Immunomodulatory Effects by Hydroalcoholic Liquorice Root Extracts

The roots of Glycyrrhiza glabra (Liquorice) have long been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments from simple coughs to hepatitis and even more complexities such as cancers. This study was conducted to grasp the immunomodulatory properties of the roots of Glycyrrhiza glabra in NMRI-mice challenged with sheep red blood cells (SRBCs). The study population consisted of 20 male mice that randomly divided into two equal groups and immunized with SRBC. Mice in the treatment group orally received 0.75 g/Kg hydroalcoholic extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra every day from the beginning of the study for 2 weeks. The results indicated a significant increase in the level of anti-SRBC antibody and simultaneously a significant decrease in the level of cellular immunity in the treatment group compared to the control group. Moreover, the level of the respiratory burst of phagocyte cells of splenocytes significantly decreased in the treatment groups, while the level of lymphocyte proliferation significantly increased in the treatment group as compared to the control group. Hydroalcoholic root extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra may be used as a natural source in immune system.