The aqueous extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra effectively prevents induced gastroduodenal ulcers: experimental study on Wistar rats

The recent studies have indicated the properties of ethnomedicinal plants in the prevention, control, and treatment of gastroduodenal ulcers. Glycyrrhiza glabra has been used in Iranian traditional medicine as a therapeutic supplement. The aim of our research was to survey the preventive property of aqueous extract of G. glabra leaf on ibuprofen-induced gastroduodenal ulcers by investigating the biochemical, hematological, immunological, and microscopic approaches in rats. In this study, 60 rats were used. The animals were randomly divided into six subgroups, including negative healthy control, untreated negative control, the positive control receiving omeprazole 60 mg/kg, and three groups receiving the G. glabra aqueous extract at 20 mg/kg, 60 mg/kg, and 180 mg/kg concentrations. After 14 days, gastroduodenal ulcers were caused by ibuprofen 400 mg/kg. Four hours after oral administration of ibuprofen, the rats were sacrificed and blood, stomach, and duodenum samples of them collected for analysis of biochemical, hematological, immunological, and microscopic parameters. The data were analyzed by SPSS 21 software. All doses of G. glabra could significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduce the raised levels of ALP, AST, ALT, GGT, cholesterol, LDL, triglyceride, total and conjugated bilirubin, urea, creatinine, IL-1, IL-6, IL-12, IL-18, IFN-γ, and TNF-α and increase HDL, total protein, albumin, WBC, platelet, RBC, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13, and IFN-α as compared to the untreated group. Also, aqueous extract of G. glabra prevented significantly (p ≤ 0.05) gastroduodenal ulcers as compared to the untreated group. In conclusion, the obtained results indicated the hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, hematoprotective, immunoprotective, and gastroduodenal protective properties of G. glabra aqueous extract.