Application of glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid in the drug delivery system

Licorice is one of the commonly used traditional Chinese medicines in clinic. Its main active ingredients include glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhetinic acid, liquiritin, liquiritigenin, ammonium glycyrrhizinate, etc. These active ingredients not only have significant pharmacological effects but can also serve as drug delivery carriers or modify other drug carriers to address issues such as low drug solubility, low bioavailability, and poor targeting. For example, glycyrrhizic acid as a carrier can form micelles, inclusion compounds, hydrogels to increase the permeability of cell membrane and promote the drug to enter the cell to play a therapeutic role; Glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid can as target head modify carriers for targeted delivery drugs to liver cells. This article mainly reviews the application of glycyrrhizic acid as a carrier and the application of glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid as target head modify carriers in drug delivery systems, providing new ideas for further expanding the application prospects of licorice in modern pharmacy.