Objective: To study the difference of Licorice from different sources in major ingredient contents and protective effect on liver. Method: HPLC was applied to determine the contents of Glycyrrhizin

liquiritin and isoliquiritigenin from Licorice

and mice were chosen to duplicate the acetaminophen-induced toxic hepatitis model. Result: Licorice was able to significantly decrease serum transaminase levels of chemical liver injury's mice induced by acetaminophen. Difference of serum transaminase activity between S1 and S8 groups was not significant

but the contents of Glycyrrhizin

liquiritin and isoliquiritigenin from S1 were more higher than them from S8

which were 2.219%

2.86%

0.023% and 0.767%

0.557%

0.013% respectively. The protective effect on liver of S4 and S6 were relatively weak

but their contents of constituents were still higher. Conclusion: The quality of licorice from different sources is different

and the protective effect on liver has no positive relationship with contents of glycyrrhizin

liquiritin and isoliquiritigenin. Those show that it could be related to interreaction of various chemical constituents of Licorice.