Evaluation of licorice (<em>Glycyrrhiza glabra</em> L.) as a novel microgreen from the anti-inflammatory potential of polyphenols

Ilaria Marotti; Francesca Truzzi; Camilla Tibaldi; Lorenzo Negri; Giovanni Dinelli; Ilaria Marotti; Francesca Truzzi; Camilla Tibaldi; Lorenzo Negri; Giovanni Dinelli

doi:10.3934/agrfood.2021001

AIMS Agriculture and Food

2021, Volume 6, Issue 1: 1-13. doi: 10.3934/agrfood.2021001

Previous Article Next Article

Research article Special Issues

Evaluation of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) as a novel microgreen from the anti-inflammatory potential of polyphenols

Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, viale Fanin, 44-40127 Bologna, Italy

Received: 09 October 2020 Accepted: 24 November 2020 Published: 26 November 2020

Literature on microgreens, an emerging new functional food crop, remains limited. Further study on microgreens as a promising dietary component for potential use in diet-based disease prevention is, therefore, essential. Given that the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties of mature licorice root material are well-documented, the objective of the present, preliminary study was to present licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) as a novel, edible fresh-food microgreen candidate. The effect of leaf, stem and root polyphenol extracts of 20-day old licorice microgreen seedlings on cell proliferation and viability of Caco-2 cells (simulating the intestinal epithelium), after pro-inflammatory induction of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), was examined and then compared to the polyphenol, flavonoid and anti-radical activities of the respective tissue extracts. Root extracts contained a two-fold less polyphenol (including flavonoid) content compared to leaf extracts, but with a five-fold lower anti-radical scavenging activity. Only the root extracts provided functional protection in terms of preserving cell proliferation and viability of LPS-treated Caco-2 cells. Some protection was also afforded by the stems, but the young leaf material offered no anti-inflammatory protection. Results point to a differing composition of anti-inflammatory polyphenols between the root and leaf, suggesting that the protective efficacy of the root extracts (and to some degree, the stem extracts) resides in inhibiting the pro-inflammatory cascade and resultant cytotoxic effects as opposed to a direct anti-radical scavenging activity. Potential use of licorice as a microgreen is promising, but will necessitate further study.
- Glycyrrhiza glabra L.,
- licorice,
- microgreen,
- polyphenols,
- inflammation,
- Caco-2 cells,
- cell proliferation and viability
Citation: Ilaria Marotti, Francesca Truzzi, Camilla Tibaldi, Lorenzo Negri, Giovanni Dinelli. Evaluation of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) as a novel microgreen from the anti-inflammatory potential of polyphenols[J]. AIMS Agriculture and Food, 2021, 6(1): 1-13. doi: 10.3934/agrfood.2021001

Related Papers:

Abstract

Literature on microgreens, an emerging new functional food crop, remains limited. Further study on microgreens as a promising dietary component for potential use in diet-based disease prevention is, therefore, essential. Given that the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties of mature licorice root material are well-documented, the objective of the present, preliminary study was to present licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) as a novel, edible fresh-food microgreen candidate. The effect of leaf, stem and root polyphenol extracts of 20-day old licorice microgreen seedlings on cell proliferation and viability of Caco-2 cells (simulating the intestinal epithelium), after pro-inflammatory induction of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), was examined and then compared to the polyphenol, flavonoid and anti-radical activities of the respective tissue extracts. Root extracts contained a two-fold less polyphenol (including flavonoid) content compared to leaf extracts, but with a five-fold lower anti-radical scavenging activity. Only the root extracts provided functional protection in terms of preserving cell proliferation and viability of LPS-treated Caco-2 cells. Some protection was also afforded by the stems, but the young leaf material offered no anti-inflammatory protection. Results point to a differing composition of anti-inflammatory polyphenols between the root and leaf, suggesting that the protective efficacy of the root extracts (and to some degree, the stem extracts) resides in inhibiting the pro-inflammatory cascade and resultant cytotoxic effects as opposed to a direct anti-radical scavenging activity. Potential use of licorice as a microgreen is promising, but will necessitate further study.

References

[1]	Choe U, Yu LL, Wang TTY (2018) The Science behind Microgreens as an Exciting New Food for the 21st Century. J Agric Food Chem 66: 11519-11530. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.8b03096
[2]	Michell KA, Isweiri H, Newman SE, et al. (2020) Microgreens: Consumer sensory perception and acceptance of an emerging functional food crop. J Food Sci 85: 926-935. doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.15075
[3]	Xiao Z, Lester GE, Luo Y, et al. (2012) Assessment of vitamin and carotenoid concentrations of emerging food products: Edible microgreens. J Agric Food Chem 60: 7644-7651. doi: 10.1021/jf300459b
[4]	Kyriacou MC, Rouphael Y, Di Gioia F, et al. (2016) Micro-scale vegetable production and the rise of microgreens. Trends Food Sci Technol 57: 103-115. doi: 10.1016/j.tifs.2016.09.005
[5]	Butkutė B, Taujenis L, Norkevičienė E (2018) Small-seeded legumes as a novel food source. Variation of nutritional, mineral and phytochemical profiles in the chain: raw seeds-sprouted seeds-microgreens. Molecules 24: 133. doi: 10.3390/molecules24010133
[6]	Kim TK (2015) Glycyrrhiza glabra. In: Kim TK, Edible Medicinal and Non-Medicinal Plants, Springer Link, Vol 10,354-457.
[7]	Yang R, Yuan BC, Ma YS, et al. (2017) The anti-inflammatory activity of licorice, a widely used Chinese herb. Pharm Biol 55: 5-18. doi: 10.1080/13880209.2016.1225775
[8]	Wang D, Liang J, Zhang J, et al. (2020) Natural Chalcones in Chinese Materia Medica: Licorice. Evid Based Complementary Altern Med, Article ID 3821248.
[9]	D'Angelo S, Morana A, Salvatore A, et al. (2009) Protective effect of polyphenols from Glycyrrhiza glabra against oxidative stress in Caco-2 cells. J Med Food 12: 1326-1333. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2008.0285
[10]	Leonardo CC, Doré S (2011) Dietary flavonoids are neuroprotective through Nrf2-coordinated induction of endogenous cytoprotective proteins. Nutr Neurosci 14: 226-236. doi: 10.1179/1476830511Y.0000000013
[11]	Kim HJ, Seo JY, Suh HJ, et al. (2012) Antioxidant activities of licorice derived prenylflavonoids. Nutr Res Pract 6: 491-498. doi: 10.4162/nrp.2012.6.6.491
[12]	Fu Y, Chen J, Li YJ, et al. (2013) Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of six flavonoids separated from licorice. Food Chem 141: 1063-1071. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.03.089
[13]	Gong, H. Zhang BK, Yan M, et al. (2015) A protective mechanism of licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis): isoliquiritigenin stimulates detoxification system via Nrf2 activation. J Ethnopharmacol 162: 134-139. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.12.043
[14]	Cao LJ, Hou ZY, Li HD, et al. (2017) The Ethanol Extract of Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) Protects against Triptolide-Induced Oxidative Stress through Activation of Nrf2. Evid Based Complementary Altern Med, Hindawi, Article ID 2752389.
[15]	Iftikhar M, Iftikhar A, Zhang H, et al. (2020) Transport, metabolism and remedial potential of functional food extracts (FFEs) in Caco-2 cells monolayer: A review. Food Res Int 136: 109240. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109240
[16]	Panaro MA, Carofiglio V, Acquafredda A, et al. (2012) Anti-inflammatory effects of resveratrol occur via inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced NF-κB activation in Caco-2 and SW480 human colon cancer cells. Brit J Nut 108: 1623-1632. doi: 10.1017/S0007114511007227
[17]	Bose S, Kim H (2013) Evaluation of in vitro anti-inflammatory activities and protective effect of fermented preparations of rhizome atractylodis macrocephalae on Intestinal Barrier Function against lipopolysaccharide insult. Evid Based Complementary Altern Med, Article ID 363076.
[18]	Wu XX, Huang XL, Chen RR, et al. (2019) Paeoniflorin prevents intestinal barrier disruption and Inhibits lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in Caco-2 cell monolayers. Inflammation 42: 2215-2225. doi: 10.1007/s10753-019-01085-z
[19]	Adom KK, Sorrells ME, Liu RH (2003) Phytochemical Profiles and Antioxidant Activity of Wheat Varieties. J Agric Food Chem 51: 7825-7834. doi: 10.1021/jf030404l
[20]	Mattila P, Pihlava JM, Hellström J (2005) Contents of phenolic acids, alkyl- and alkenylresorcinols, and avenanthramides in commercial grain products. J Agric Food Chem 53: 8290-8295. doi: 10.1021/jf051437z
[21]	Singleton VL, Orthofer R, Lamuela-Raventós RM (1999) Analysis of total phenols and other oxidation substrates and antioxidants by means of Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, In: Methods in Enzymology, Oxidants and Antioxidants Part A. Academic Press, 152-178.
[22]	Brand-Williams W, Cuvelier ME, Berset C (1995) Use of a free radical method to evaluate antioxidant activity. LWT - Food Sci Tech 28: 25-30. doi: 10.1016/S0023-6438(95)80008-5
[23]	Truzzi F, Valerii MC, Tibaldi C, et al. (2020) Are supplements safe? Effects of gallic and ferulic acids on in vitro cell models. Nutrients 12: 1591. doi: 10.3390/nu12061591
[24]	Asano T, Ishihara K, Morota T, et al. (2003) Permeability of the flavonoids liquiritigenin and its glycosides in licorice roots and davidigenin, a hydrogenated metabolite of liquiritigenin, using human intestinal cell line Caco-2. J Ethnopharmacol 89: 285-289. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2003.09.009
[25]	Wang XX, Liu GY, Yang YF (2017) Intestinal absorption of triterpenoids and flavonoids from Glycyrrhizae radix et rhizoma in the human Caco-2 Monolayer Cell Model. Molecules 22: 1627. doi: 10.3390/molecules22101627
[26]	Wätjen W, Michels G, Steffan B, et al. (2004) Low concentrations of flavonoids are protective in Rat H4IIE Cells whereas high concentrations cause DNA damage and apoptosis. J Nutr 135: 525-531. doi: 10.1093/jn/135.3.525
[27]	Abotaleb M, Samuel SM, Varghese E, et al. (2019) Flavonoids in Cancer and Apoptosis. Cancers 11: 28. doi: 10.3390/cancers11010028
[28]	Dinu M, Whittaker A, Pagliai G, et al. (2017) Ancient wheat species and human health: biochemical and clinical implications. J Nutr Biochem 52: 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2017.09.001
[29]	Jia H, Hanate M, Aw W, et al. (2017) Eggshell membrane powder ameliorates intestinal inflammation by facilitating the restitution of epithelial injury and alleviating microbial dysbiosis. Sci Rep 7: 43993. doi: 10.1038/srep43993

Reader Comments

Your name:*

Email:*
© 2021 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)