التركيب الكيميائي و النشاط المضاد للأكسدة و التأثير الحيوي للعرقسوس

Abstract EN

Licorice is considered a traditional medicinal herb grow in various parts of the world.

The roots of licorice are rich in bioactive compounds.

In the present work, chemical composition of licorice roots was determined.

Moisture content amounted 10.0 % in the dried licorice roots.

The crude fibers and crude protein accounted 31.5 and 7.0%, respectively (on dry wt.

basis).

Meanwhile, total carbohydrates and ether extract constituted 44.0 and 1.5%, respectively.

Concerning the mineral content in licorice roots, calcium was found to be the dominant element (1012.3 mg/100 g licorice roots), followed by potassium and magnesium (429.6 and 360.2 mg/100g), resp.

Also, sodium, iron and zinc were found in considerable amounts.

Total phenolic compounds content was also detected, it accounted 1190 mg as gallic acid/100 g licorice roots.

However, these phenolic compounds were fractionated and identified by HPLC.

The results ascertained that liquiritin (flavonoid) was the major compound (15.21%, from the total compounds), followed by glabridin(11.72%) and cinnamic acid (8.22%).

The antioxidative activity of licorice ethanolic extract (LEE) was examined by applying DPPH and measured by ESR spectroscopy.

The result proved that the radical scavenging activity of LEE reached 99.93%, which refer to flavonoids presented in such extract.

The present study was also conducted to evaluate the biological activity of LEE on hypercholesterolemic rats (weighing 160-180 g) for 6 weeks.

Thirty-six male albino rats were divided into 6 groups.

The first one were fed with a basal diet, the second one was fed with high fat and high cholesterol (1%) diet.

The third group was fed with high fat and high cholesterol (1%) diet and given BHT (200 ppm as an antioxidant compound) by oral administration.

The last three groups were fed on high fat and high cholesterol and administrated LEE orally at concentration 50, 75 and 100 mg/ kg body wt.

of rat.

Results ascertained that oral administration with LEE at 100 mg led to decrease the body weight of rats and food intake, followed by that given 75 mg LEE, compared with control group.

Also, oral administration with LEE led to reduce the total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels of rats, compared with that fed with high fat and high cholesterol diet, meanwhile, HDL-cholesterol level was diminished in the corresponded groups.

Concerning, liver function enzymes and kidney function, our findings proved that AST, ALT, ALP, uric acid, creatinine and urea in the serum of rats decreased in the serum of rats administrated LEE at the tested concentrations, compared with a group of rats fed with high fat and high cholesterol diet and that administrated BHT.

Consequently, licorice roots could be used as a hypocholesterolemic agent.