What are the effects of Licochalcone A?

Licochalcone, also known as Licochalcone A (CAS 58749-22-7), is mainly found in legumes licorice, licorice glabra and licorice inflated. Modern research shows that licorice chalcone A has Anti-aging, Anti-inflammatory, Anti-tumor, Anti-microbial, Anti-HIV, Anti-allergic and other effects, and it is also used as a raw material for the synthesis of other active derivatives.

Anti-aging:

In a study took by a research group from China, they explored whether LA has an anti-aging effect in adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). They performed β-galactosidase staining and measured reactive oxygen species, relative telomere lengths, and P16ink4a mRNA expression. Osteogenesis was assessed by Alizarin Red staining and adipogenesis by was assessed Oil Red O staining. Protein levels of related markers runt-related transcription factor 2 and lipoprotein lipase were also examined. RNA sequencing and measurement of glycolysis activities showed that LA significantly activated glycolysis in ADSCs. Together, the datas strongly suggest that the LA have an anti-aging effect through activate the glycolysis pathway.

Anti-Plasmodium：

Plasmodium is a class of parasites that endanger human health. Among them, malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum is referred to as falciparum malaria. The clinical symptoms of falciparum malaria are the most serious, and its infection rate and fatality rate are also the first among all kinds of malaria parasites. In recent years, the rapid increase in the domestic floating population, coupled with the continuous import of foreign sources of infection, has made the prevalence and incidence rate of vicious maltreatment continue to expand. In Asia and Africa, malaria is still one of the most serious parasitic diseases that threaten and endanger people's health. 

The IC50 of licorice chalcone A against Plasmodium falciparum is 1.43mg·L-1, which can inhibit Plasmodium falciparum mitochondrial panthenol-cytochrome C reductase and respiratory chain complex II (succinic acid-pan Quinone reductase) activity, suggesting that its anti-malarial activity may be related to the inhibition of the mitochondrial respiratory chain of Plasmodium, and its combined application with artemisinin can enhance the anti-malarial activity of artemisinin. Licorice chalcone A is a potent membrane active agent, which can transform normal red blood cells into acanthocytes, thereby inhibiting the growth of Plasmodium falciparum. The results of synchronous in vitro culture experiments show that its inhibitory mechanism is mainly to inhibit invasion. Injection in mice The modification of red blood cell membrane can also be observed in licorice chalcone A.

Reference:

Licochalcone A activation of glycolysis pathway has an anti-aging effect on human adipose stem cells

Yating Wu,  , Hao Wang, Jianbo Zhu , Haitao Shen, Hailiang Liu

Source: https://www.aging-us.com/article/203734/text