Hypertension, Vol 20, 356-360, Copyright © 1992 by American Heart Association
DJ Morris, WE Semafuko, SA Latif, B Vogel, CA Grimes and MF Sheff
Patients with the syndrome of apparent mineralocorticoid excess and those
who ingest licorice show markedly decreased 11 beta- hydroxysteroid
dehydrogenase (11 beta-OHSD) and 5 beta-reductase activity; both are
important for the deactivation of glucocorticoids and other steroid
hormones. Glycyrrhetinic acid (GA), present as its glycoside in licorice,
is a potent inhibitor of both 11 beta-OHSD and 5 beta-reductase and, as we
have also shown, confers Na(+)-retaining properties on glucocorticoids and
amplifies those of aldosterone and deoxycorticosterone. We report the
results of our initial studies demonstrating the presence of naturally
occurring substances, which inhibit both 5 beta-reductase and 11 beta-OHSD
as does GA, in partially purified extracts of urine from normotensive men
and nonpregnant and pregnant women. Since these substances exhibit GA-like
activity, we have termed them GA-like factors (GALFs). This "inhibitory"
material is heat stable and does not react with ninhydrin; the majority is
not extractable with ethyl acetate and thus is not a "free" steroid. When
further purified by high-performance liquid chromatography with a
methanol/water gradient, the majority of these GALFs appeared in two
regions of inhibitory activity. The chemical nature of this material is
currently being investigated. These experiments indicate that normal human
urine contains GALFs that may play a role in Na+ homeostasis and regulation
of blood pressure.
ARTICLES
Detection of glycyrrhetinic acid-like factors (GALFs) in human urine
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI 02906.
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  B. Bocchi, S. Kenouch, M. Lamarre-Cliche, M. Muffat-Joly, M. H. Capron, J. Fiet, G. Morineau, M. Azizi, J. P. Bonvalet, and N. Farman Impaired 11-{beta} Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2 Activity in Sweat Gland Ducts in Human Essential Hypertension Hypertension, April 1, 2004; 43(4): 803 - 808. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L.M. Thurston, D.P. Norgate, K.C. Jonas, L. Gregory, P.J. Wood, B.A. Cooke, and A.E. Michael Ovarian modulators of type 1 11{beta}-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11{beta}HSD) activity and intra-follicular cortisol:cortisone ratios correlate with the clinical outcome of IVF Hum. Reprod., August 1, 2003; 18(8): 1603 - 1612. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Quinkler and P. M. Stewart Hypertension and the Cortisol-Cortisone Shuttle J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2003; 88(6): 2384 - 2392. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. J. Morris, Y. H. Lo, W. R. Lichtfield, and G. H. Williams Impact of Dietary Na+ on Glycyrrhetinic Acid-Like Factors (Kidney 11{beta}-(HSD2)-GALFs) in Human Essential Hypertension Hypertension, January 1, 1998; 31(1): 469 - 472. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. C. White, T. Mune, and A. K. Agarwal 11{beta}-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase and the Syndrome of Apparent Mineralocorticoid Excess Endocr. Rev., February 1, 1997; 18(1): 135 - 156. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y. H. Lo, M. F. Sheff, S. A. Latif, C. Ribeiro, H. Silver, A. S. Brem, and D. J. Morris Kidney 11{beta}-HSD2 Is Inhibited by Glycyrrhetinic Acid-Like Factors in Human Urine Hypertension, January 1, 1997; 29(1): 500 - 505. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
B. R. Walker, P. M. Williamson, M. A. Brown, J. W. Honour, C. R. W. Edwards, and J. A. Whitworth 11ß-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase and Its Inhibitors in Hypertensive Pregnancy Hypertension, April 1, 1995; 25(4): 626 - 630. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Soro, M. C. Ingram, G. Tonolo, N. Glorioso, and R. Fraser Evidence of Coexisting Changes in 11ß-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase and 5ß-Reductase Activity in Subjects With Untreated Essential Hypertension Hypertension, January 1, 1995; 25(1): 67 - 70. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|