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HPLC analysis of ammonium glycyrrhizate listed in the European, United States, and Japanese Pharmacopoeias under reported and modified conditions: revision of the peak assignment for 18α-glycyrrhizin in the European and United States Pharmacopoeias

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Abstract

We examined ammonium glycyrrhizate listed in the monographs of the European Pharmacopoeia (EP) and United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) as well as in the reagents and solutions used in the general test of the Japanese Pharmacopoeia by performing HPLC on their sample standards or reference reagents under reported and modified conditions. Comparative experiments involving five authentic samples, namely, 18β-glycyrrhizin (1), 18α-glycyrrhizin (2), licorice–saponin G2 (3), licorice–saponin H2 (4), and galacturonic acid-replaced glycyrrhizin (the 4″-epimer of 18β-glycyrrhizin) (5), led us to propose the revision of the peak assignment of 18α-glycyrrhizin (2) and postscript a possible co-existence of galacturonic acid-replaced glycyrrhizin (5) as a hidden component in the EP and USP. We also proposed that the α-configuration used in the nomenclature of the glycosidic bond between aglycone and the sugar units of ammonium glycyrrhizate and impurities in the EP and USP should be revised to the β-configuration.

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Author notes

  1. Kazuaki Kamata

    Present address: Gunma University Center for Food Science and Wellness, 4-2 Aramaki-machi, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-8510, Japan

  2. Takashi Hakamatsuka

    Present address: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nihon Pharmaceutical University, 10281 Komuro, Ina-machi, Kitaadachi-gun, Saitama, 362-0806, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tokiwa Phytochemical Co., Ltd, 158 Kinoko, Sakura, Chiba, 285-0801, Japan

    Kazuaki Kamata, Jin Tatsuzaki & Tsutomu Ishikawa

  2. National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 210-9501, Japan

    Ryoko Arai, Takashi Hakamatsuka & Nahoko Uchiyama

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  1. Kazuaki Kamata
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  2. Jin Tatsuzaki
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  3. Tsutomu Ishikawa
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Correspondence to Tsutomu Ishikawa or Nahoko Uchiyama.

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Kamata, K., Tatsuzaki, J., Ishikawa, T. et al. HPLC analysis of ammonium glycyrrhizate listed in the European, United States, and Japanese Pharmacopoeias under reported and modified conditions: revision of the peak assignment for 18α-glycyrrhizin in the European and United States Pharmacopoeias. J Nat Med 77, 202–206 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-022-01649-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-022-01649-8

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