1. Effects of liquorice on beta-amyloid aggregation and toxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans
Pille Link, Prof. Dr. M. Wink
University of Heidelberg
Institute for Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology
Conflict of interest: nothing to declare

3. Glycyrrhiza glabra Used to treat ulcers gastritis cough
longing for sweets

4. Alzheimer‘s disease neurofibrillary tangles G. glabra?
oxidative stress
inflammation
neuronal cell death
loss of memory
neurofibrillary tangles
antioxidant
anti inflammatory
neuroprotective
memory-enhancing
plaques_tangles.jpg
G. glabra?
amyloid-β plaques
Aβ plaques
Asl MN & Hosseinzadeh H (2008). Review of Pharmacological Effects of Glycyrrhiza sp. and its Bioactive Compounds. Phytotherapy Research 22:

5. Caenorhabditis elegans: a model for Alzheimer’s disease
CL2006
Aβ42 expression in muscle cells
number of plaques
CL4176
temperature inducible Aβ42 expression in muscle cells
progressive paralysis
Aβ42 toxicity
Link CD (2006). C. elegans models of age-associated neurodegenerative diseases: lessons from transgenic worm models of Alzheimer's disease. Exp Gerontol 41:

6. Does G. glabra have an effect on Aβ aggregation?

7. CL2006: thioflavin S staining

8. Glycyrrhiza glabra isoliquiritigenin (ILG) glycyrrhetinic acid (GRA)
G. glabra
G. glabra
isoliquiritigenin (ILG)
glycyrrhetinic acid (GRA)
glycyrrhizic acid (GA)
* p < 0.01
concentration: 100 µg/ml

9. Can G. glabra reduce Aβ-induced toxicity?

10. Paralysis assay in CL4176 temperature inducible Aβ expression
paralysis due to Aβ toxicity

11. Activity against Aβ-toxicity

12. Conclusions & outlook extract & pure compounds from G. glabra can:
decrease the number of Aβ plaques
counteract Aβ toxicity
most active compound: isoliquiritigenin
further work:
test more compuonds
clarify the mode of action

13. Thank you for your attention!
IPMB
University of Heidelberg
Thank you for your attention!