Carbenoxolone is a derivative of β-glycyrrhetinic acid , a major metabolite of glycyrrhizin, one of the main constituents of licorice. Similar to β-glycyrrhetinic acid and glycyrrhizin, carbenoxolone has been shown to exhibit anti-ulcerative and anti-inflammatory properties.1 Carbenoxolone inhibits 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 conversion of cortisol to cortisone, which contributes to its potential to induce mineralocorticoid hypertension.2 It is also reported to inhibit 11β-HSD2 conversion of cortisone to cortisol resulting in improved cognitive and neuroprotective effects.3
1.Sircus, W.Carbenoxolone sodiumGut13(10)816-824(1972) 2.Quinkler, M., and Stewart, P.M.Hypertension and the cortisol-cortisone shuttleJ. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.88(6)2384-2392(2003) 3.Hellmich, H.L., Rojo, D.R., Micci, M.A., et al.Pathway analysis reveals common pro-survival mechanisms of metyrapone and carbenoxolone after traumatic brain injuryPLoS One8(1)e53230(2013)