Artículo de revista
Variations in the chemical profile and biological activities of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.), as influenced by harvest times
Fecha
2013Registro en:
Acta Physiol Plant (2013) 35:1337–1349
DOI 10.1007/s11738-012-1174-9
Autor
Cheel, José
Tumová, Lenka
Areche Medina, Carlos
Van Antwerpen, Pierre
Nève, Jean
Zouaoui Boudjeltia, Karim
San Martín Barrientos, Aurelio
Vokrál, Ivan
Wsól, Vladimír
Neugebauerová, Jarmila
Institución
Resumen
This study investigates the variations in the
chemical profile, free radical scavenging, antioxidant and
gastroprotective activities of licorice extracts (LE) from
plants harvested during the months of February to
November. Correlations between biological properties and
the chemical composition of LE were also investigated.
The results showed that the total contents of phenols,
flavonoids and tannins in LE varied at different harvest
times. Liquiritin and glycyrrhizin, the major components
of LE, varied in the range of 28.65–62.80 and
41.84–114.33 mg g-1, respectively. The relative proportion
of glycyrrhizin derivative (3), glabridin (4), glabrene
(5) and liquiritigenin derivative (6), varied in the range
of 0.88–11.38 %, 1.86–10.03 %, 1.80–18.40 % and 5.53–
16.31 %, respectively. These fluctuations correlated positively
with changes in the antioxidant and free radical
scavenging activities of licorice. In general, the samples
from May and November showed the most favorable free
radical scavenging and antioxidant effects, whereas
the best gastroprotective effect was in May. Liquiritin and
glycyrrhizin, the major constituents in the February and
May LE, appeared to contribute to the superoxide radical
scavenging and gastroprotective effects. Glabridin and
glabrene, the compounds with the highest relative proportion
in the November LE, accounted for the antioxidant and
DPPH scavenging activities of licorice. It is concluded that
the chemical profile of licorice quantitatively varied at
different harvest times and these fluctuations determined
changes in its bioactivities. These data could pave the way
to optimize harvesting protocols for licorice in relation
with its health-promoting properties.