limited. In this study, we identified seven PAL family genes from each of the three medicinal Glycyrrhiza species, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., G. inflata Bat., and G. glabra L., and comprehensively analyzed their phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, motif distributions, and promoter cis-elements. Gene expression profiling revealed that PAL1 is highly expressed in roots and significantly induced by drought and salt stresses. We further selected G. uralensis GuPAL1 for functional investigation in Arabidopsis. GuPAL1-overexpression lines (GuPAL1-OE) demonstrated significant enhancements in plant growth, flavonoid accumulation, and hormone levels in Arabidopsis thaliana. Conversely, the Atpal1 mutant plants displayed marked reductions in these traits, while the transgenic lines of GuPAL1-OE in the Atpal1 mutant (Atpal1/GuPAL1) recovered to the normal phenotypes similar to wild type (WT). Transcriptomic analysis of the GuPAL1-OE plants compared to WT demonstrated that several key genes in the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid metabolic pathways (4CL, CCoAOMT, CAD, POD, F3H, FLS) were significantly enriched, suggesting that GuPAL1 may promote plant growth and flavonoid biosynthesis by regulating diverse cellular functions, metabolic pathways, and associated gene expressions. These findings highlight the functional importance of GuPAL1 in flavonoid biosynthesis, and provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the medicinal properties of Glycyrrhiza species. Full article

Background/Objectives: Jwagwieum (or Joa-Gui Em; JGE) consists of six herbal medicines, Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaertn.) DC., Dioscorea japonica Thunb., Lycium chinense Mill., Cornus officinalis Siebold & Zucc., Poria cocos Wolf, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., and has been widely used to treat kidney-yin deficiency syndrome. In the present study, a high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detector (HPLC–PDA) method for the simultaneous quantification of the nine components, i.e., gallic acid, 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural, morroniside, loganin, liquiritin apioside, liquiritin, ononin, glycyrrhizin, and allantoin, was developed. Methods: The developed HPLC–PDA assay for quality control of JGE was validated with respect to linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), recovery, and precision. Results: In the regression equation of the calibration curve, the coefficient of determination was ≥0.9980, and LOD and LOQ were 0.003–0.071 μg/mL and 0.010–0.216 μg/mL, respectively. Recovery and precision (relative standard deviation) were 96.36–106.95% and <1.20%, respectively. In this analytical method, nine compounds were detected at concentrations of 0.15–3.69 mg/lyophilized gram. Conclusions: The developed and validated analytical method could be used to obtain basic data for the quality control of JGE and related herbal prescriptions. Full article

Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. is a medicinal herb that can be added to food to provide therapeutic effects and reduce the burden of medications. Herein, the immunomodulatory effects of Glycyrrhiza polysaccharides (GPs) were verified and illustrated by intervening immunocompromised rats treated with different doses of GPs, which were reflected for adjusting the composition and structure of the intestinal microbiota and altering the metabolic profile. The immunomodulatory effects of GPs were exerted by regulating the intestinal microenvironment. In particular, GPs could promote the growth of probiotic bacteria Allobaculum, norank__o_Clostridia_UCG-014, Dubosiella, and g__norank_o___RF39 and curb the growth of harmful bacteria Enterococcus. The results showed that GPs had a prebiotic effect, which contributed to improving the intestinal environment and maintaining intestinal health. In addition, the content of beneficial differential metabolites was up-regulated, especially short-chain fatty acids, with alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism; arginine biosynthesis; glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism being the most enriched pathways. These metabolic pathways imply the metabolic process of GPs, and the metabolic pathways and differential effector metabolites of it are focused. Overall, the purpose of this article lies in providing support for the application of GPs for regulating immune function. Full article

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch), a significant traditional Chinese herbal medicine, has been extensively utilized in China to treat various ailments. Natural bioactive coumarins, glycycoumarin, glycyrin, and 3-O-methylglycyrol, were isolated from licorice, and they exhibited various pharmacological properties. In this report, we have accomplished the total synthesis of glycycoumarin, glycyrin, and 3-O-methylglycyrol in 5–7 linear steps from commercially available 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzaldehyde with yields of 12.3–21.2%. Additionally, their anti-inflammatory activities were studied and compared. Glycycoumarin, glycyrin, and 3-O-methylglycyrol exhibited different levels of anti-inflammatory activities, with glycyrin being the most potent. Mechanistic studies indicated that glycyrin exerted its anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting the activation of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, making it a potential anti-inflammatory lead compound for further optimization and discovery of new agents. Full article

The seeds of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. used for cultivating are primarily sourced from wild populations. However, the types of habitats where wild G. uralensis grow are diverse. We studied the effects of salinity on the growth, antioxidant capacity, and photosynthetic physiology of two-month-old licorice seedlings from different habitats to evaluate their salt tolerance. With the increasing NaCl concentration, compared with non-salinized habitats, seedlings originating from seeds collected from salinized habitats showed milder inhibition in root biomass and root volume. Also, the crown diameter increased more significantly. Activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase are higher. Correspondingly, the electrolyte leakage rate of the leaves is low. Their leaves had a higher photoprotection capacity and potential maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII. Net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance showed less inhibition under 4 and 6 g/kg NaCl treatment. The content of glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid in their roots was significantly increased under 2 g/kg NaCl treatment and was significantly higher than that of seedlings from non-salinized habitats under the same NaCl treatment. In conclusion, seeds from salinized habitats show improved tolerance to salt stress at the seedling stage, which is attributed to their superior phenotypic adaptability, strong antioxidant, and especially high light protection ability. Full article

Weeds interfere with agricultural production activities worldwide and have a very serious impact on agriculture and animal husbandry. Identifying a safe and reliable weed control strategy may increase the yield and production net income, and improve crop quality. Licorice is one of the most popular traditional Chinese herbal medicines and has been used for over 2000 years in China. Liquiritin and glycyrrhizic acid are crucial active ingredients. A field experiment was carried out to explore the effects of weeding frequency on the yield and quality of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch in an arid and semi-arid area of northwest China. The experiment consisted of seven treatments: (1) no weeding, marked as WF0, and (2)–(7) artificial weeding using a hoe once every 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 weeks after emergence, marked as WF1, WF2, WF4, WF6, WF8 and WF10, respectively. We found that a higher weeding frequency resulted in greater plant height, photosynthesis, yield and quality. The highest yield was obtained when the WF1 treatment was applied, while the cost of weeding was high among all treatments. The concentrations of liquiritin and glycyrrhizic acid were increased by 53.24% and 36.57%, with the highest nitrogen metabolism enzymatic activities and quality observed when the WF4 treatment was applied. The WF4 treatment resulted in the largest increase in the net income among all treatments in both growing seasons, with respective increases of up to 71.39% and 78.81%. These findings suggest that weeding once every four weeks could be an effective and sustainable measure to control weeds in an arid and semi-arid area. Full article

(1) Wild Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch (licorice) seeds from different habitats are often mixed for cultivation. However, differences in the responses of seeds from different habitats to salt at the early-stage offspring stage are unclear. (2) Our objective was to evaluate the salt tolerance of G. uralensis germplasms by comparing differences in seed germination and seedling vigor in salinized (abandoned farmland and meadow) and non-salinized (corn farmland edge) soil habitats under different sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations. (3) The germination rates and germination indexes of seeds from the two salinized habitats with 0–320 mmol·L⁻¹ NaCl were higher and their germination initiation times were earlier. Only seeds from salinized habitats were able to elongate their germs at 240 mmol·L⁻¹ NaCl. Seedlings from salinized habitats had higher fresh weights and relative water contents, while they exhibited lower accumulation of malondialdehyde and less cell electrolyte leakages. Under NaCl treatment, seedlings from the salinized habitats displayed higher superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase (SOD, CAT, and POD) activities and lower superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide (O₂⁻ and H₂O₂) contents. Their comprehensive scores showed that the vigor of licorice seeds from salinized habitats was higher. (4) The salt tolerances of different wild G. uralensis seeds were different, and the offspring of licorice from salinized habitats had stronger early-stage salt tolerances. Full article

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most common pathogens of healthcare-associated infections. Medicinal plants have long been used in the traditional treatment of diseases or syndromes worldwide. Combined use of plant extracts could improve the effectiveness of pharmacological action by obtaining synergism, acting on multiple targets simultaneously, reducing the doses of individual components, and minimizing side effects. We aimed to investigate the synergistic inhibitory effects of selected medicinal plants (Caesalpinia sappan L. (CS), Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (GU), Sanguisorba officinalis L. (SO), and Uncaria gambir Roxb. (UG)) on the bacterial growth of MRSA and its clinical isolates. SO and UG extracts generated the best synergistic interaction as adjudged by checkerboard synergy assays. MICs of the individual extracts decreased 4-fold from 250 to 62.5 μg/mL, respectively. The SO + UG combination was further evaluated for its effects on bacterial growth inhibition, minimum bactericidal/inhibitory concentration (MBC/MIC) ratio, and time-kill kinetics. The results indicate that the SO + UG combination synergistically inhibited the bacterial growth of MRSA strains with bactericidal effects. SO + UG combination also exhibited more potent effects against clinical isolates. In multistep resistance selection experiments, both standard and isolates of MRSA showed no resistance to the SO + UG combination even after repeated exposure over fourteen passages. Our data suggest that using plant extract combinations could be a potential strategy to treat MRSA infections. Full article

Foliar water uptake (FWU) is one of the primary water sources for desert plants. Desert plants’ water uptake capacity is essential in maintaining the balance of carbon and water. However, there are few studies on FWU capacity in desert plants and the physiological and ecological characteristics that lead to differences in FWU capacity. In order to clarify FWU strategies and the influencing factors of plants in desert ecosystems, this study measured the contact angle, FWU parameters, and hydraulic parameters to explore six desert plants’ FWU capacity and the effects of leaf wettability and hydraulic parameters on FWU capacity. The results showed that all six plants had FWU capacity, among which the leaves of Nitraria sibirica Pall. and Halimodendron halodendron (Pall.) Voss had a high foliar water uptake rate (k) and high foliar water uptake accumulation (FWU storage), and the leaves of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. had a high k and low FWU storage. The leaves of Populus euphratica Oliv., Apocynum hendersonii Hook. f., and Alhagi sparsifolia Shap. had a low k and low FWU storage. Additionally, FWU capacity was mainly affected by stomatal regulation compared with leaf wettability and leaf structure. The results of this study will help to improve the understanding of the physiological and ecological adaptability of desert plants. Full article

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a serious threat to global public health due to its capacity of tolerate conventional antibiotics. Medicinal plants are traditionally used to treat infectious diseases caused by bacterial pathogens. In the present study, 16 medicinal plants were screened for antibacterial activities to preselect more effective species. Ethanol extracts of selected medicinal plants (Caesalpinia sappan L., Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., Sanguisorba officinalis L., and Uncaria gambir Roxb) were partitioned successively with different solvents (n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, 1-butanol, and water). Disc diffusion assay and broth microdilution were performed to evaluate the antibacterial activities of plant extracts and fractions against Staphylococcus aureus strains. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of the extracts and fractions was determined against the human hepatoma (HepG2) and human lung carcinoma (A549) cell lines using a trypan blue exclusion method. A few extracts and fractions showed significant inhibitory effects on the bacterial growth of all tested strains, including multidrug-resistance (MDR) clinical isolates. The ethyl acetate fraction of C. sappan had the most potent effects with minimum inhibitory/bactericidal concentrations (MIC/MBC) of 31.2/62.5 μg/mL and showed low cytotoxicity with over 90% cell viability in both cells. Our results suggest that medicinal plants have considerable potential as alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Full article

We aimed to investigate the water use strategies and the responses to water shortages in Glycyrrhiza uralensis, which is a dominant species in the desert steppe. Water stress gradients included control, mild, moderate, and severe. The time intervals were 15, 30, 45, and 60 d. Our study suggested that with the aggravation of water stress intensity, the total biomass of Glycyrrhiza uralensis gradually decreased and allometric growth was preferred to underground biomass accumulation. From 30 d and mild to moderate water stress, the water potential (WP) of leaves decreased considerably compared to the CK. The relative water content (EWC) decreased over time and had a narrow range of variation. Proline (PR) was continuously increased, then declined at 45–60 d under severe and more severe water stress. The δ¹³C values increased in all organs, showed roots > stems > leaves. The net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and transpiration rate (Tr) decreased to varying degrees. The instantaneous water use efficiency (WUEi) and limiting value of stomata (Ls) increased continuously at first and decreased under severe water stress. Meanwhile, severe water stress triggered the most significant changes in chloroplast and guard cell morphology. In summary, Glycyrrhiza uralensis could maintain water content and turgor pressure under water stress, promote root biomass accumulation, and improve water use efficiency, a water-conservation strategy indicating a mechanism both avoidable dehydration and tolerable drought. Full article

Liquiritigenin (LQG) is a natural flavonoid from the herb Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch that exhibits multiple biological activities. However, its specific role in antiobesity and its related underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. The primary purpose of this study is to explore the effects and regulatory mechanisms of LQG on lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The results show that LQG significantly reduced triglyceride levels and downregulated the expression of transcription factors such as CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Additionally, the expression of sterol-regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP1c), acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), and fatty acid synthase (FASN) involved in lipogenesis was reduced by treatment with LQG. The protein expression levels of light chain 3B (LC3B), autophagy-related protein 7 (ATG7) and p62 were also modulated by LQG, leading to the suppression of autophagy. Further, LQG activated the phosphorylation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), the inhibition of which was followed by the restored expression of autophagy-related proteins. Pretreatment with an mTOR inhibitor also reverted the expression of several genes or proteins involved in lipid synthesis. These results suggest that LQG inhibited lipid accumulation via mTOR-mediated autophagy in 3T3-L1 white adipocytes, indicating the role of LQG as a potential natural bioactive component for use in dietary supplements for preventing obesity. Full article