Evaluation of the Effect of Licorice Extract on Proliferation and Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Osteoblast cells

Estrogen deficiency caused osteoporosis during the first decade after Menopause. Estrogen replacement therapy is effective in osteoporosis caused by menopause, but it has some effects, such as carcinogenesis and uterine bleeding. Recent studies have focused on replacement natural compound that contain phytoestrogen. phytoestrogen is natural compound derived from plant, which exibit estrogen-like activities. Licorice is one of the medicinal plant that have phytoestrogen and its extract indicate activity as Estradiol in some parameters. To evaluate the effect of licorice extract on the proliferation and osteogenesis of human, mesenchymal stem cells were determined by MTT method and real-time PCR. Our results show that licorice extract were increased the proliferation and differentiation of hMSC in a dose dependent manner (significant at 10,25,50,100µg/ml). Real-time pcr analysis shown that licorice extract treatment induced an increase in the expression of BMP-2, Runx-2, Alp, osteocalcin and spp-1 in day 6 and 12, hence ICI 182780, an specific estrogen receptor antagonist inhibit the effect of licorice extract on differentiation, we found that licorice extract stimulates osteoblastogenesis via estrogenic activity and can be used as alternative natural medicine for bone disease such as osteoporosis