Human Metabolism of Orally Ingested Glycyrrhetinic Acid and Monoammonium Glycyrrhizinate.

Abstract

Orally administered glycyrrhetinic acid and monoammonium glycyrrhizinate were poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract as indicated by blood, bile and urine levels of radioactivity. The bulk of fed materials are excreted directly in the feces, and, in the case of G.A., at least in part as unchanged compound. Small quantities of glycyrrhetinic acid have been isolated from urines of subjects fed each of above compounds. Many problems relating to stereoisomerism of G.A. remain to be clarified.