by D. Eric Walters, Ph.D.
Artice of the week:
Glycrrhizin
Other names:
Glycyrrhizin
Glycyrrhizinic acid
Glycyrrhizic acid
Glycyrrhetinic acid glycoside
(3-beta,20-beta)-20-Carboxy-11-oxo-30-norolean-12-en-3-yl 2-O-beta-D-glucopyranuronosyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid
Ammonium salt:
Monoammonium glycyrrhizinate (MAG)
Magnasweet
Taste:
Glycyrrhizin has a sweet taste with a characteristic licorice taste sometimes described as "cooling." The potency is about 50 times that of sucrose. The sweetness is slow in onset and tends to linger.
Calories:
Glycyrrhizin provides little or no caloric value.
Safety:
Glycyrrhizin comes from the root of licorice, Glycyhrrhiza glabra. The plant is native to Turkey, Iraq, Spain, Greece, and northern China. It is used to sweeten and flavor many foods and pharmaceutical preparations. There is a long history of usage to treat illnesses such as peptic ulcer (inhibits the enzymes 15-hydroxy-prostaglandin dehydrogenase and delta-13-prostaglandin reductase); colds and other viral infections (may stimulate interferon production; reported expectorant/cough suppressant properties); microbial and parasitic infections (may stimulate immune system); cancers (again, possibly related to immune system function). See U.S. Pharmacist Vol. 23: 4 for a review. This review also points out side effects and possible toxicity from excessive consumption. Glycyrrhizin inhibits the enzyme which breaks down cortisol; this prolongs the effects of naturally produced cortisol in the body, leading to anti-inflammatory effects as well as to sodium retention, water retention, and potassium loss caused by glucocorticoids.
Chemistry:
Molecular formula: C42H62O16
Molecular weight: 822.94
Glycyrrizin is a triterpene glycoside. It is extracted from licorice root. In the structural drawing below, the triterpene portion (glycyrrhetinic acid) is shown in red; the two iduronic acid residues are shown in blue. Glycyrrhetinic acid is not sweet.
Properties:
Glycyrrhizin is reported to be relatively heat-stable.
Other links:
Glycyrrhizin on Wikipedia
SweetenerBook.com
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