Licorice root extract is a medicinally valuable ingredient extracted from licorice. Scientific name: Glycyrriza Uralensis Fisch.G.Glabra L.. Licorice extract is a yellow-brown to off-white powder. Generally contains: glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhizic acid, licorice, licorice flavonoids, saccharin, formononetin, quercetin, etc.

It has the following effects: invigorating the spleen and replenishing qi, clearing heat and detoxifying, removing phlegm and relieving cough, relieving acute pain, and reconciling various medicines. For weakness of the spleen and stomach, fatigue, palpitations, shortness of breath, cough with excessive phlegm, pain in the abdomen and extremities, carbuncle, swollen and sore, to relieve drug toxicity and potency. For the treatment of weak spleen and stomach, fatigue, palpitations, shortness of breath, cough and phlegm, epigastric, limb contracture pain and other symptoms.

The whitening effect of licorice extract is mainly by inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase and dopachrome interconvertase (TRP-2) and hindering the polymerization of 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI), thereby preventing the formation of melanin. form, so as to achieve the effect of whitening the skin. At present, the most common Glabridin on the market is 40% Glabridin, the main component is licorice flavonoids, which is brown or white powder. Glabridin is extracted from licorice root, so it is also called licorice flavonoids. It is the active ingredient with the best whitening effect of licorice root. It is known as “whitening gold” in the world cosmetics industry.

 

[Chemical Composition]

Licorice contains a variety of chemical components, the main components are glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhizin and so on. The chemical composition of licorice is extremely complex. So far, the compounds isolated from licorice are glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhizic acid, licoricein, isoglycyrrhizin, neoglycyrrhizin, neoisoglycyrrhizin, licoricein, isoliquiritigenin and licorice. Dozens of compounds, such as glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhizol, isoglycyrrhizol, 7-methyl coumarin, umbelliferol, etc., but these components and amounts usually vary with the type of licorice, planting area, harvest time and other factors. different. A large number of studies have shown that glycyrrhizin and flavonoids are the most important physiologically active substances in licorice, mainly in the inner part of the epidermis of licorice root.

 

[Product Specifications]

Licorice Extract 10:1, 20:1, 30:1, Glycyrrhizic Acid 7%-98%, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizinate 98%, Glabridin 40% HPLC

 

[Pharmacological Action]

  1. Effects on the digestive system: The extract of glycyrrhizin and the flavonoid glycosides in licorice have obvious protective effects on experimental ulcers in rats.
  2. Adrenal cortex effect: licorice extract, glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhetic acid have the effect of promoting sodium in healthy people and animals.
  3. Detoxification: licorice extract and glycyrrhizin have certain detoxification ability for certain drug poisoning and metabolite poisoning in the body. The active ingredient of detoxification is glycyrrhizin, and the detoxification mechanism is that glycyrrhizin has an adsorption effect on poisons.
  4. Antitussive and antiasthmatic effect: Glycyrrhetinic acid has obvious central antitussive effect, and large doses of Glycyrrhizic acid can make mice respiratory depression. In addition, glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhizin have anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic, anti-liver damage, anti-cancer and antibacterial effects.
  5. Regulate the immune function of the body and resist arrhythmia.

 

[Taboo]

It is not advisable to use it with Beijing spurge, coriander, kansui and seaweed.

 

Efficacy and Uses of Licorice Extract

Licorice is a plant with great medicinal value, which is used in both Chinese and Western medicine. Western medicine has used licorice as an expectorant, antitussive and sweetener since ancient times. In the ancient Chinese pharmacology “Shen Nong’s Materia Medica”, licorice is described as a medicine for strengthening muscles and bones, increasing physical strength and healing wounds, and it is listed as the top grade, saying that this herb is the king of all medicines.

In traditional Chinese medicine, licorice is classified as the heart, lung, spleen, and stomach meridians; it has the functions of invigorating the spleen and qi, clearing away heat and detoxifying, eliminating phlegm and relieving cough, relieving acute pain and relieving pain, and reconciling various medicines. It is mainly used to treat weakness of the spleen and stomach, fatigue, palpitations, shortness of breath, cough and phlegm, pain in the abdomen and limbs, abscesses and sores, and relieve drug toxicity and potency. Studies have shown that licorice can inhibit monoamine oxidase, inhibit aldose reductase that causes diabetes, relieve spasm and pain, prevent and treat viral hepatitis, treat senile osteoporosis, anti-leishmania, anti-cancer, and anti-AIDS (AIDS) virus. and so on.

 

Its main functions are reflected in whitening and sun protection.

 

The whitening effect of licorice extract is mainly by inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase and dopachrome interconvertase (TRP-2) and hindering the polymerization of 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHl), thereby preventing the formation of melanin. form, so as to achieve the effect of whitening the skin.

In the licorice extract, the ingredients with sunscreen efficacy are generally flavonoids. Due to the conjugation of the molecular structure of licorice flavonoids, it shows strong absorption for both ultraviolet and visible light. Molecules that absorb high-energy ultraviolet rays transition from the ground state to the activated state, and then from the activated state back to the ground state, releasing harmless low-energy rays. Compared with synthetic sunscreens, licorice extract does not need to add antioxidants in the formula when used as sunscreens, does not irritate the skin, and has strong stable absorption capacity.

The phospholipid bilayer membrane of glabridin liposome is similar to biological membrane, and it is easy to fuse with organisms, which promotes the penetration of functional components to biological membranes, and makes the efficiency of functional components trans-skin barrier and biological membrane transport higher. It has a positive effect on improving its skin whitening and freckle-removing effect and other auxiliary effects.

Licorice contains glycyrrhizic acid, saponins, asparagine, sugars, resins, bittern, some volatile oils and other compounds. The main components of licorice are: triterpene soap, glycyrrhizic acid, and a mixture of calcium and potassium glycyrrhizate salts. Other ingredients include: triterpenoid saponins (glabridin, mesperiol, glabriolide, isoglycyrrhiziolide, glabriol), isoflavones (7-hydroxy-4-methoxyisoflavone, neoglycyrrhizin, glabridinone) , eliquiritigenin), triterpenoid sterols (formononeol, beta-amyrin and stigmasterol), coumarins (cymenolide and umbelliferone). The hydrophobic component of licorice is glabridin, which is also a key ingredient used in cosmetics. And several flavonoids are hydrophilic compounds, such as: glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhizic acid.

Glycyrrhetinic Acid

Glycyrrhizic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid oleanane type compound, which has the effect of resolving phlegm and relieving cough. It is often used as a flavoring agent to neutralize the bitterness of aloe vera oil and quinine. Glycyrrhizic acid is also believed to have anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting enzymatic activity to make prostaglandins, PGE2 and PGE2a into inactive metabolites. This increases the content of prostaglandins in the digestive system, which, while suppressing the secretion of gastric juices, also stimulate the secretion of pancreatic and intestinal mucus. This may be why glycyrrhizic acid relieves stomach ulcers. It can activate corticosteroids (inhibit metabolic enzymes) and indirectly enhance the effect of corticosteroids. It can be used in all cosmetics such as ointment, cream, water, dew, lotion, milk and honey. It can neutralize or remove Or reduce the toxic substances of cosmetics, can also prevent allergic reactions of some cosmetics, more suitable for advanced hair or skin cosmetics.

Glycyrrhizinic Acid

Glycyrrhizin is a saponin, a compound obtained from the root extract of licorice. The efficacy of this molecule has been known for centuries, and traditional medicine uses it primarily to fight inflammation. Glycyrrhizin is converted to glycyrrhizic acid by hydrolysis. Glycyrrhizic acid has antiviral properties and has been reported to boost interferon activity and inhibit several DNA and RNA viruses. It inactivates non-reversible herpes simplex virions. Glycyrrhizic acid has activity against filtering pathogens because it binds to viral proteins and interferes with their cycle. It inhibits cytopathic and viral activity, so it protects cells from damage. Glycyrrhizin can enhance resistance to Candida albicans infection caused by heat injury. This may be through the induction of CD4 T cells, which can inhibit the production of class II cytokines caused by burns.

Flavonoids

The yellow licorice extract is mainly caused by the flavonoids in it, but it also has other effects. The flavonoids in licorice root have antispasmodic properties. Glycyrrhiza flavonoids are the main flavonoid constituents and have anti-inflammatory activity. These flavonoids have antioxidant and liver-protecting properties. Pre-clinical trial results show that flavonoids can kill most of the Helicobacter pylori bacteria that cause gastric ulcers and enteritis. Glycyrrhizin (whitening gold) \ (Licorice Whitening Essence PT-40) can penetrate deep into the skin and maintain high activity, whitening and efficient anti-oxidation. Effectively inhibit the activity of various enzymes in the process of melanin production, especially inhibit the activity of tyrosinase. At the same time, it also has the effect of preventing rough skin and anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. Glycyrrhiza is a whitening ingredient with good curative effect and comprehensive functions. Glycyrrhiza glabra is a whitening cosmetic additive introduced by Japan’s MARUZEN Company in 1989. After years of use, the effect is obvious and the safety is good. It is the main functional ingredient of high-end whitening cosmetics in the world.

 

Application of Glycyrrhiza in cosmetics: 1. Whitening and inhibiting melaninogen. 2. Anti-inflammatory. 3. Antioxidant.

 Glycyrrhizin, a hydrophobic component in licorice extract, has a very good anti-inflammatory and whitening effect. Glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhizic acid also have anti-inflammatory properties. These hydrophobic components are licorice and other flavonoids, which have the effect of inhibiting melanin. In vivo and in vitro experiments have been done on the activity of licorice in inhibiting melanin production.

Efficacy of Glycyrrhiza

In a comprehensive experiment conducted by Yokotaetal., the efficacy of glabridin to inhibit black cord and anti-inflammatory was examined, and the relationship between glabridin structure and its efficacy was also studied. In order to test the whitening activity of licorice, the experiment used ultraviolet light to irradiate the brown back of the pulse rat, and then smeared with 0.5% licorice as the test product. It was found that licorice can significantly reduce the hyperpigmentation caused by ultraviolet radiation. At the same time, a histological study of the skin at the application site was also carried out. This part of the skin tissue was smeared with 0.1% dopa, and the area per square millimeter was calculated by optical microscopy. The number of dopa-positive melanocytes. Thus, the inhibitory ability of glabridin to melanin formation was estimated. After the surface tissue study, it was found that the dopa-positive melanocytes in the drug group decreased, and the use of glabridin can also increase the luster of the skin. The researchers concluded that licorice root in licorice root not only inhibits melanin formation, but also anti-inflammatory. At the same time, these effects of glabridin were also observed to be related to its chemical structure.

The main mechanism of action of licorice in inhibiting melanin is as follows:

Inhibit tyrosinase

Human tyrosinase is an essential enzyme that regularly produces melanin, which turns the skin or eyes from brown to black. We know that skin exposure to UV light can cause some reactions (such as inflammation), and this histological change is manifested as erythema and hyperpigmentation due to the destruction of the phospholipid membrane of skin tissue by UV-induced reactive oxygen species. Active oxygen is a substance that can cause skin pigmentation, so inhibiting its production can inhibit the production of melanin.

Anti-inflammatory effect

The anti-inflammatory activity of Glycyrrhizin was verified by experiments. The guinea pigs were irradiated with ultraviolet light to cause pigmentation, and then smeared with 0.5% Glycyrrhizin solution. It was found that Glycyrrhizin alleviated the skin inflammation caused by ultraviolet stimulation. Erythema on the skin is represented by a value. The degree of inflammation reduction can be calculated by recording the alpha value (colorimetric reading) of glabridin before and after irradiation. The researchers studied the activity of glabridin to inhibit cyclooxygenase. Cyclooxygenase is an enzyme that converts arachidonic acid into prostaglandins, which are pro-inflammatory factors. Compared with the control group (using the current cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indenemethine), licorice can achieve the effect of inhibiting cyclooxygenase. It is believed that glabridin affects the production of arachidonic acid by inhibiting cyclooxygenase, thereby reducing inflammation.

Anti-oxidize effect

Glycyrrhizin has antioxidant properties, as well as whitening (inhibits the formation of melanin) and anti-inflammatory. It has been reported that licorice can be used to reduce corticosteroids in infectious skin diseases and can enhance the effect of steroids. Glycyrrhizin has excellent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-melanin formation effects, so it is used as an ingredient in various cosmetics and medical care products (such as creams, lotions, shower gels, etc.). It can be made into a whitening cream, a patented product of which is already on the market.

Dosage

In cosmetics, in order to achieve the whitening effect, the patent recommended dosage of licorice is 0.001-3%, preferably 0.001-1%. With glycerol 1:10, low temperature added. Topical licorice can inhibit the formation of melanin. It has excellent tyrosinase inhibitory activity and can prevent skin tanning, line spots and sunburn. The recommended dosage is 0.0007-0.05%. In order to suppress male hormones and treat acne, the dosage of glabridin is 0.01-0.5%.

 

Xi’an Herb Bio is a professional supplier of natural ingredient, able to provide customers with a wide variety of products to meet your needs. Friends who are interested in Licorice root extract, please click the link below to contact us for more relevant information.

 

 

Need Licorice root extract? Please contact Xi’an Herb Bio!