Inhibition of mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium by Glycyrrhiza glabra extract, glycyrrhizinic acid, 18 alpha- and 18 beta-glycyrrhetinic acids

The effects of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. extract, glycyrrhizinic acid, 18α- and 18βglycyrrhetinic acids on the mutagenicity of the ethyl methanesulfonate, N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, and ribose-ly-sine Maillard model systems were investigated by using the Salmonella/microsome reversion assay. The protocol used allowed us to detect desmutagenic and antimutagenic activity and to avoid false positive results due to toxicity. For all the compounds tested, no desmuta genic activity was observed against ethyl methane sulfonate and N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine; only Glycyrrhiza glabra extract showed antimutagenic activity against ethyl methanesulfonate. On using the ribose-lysine mutagenic browning mixture, the desmutagenic activities of the Glycyrrhiza glabra extract, glycyrrhizinic acid, 18α- and 18β-glycyrrhetinic acids were observed. 18β-Glycyrrhetinic acid was the most active compound. Glycyrrhiza glabra extract also exhibited antimutagenic activity against ribose-lysine.