Zhang Deru, Liu Yuxin, Wang Mengke, Lyu Hanning, Sun Yang
College of Basic Medicine, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China.
Med Oncol. 2025 Jul 14;42(8):331. doi: 10.1007/s12032-025-02904-0.
Glycyrrhetinic Acid (GA) serves as one of the primary active components of licorice, displaying a range of pharmacological properties, which include anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antiviral, hypoglycemic, and lipid-modulating properties. As the potential of GA in cancer treatment has been thoroughly explored, particularly in applications for liver, lung, and breast cancers, it has garnered widespread attention. According to studies, GA suppresses the growth of cancer cells, triggers autophagy and death, and alters a number of signaling pathways, including ERK, TGF-β/Smad, and PI3K/AKT. Furthermore, the combined use of GA with other drugs (such as doxorubicin and 5-fluorouracil) demonstrates synergistic anticancer effects, enhancing efficacy while reducing adverse reactions. GA is also used in nanoscale drug delivery systems to improve drug targeting and therapeutic outcomes. The molecular processes of GA in cancer therapy are reviewed in this research along with its prospective uses in cancer treatment and synergistic applications with other treatment techniques. To ensure the comprehensiveness and relevance of the studies included, a systematic approach was employed in selecting the studies. The criteria for selection included studies published within the last 10 years to ensure the information is up-to-date. Both in vitro and in vivo studies were considered, with a particular emphasis on those that have demonstrated significant mechanistic insights or therapeutic outcomes. In conclusion, the comprehensive review of GA's mechanisms and applications underscores its significant potential as an effective and low-toxicity agent in cancer therapy. Despite the promising findings, future research should focus on addressing the challenges of GA's relatively low bioavailability and exploring its long-term clinical effects. In addition, further investigation into the synergistic potential of GA with emerging therapeutic strategies, such as immunotherapy and gene therapy, is warranted to fully harness its therapeutic benefits and advance cancer treatment options.
甘草次酸（GA）是甘草的主要活性成分之一，具有一系列药理特性，包括抗炎、抗肿瘤、抗病毒、降血糖和调节脂质的特性。由于GA在癌症治疗中的潜力已得到充分探索，特别是在肝癌、肺癌和乳腺癌的应用中，它已受到广泛关注。根据研究，GA可抑制癌细胞的生长，引发自噬和细胞死亡，并改变包括ERK、TGF-β/Smad和PI3K/AKT在内的多种信号通路。此外，GA与其他药物（如阿霉素和5-氟尿嘧啶）联合使用显示出协同抗癌作用，提高了疗效同时减少了不良反应。GA还用于纳米级药物递送系统，以改善药物靶向性和治疗效果。本研究综述了GA在癌症治疗中的分子过程及其在癌症治疗中的潜在用途以及与其他治疗技术的协同应用。为确保所纳入研究的全面性和相关性，在选择研究时采用了系统的方法。选择标准包括过去10年内发表的研究，以确保信息是最新的。体外和体内研究均被考虑在内，特别强调那些已证明具有重要机制见解或治疗结果的研究。总之，对GA机制和应用的全面综述强调了其作为癌症治疗中一种有效且低毒药物的巨大潜力。尽管有这些有前景的发现，但未来的研究应侧重于解决GA相对较低的生物利用度挑战，并探索其长期临床效果。此外，有必要进一步研究GA与新兴治疗策略（如免疫疗法和基因疗法）的协同潜力，以充分利用其治疗益处并推进癌症治疗选择。
