Comparative Study On Contents And Anti-cancer Activity Of Glycyrrhizin And Total Flavones From Four Glycyrrhiza Species

In this article, four wild Glycyrrhiza species (Glycyrrhiza. inflata Batal., G. glabra L., G. alalensis L. and G. eurycarpa L.) distributing in Xinjiang and cultivated G. glabra L. of different collecting time were chosen as material. Content of glycyrrhizin was determined with HPLC and content of total flavones was determined with improved Folin-Ciocaltell developed by Nurmi in 1996. The anti-proliferation effects of all rhizome samples on BCAP-37 cell were measured by MTT assay. The cell apoptosis-inducing effects of four wild Glycyrrhiza were detected by Hoechst 33258 stain. As a result, we selected wild Glycyrrhiza species and organ which has the highest active component, and ascertained the optimal organ of cultivated G. glabra L. for medicinal utilization and the optimal collecting time. The main results were shown as following.1. There were significant interspecific, interorganic, and spatial variations in contents of glycyrrhizin and total flavones among the four wild Glycyrrhiza species. The organ which contents the highest glycyrrhizin was the rhizome. The species which contents the highest glycyrrhizin was G. eurycarpa L. in Yanqi. The organ which contents the highest total flavones was the leave. The species which contents the highest total flavones was G. inflata Batal in Yanqi.2. Active components of four wild Glycyrrhiza species inhibited the proliferation of BCAP-37 cells and induced apoptosis significantly. What's more, there were significant interspecific and spatial variations in the anti-proliferation and apoptosis-inducing effects. The optimal Glycyrrhiza species for anticancer utilization was G. alalensis L..3. There were significant seasonal, annual and spatial variations in contents of glycyrrhizin and total flavones of cultivated G. glabra L. The optimal glycyrrhizin-utilized material was 3-year-old rhizome and the best season for harvest was autumn; The optimal material for flavones utilization was 3-year-old leaves and the best season for harvest was spring.4. Active components of cultivated G. glabra L. samples of different collecting time inhibited the proliferation of BCAP-37 cells significantly. What's more, there were significant variations. The optimal material for anti-cancer utilization were one-year-old and two-year-old rhizome. The optimal collecting material of cultivated G. glabra L. were taproot and horizon rhizome. The optimal collecting time was the summer of the third year.