Metabolic Effects of Glabridin in Healthy Volunteers and Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Pilot Study

Glabridin is a prenylated isoflavonoid isolated from the roots of Glycyrrhiza glabra. We investigated the metabolic effects of glabridin, using healthy volunteers and patients with type 2 diabetes. Seven healthy volunteers and 10 patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited, and assigned to receive an oral dose of glabridin (300?mg) once daily for 12?weeks. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glycated hemoglobin, immunoreactive glucagon, and body fat composition significantly decreased in the healthy individuals, after 12?weeks of glabridin administration, while there were subtle effects in the patients with type 2 diabetes. Glabridin significantly improved flow-mediated vasodilatation, and pulse wavelength in the healthy volunteers. The results of our pilot study indicate that glabridin exerted several favorable metabolic effects and improved vascular functions, especially in healthy volunteers. Therefore, glabridin might be better to use in healthy subjects for preventing metabolic disorder rather than the patients with type 2 diabetes.