Pharmacological Features of 18β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid: A Pentacyclic Triterpenoid of Therapeutic Potential

Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (belonging to the family Leguminosae), commonly known as Licorice, is a popular medicinal plant that has been used in traditional medicine worldwide for its ethnopharmacological efficacy in treating several ailments. Natural herbal substances with strong biological activity have recently received much attention. The main metabolite of glycyrrhizic acid is 18 beta-glycyrrhetinic acid (18 beta GA), a pentacyclic triterpene. A major active plant component derived from licorice root, 18 beta GA has sparked a lot of attention due to its pharmacological properties. The current review thoroughly examines the literature on 18 beta GA, a major active plant component obtained from Glycyrrhiza glabra L. The current work provides insight into the pharmacological activities of 18 beta GA and the potential mechanisms of action involved. The plant contains a variety of phytoconstituents such as 18 beta GA, which has a variety of biological effects including antiasthmatic, hepatoprotective, anticancer, nephroprotective, antidiabetic, antileishmanial, antiviral, antibacterial, antipsoriasis, antiosteoporosis, antiepileptic, antiarrhythmic, and anti-inflammatory, and is also useful in the management of pulmonary arterial hypertension, antipsychotic-induced hyperprolactinemia, and cerebral ischemia. This review examines research on the pharmacological characteristics of 18 beta GA throughout recent decades to demonstrate its therapeutic potential and any gaps that may exist, presenting possibilities for future drug research and development.