Black Licorice Compound Glycyrrhizin Fights Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Lab Tests
A stem cell intestine model screened 3,500 compounds and flagged glycyrrhizin from black licorice as a top anti-inflammatory candidate for IBD.
Summary
Researchers at the University of Tokyo built a stem cell-based model of the human intestine to screen thousands of compounds for IBD treatment potential. Out of roughly 3,500 candidates, glycyrrhizin — a natural compound found in black licorice — stood out as a top performer. It significantly reduced intestinal cell death in the lab-grown tissue and lowered inflammation and cellular damage in mice with IBD. Current IBD treatments leave many patients without lasting relief, so new candidates are urgently needed. This research also highlights how stem cell-derived intestinal models could speed up drug discovery for gut diseases. Clinical trials in humans are still needed before glycyrrhizin could become a viable therapy.
Detailed Summary
Inflammatory bowel disease affects an estimated 4 million people globally, and that number is growing. Existing treatments — including anti-inflammatory drugs and immune-targeting biologics — fail to provide lasting relief for a significant portion of patients, making the search for new therapies a pressing medical need.
A research team led by Yu Takahashi at the University of Tokyo addressed a core bottleneck in IBD drug discovery: the lack of a reliable, human-relevant laboratory model. They engineered a stem cell-based intestinal tissue model, then exposed it to a major inflammatory protein associated with IBD in real patients. This triggered measurable inflammation and cell death, validating the model as a realistic disease proxy.
With this platform established, the team ran high-throughput screening across approximately 3,500 compounds. The standout candidate was glycyrrhizin, a naturally occurring molecule responsible for the distinctive sweetness of black licorice. In the stem cell-derived intestinal tissue, glycyrrhizin significantly reduced cell death caused by the inflammatory trigger. Parallel experiments in mice with IBD confirmed the findings, showing lower inflammation levels and reduced intestinal tissue damage.
The dual validation — in both human-derived tissue and an animal model — strengthens the case for glycyrrhizin as a legitimate drug candidate. Prior cellular and animal studies had hinted at its anti-inflammatory potential, and this work adds a more sophisticated, human-relevant layer of evidence. The findings were published in Stem Cell Reports, a peer-reviewed journal.
Despite the encouraging early results, important caveats remain. Human clinical trials have not yet been conducted, so safety, effective dosing, and real-world efficacy in IBD patients are unknown. The researchers explicitly call for additional clinical studies. Nonetheless, the stem cell intestinal model itself represents a meaningful methodological advance that could accelerate discovery of future gut disease therapies.
Key Findings
- Glycyrrhizin from black licorice reduced intestinal cell death in a human stem cell-derived gut model.
- Compound lowered inflammation and tissue damage in mice with IBD-like disease.
- Stem cell intestinal model successfully screened ~3,500 compounds for IBD drug candidates.
- Glycyrrhizin was among the strongest performers out of thousands of tested substances.
- Human clinical trials are still needed to confirm safety and efficacy in IBD patients.
Methodology
This is a research summary based on a peer-reviewed study published in Stem Cell Reports from the International Society for Stem Cell Research. Evidence draws from in vitro stem cell-derived intestinal tissue and in vivo mouse IBD models. The source is credible; however, full primary data and statistical details require review of the original paper.
Study Limitations
Results come from lab-grown tissue and mouse models, with no human clinical trial data yet available. Optimal dosing, bioavailability, and potential side effects of glycyrrhizin for IBD in humans remain unknown. Readers should consult the original Stem Cell Reports publication for full methodology and statistical context.
Enjoyed this summary?
Get the latest longevity research delivered to your inbox every week.