Phytochemical and clinical studies of the bioactive extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. Family Leguminosae

The aim of this study was the isolation, identification of the bioactive ingredients of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. Family Leguminosae, as well as the evaluation of their efficacy and ability to control plaque induced gingivitis in a preliminary clinical study.The dried powdered roots and rhizomes of G. glabra was subjected to successive extraction using organic solvents of increasing polarity.The total polar extract of the roots and rhizomes of G. glabra showed significant inhibition of carrageenan induced swelling of the hind rat paw (P>0.5).Seven phenolic compounds namely liquiriteginin, liquiritin apioside, neoliquiritin apioside, isoliquiritin, isoliquritin apioside, licuraside2-(5-P-coumaryl apiosyl) and isoliquiritin were isolated from the total polar extract utilizing different chromatographic techniques (PC, TLC, CC, HPLC and LC/MS) and identified using spectral analysis ( 1 H-NMR, 13 C-NMR, 2D-NMR and ESI-MS).The effectiveness of the isolated bioactive fractions of G. glabra mouth rinse in the reduction of plaque and gingivitis was studied clinically, after the approval of its safety, and the results were significant.