Glycyrrhizin

Glycyrrhizin has been used to treat chronic hepatitis in Japan and Europe. It is thought to induce pseudoaldosteronism via inhibition of type 2 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11beta-HSD2) by glycyrrhetinic acid, a major metabolite of glycyrrhizin.

Protective effect of glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhetic acid and matrine on acute cholestasis induced by alpha-naphthyl isothiocyanate in rats.
Planta Med. 2007 February. Center of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
Alpha-naphthyl isothiocyanate (ANIT) is a known hepatotoxicant that causes acute cholestatic hepatitis characterized by the infiltration of neutrophils around bile ducts and necrotic hepatocytes. The effects of glycyrrhizin, 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid, matrine, oxymatrine (OMT), salvianolic acid B (SAB), silymarin (SI) and dexamethasone (DEX) on ANIT-induced acute cholestasis in rats were investigated. The protective effect of dexamethosone is directed toward cholangiocytes rather than hepatocytes whereas the natural products, glycyrrhetinic acid, glycyrrhizin and matrine exhibit significantly better protective effects against ANIT-induced liver damage including the protection of hepatocytes as well as cholangiocytes.

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Glycyrrhetinic acid is as a major metabolite of glycyrrhizin.