Glycyrrhizic acid

Glycyrrhizic acid is extracted from the root of the licorice plant; Glycyrrhiza glabra. It is a triterpene glycoside with glycyrrhetinic acid that possesses a wide range of pharmacological and biological activities. When extracted from the plant, it can be obtained in the form of ammonium glycyrrhizin and mono-ammonium glycyrrhizin. Glycyrrhizic acid has been developed in Japan and China as a hepatoprotective drug in cases of chronic hepatitis. From January 2014, glycyrrhizic acid as part of the licorice extract was approved by the FDA as an existing food sweetener. It was approved by Health Canada to be used in over-the-counter products but all the products are currently on the status canceled post marketed.

Glycyrrhizic acid is widely applied in foods as a natural sweetener. As a therapeutic agent, is has been used in a vast variety of formulations as it is reported to be anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, anti-allergic, antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-diabetic and hepatoprotective. Due to this properties, its indications have been: treatment of premenstrual syndrome, treatment of viral infections, anti-lipidemic and antihyperglycemic. It is also known to be used as a remedy for peptic ulcer and other stomach diseases.