Effect of glycyrrhizin on lysosomes labilization by phospholipase A2.

The influence of glycyrrhizin on the effect of phospholipase A2 on lysosomes was studied. Treatment of rat liver lysosomes with venom phospholipase A2 caused release of acid phosphatase. This release of acid phosphatase was inhibited by 0.1 mM glycyrrhizin. Glycyrrhizin also inhibited acid phospholipase A2 with pH optimum of 4.5, which is thought to be present in the lysosomal membrane. These results suggest that glycyrrhizin stabilizes lysosomes by inhibiting phospholipase A2 activity in the lysosomal membrane.