Cancer licorice root

Fu B, Su BN, TakaisM Y, Honda G, Ito M, Takeda Y, KodzMmatov OK, Ashurmetov O (2001) A bis-sesquiterpene and sesquiterpenoUdes from Inula macrophylla. Phytochemistry 58(7) 1121-1128 Fu Y, Hsieh TC, Guo J, Kunicki J, Lee MY, DarzynMewicz Z, Wu IM (2004) Licochalcone-A, a novel flavonoid isolated from licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra), causes G2 and late-Gl arrests in androgen-independent PC-3 prostate cancer cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 322(l) 263-270... 

Jo EH, Hong HD, Ahn NC, Jung JW, Yang SR, Park JS, Kim SH, Lee YS, Kang KS (2004) Modulations of the Bcl-2/Bax family were involved in the chemopreventive effects of licorice root (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) in MCF-7 human breast cancer cell. J Agric Food Chem52(6) 1715-1719... 

Figure 4. Immunoblot of BcU2 phosphorylation. Breast cancer cells treated with different extracts of licorice root. Cells were lyzed and assayed with monoclonal BcU2 antibody.

For the record, Hoxsey s herbal mixture for internal cancers included the following (Moss, 1992, p. 161 Walters, 1993, p. 97) potassium iodide, cascara (Rham-ms), licorice (Glycyrrhiza), red clover (Trifolium), burdock root (Arctium), barberry (Berberis), stillingia root (Stillingia), pokeroot (Phytolacca), prickly ash bark (Zan-thoxylum), and buckthorn bark (Rhamnus). All are listed in Hartwell (1982), and some occur in other herbal remedies for cancer. It has been commented that orthodox scientific research has by now identified antitumor activity in most of the plants used by Hoxsey (Walters, 1993, p. 97). 

The overexpression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 in cancer has been associated with resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. The phosphorylation of Bcl-2 is one mechanism by which antimicrotubule agents in clinic such as paclitaxel, taxotere and vinblastine inactivate the Bcl-2 proteins. Many natural products and semi-synthetic molecules are used in clinic for anticancer activity. In this chapter, the importance of the Bcl-2 phosphoiylating molecule from nutraceuticals that shed light on the future development of molecules for chemoprevention and anticancer drugs will be discussed. The roots of Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) have been used in traditional medicine for a variety of... 

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