Effect of Glabridin and Glycyrrhizic Acid on Histomorphometric Parameters of Bones in Ovariectomized Rats.

Licorice is a medicinal plant showing many therapeutic activities. Its roots contain numerous pharmacologically active compounds such as a triterpenoid saponin--glycyrrhizic acid and an isoflavan--glabridin. There are reports indicating that glabridin exhibits estrogen-like activity, therefore it can be classified into phytoestrogens, which may soothe menopause symptoms including postmenopausal osteoporosis. Due to this fact, the aim of the presented study was to evaluate the effect of glabridin and glycyrrhizic acid on histomorphometric parameters of bones in rats with ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis. The animals were divided into 6 group: (C)--control rats, (OVX)--ovariectomized rats, (OVX + E)--ovariectomized rats receiving estradiol at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg p.o., (OVX + G)--ovariectomized rats receiving genistein at a dose of 5 mg/kg p.o., (OVX + GL --ovariectomized rats treated with glabridin at a dose of 5 mg/kg p.o. and (OVX + GA)--ovariectomized rat administered with glycyrrhizic acid at a dose of 15 mg/kg p.o. Estradiol and genistein served as the positive controls in the study. Several macrometric and histomorphometric parameters were analyzed in the bones of tested rats. Obtained results indicate that glabridin shows slightly positive effect on osteoporotically changed bone tissue, and glycyrrhizic acid reveals meager influence on skeletal system with no preventive significance.