Glycyrrhizin

It is known that large amounts of licorice cause high blood pressure. A new study now shows that even small amounts of licorice raise blood pressure. The individuals who react most strongly also show signs of strain on the heart. It is known that large amounts of liquorice cause high blood pressure. A study by researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, now shows that even small amounts of liquorice raise blood pressure. The individuals who react most strongly also show signs of strain on the heart. Liquorice is produced from the root of plants of the Glycyrrhiza species and has long been used as a herbal remedy and flavouring. However, it is known that eating liquorice can also raise blood pressure. This is mainly due to a substance called glycyrrhizic acid that affects the body's fluid balance through effects on an enzyme in the kidney. High blood pressure, in turn, increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Both the European Union and the World Health Organization have concluded that 100 mg of glycyrrhizic acid per day is probably safe to eat for most individuals. But some people eat more liquorice than that. The Swedish Food Agency has estimated that 5 per cent of Swedes have an intake higher than this level. In the current study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers at Linköping University wanted to test whether the limit stated as likely safe actually is so or not. It is not easy to know how much glycyrrhizic acid is in the liquorice you eat, as its concentration in different liquorice products varies greatly. This variation may depend on factors such as origin, storage conditions and liquorice root species. In addition, the amount of glycyrrhizic acid is not indicated on many products. The Linköping University study is the first to have carefully measured the amount of glycyrrhizic acid in the liquorice that was tested, while being randomised and having a control group. In the study, 28 women and men aged 18-30 were instructed to eat liquorice, or a control product that did not contain any liquorice, over two periods of time. The control product instead contained salmiak, which gives salty liquorice its flavour. The liquorice weighed 3.3 grammes and contained 100 mg of glycyrrhizic acid, that is, the amount indicated as likely safe for most people to eat daily. Participants were randomly assigned to eat either liquorice or the control product for two weeks, take a break for two weeks, and then eat the other variety for two weeks. This enabled the researchers to compare the effect of both varieties in the same person. The study participants were asked to measure their blood pressure at home every day. At the end of each intake period, the researchers measured levels of various hormones, salt balance, and heart workload. "In the study, we found that a daily intake of liquorice containing 100 mg glycyrrhizic acid raised blood pressure in young healthy people. This hasn't previously been shown for such small amounts of liquorice," says Peder af Geijerstam, doctoral student at the Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences at Linköping University, general practitioner, and lead author of the study. When the participants ate liquorice, their blood pressure increased by an average of 3.1 mmHg. The researchers also measured two hormones that are affected by liquorice and that regulate fluid balance: renin and aldosterone. The levels of both of these decreased when eating liquorice. The quarter of the study participants who were most sensitive, based on their levels of the hormones renin and aldosterone decreasing the most after eating liquorice, also gained slightly in weight, most likely due to an increased amount of fluid in the body. This group also had elevated levels of a protein that the heart secretes more of when it needs to work harder to pump around the blood in the body, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). This suggests increased fluid volume and heart workload in the individuals most sensitive to the effects of liquorice. "Our results give reason to be more cautious when it comes to recommendations and labelling for food containing liquorice," says Fredrik Nyström, professor at the same department, who was responsible for the study. The study was funded with support from, among others, The Strategic Research Network in Circulation and Metabolism (LiU-CircM) at Linköping University, The National Research School in General Practice at Umeå University, King Gustaf V and Queen Victoria Freemason Foundation and Region Östergötland.

JUPITER, Fla.--( BUSINESS WIRE )-- DoseMe , a leading provider of precision dosing software for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and creators of DoseMeRx and DoseMe Analytics, today announces its expansion into the Turkey market by naming Primum Pharma as its exclusive reseller and distribution partner. This strategic alliance translates into significant growth opportunities for DoseMe and Primum, with solutions to inform rational dosing of antibiotics in individual patients with infections. This partnership also sets the stage to expand model-informed precision dosing (MIPD) in new regional territories. “The rise in precision medicine is driving the need for therapeutic drug monitoring solutions and we are thrilled to bring Turkey-based hospitals and specialty healthcare facilities access to DoseMe’s platform,” said Burak Ergenoğlu , General Manager of Primum Pharma. “Not only in patient care, but drug development and delivery is shifting to customized dosing to maximize the benefits of new therapies.” Primum Pharma was founded in 2018 with the mission to provide strategic partnership solutions to multinational pharmaceutical companies in Turkey, CEE and EMEA markets. Through its regional market access and management consultancy, Primum Pharma is the official distributor of companies including Catalysis Spain, Bluecap, Glizigen and Retorna brands in the Turkish market. For DoseMe, this partnership represents an essential part of its ongoing expansion strategy. "We’re thrilled to embark on this distribution and reseller partnership with Primum to further penetrate new territories that are ready to adopt precision dosing," said Paul Edwards, CEO at DoseMe. "Our mutual commitment to excellence and patient-focused solutions aligns perfectly, making this collaboration an exciting step forward for our companies and the industry as a whole." Awareness around precision dosing to resolve risk factors in patience with infectious disease is on the rise and DoseMe is at the forefront of innovation. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) has evolved as an important tool to inform rational dosing of antibiotics in individual patients with infections. In particular, critically ill patients are at the highest risk and often suffer from infections caused by less susceptible bacteria. Greater recognition of the benefits of Model-informed Precision Dosing (MIPD) software for enhancing TDM and dosing precision necessitates thorough validation of models and reassessment of current workflows. About DoseMe DoseMe combines smart technology with science, leveraging clinically-validated PK/PD models, patient characteristics, drug concentrations, and genotype to accurately individualize a dose in seconds. The platform is HIPAA, ISO & FDA compliant and the only Bayesian dosing platform to be HITRUST CSF certified. For more information on successful applications of its products, DoseMeRx and DoseMe Analytics, visit https://doseme-rx.com/success-stories .