Abstract
During the course of experiments on the metabolism of Chinese crude drugs by human
intestinal flora, glycyrrhizin, an active component of liquorice, was shown to be
hydrolyzed to the aglycone, 18-β-glycyrrhetic acid, which was then transformed to
a new compound, 3-epi-18β-glycyrrhetic acid. The epimerization of 18β-glycyrrhetic
acid to 3-epi-18β-glycyrrhetic acid was also shown to be reversible via a metabolic intermediate, 3-dehydro-18β-glycyrrhetic acid.
Key Word Index
Glycyrrhiza glabra
- Leguminosae - Glycyrrhizin - 18β-Glycyrrhetic acid - 3-Epi-18β-glycyrrhetic acid
- 3-Dehydro-18β-glycyrrhetic acid - Metabolism - Intestinal Flora
