Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42123730›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of molecular sciences2026

Therapeutic Effects of Glycyrrhizic Acid on Dry Eye Disease: Targeting Pyroptosis, Oxidative Stress, and Epithelial Barrier Dysfunction.

Yiran Chu, Chengxiao Zhang, Zeying Chen, Qi Zhang, Yun Tang, Jiaxuan Jiang, Kai Hu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of molecular sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Yiran ChuDepartment of Ophthalmology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, China.ORCID 0009-0009-4595-3044
Chengxiao ZhangDepartment of Ophthalmology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, China.ORCID 0009-0001-1689-506X
Zeying ChenDepartment of Ophthalmology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, China.
Qi ZhangDepartment of Ophthalmology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, China.
Yun TangDepartment of Ophthalmology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, China.ORCID 0009-0005-0918-2140
Jiaxuan JiangDepartment of Ophthalmology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, China.
Kai HuDepartment of Ophthalmology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, China.

Funding

Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province BK20241725
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Dry eye disease (DED) is a common ocular surface disorder characterized by instability of the tear film, inflammatory responses, and epithelial damage, and therapeutic interventions directed at these fundamental pathogenetic processes are still insufficient. This research aimed to evaluate the medicinal efficacy of glycyrrhizic acid (GA) and to unravel the underlying molecular pathways through which it exerts its protective role in DED. A benzalkonium chloride-induced mouse model and a hyperosmolarity-induced human corneal epithelial cell model were established. Corneal epithelial injury, tear secretion, and goblet cell density were evaluated in vivo, while cellular responses and related signaling pathways were examined using RT-qPCR, Western blotting, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence. GA treatment alleviated corneal epithelial damage, increased tear secretion, and improved goblet cell density in mice. In vitro, GA reduced inflammatory responses, as evidenced by decreased tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression, and helped preserve epithelial barrier integrity, accompanied by reduced matrix metalloprotease 9 (MMP9) levels. Further analysis suggested that GA suppressed pyroptosis through regulation of the high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1)/lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP)/cathepsin B (CTSB) pathway and attenuated oxidative stress via activation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)/NAD (P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) axis. In addition, GA improved mitochondrial function, as indicated by decreased reactive oxygen species levels, restored membrane potential, and enhanced adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. Taken together, these findings indicate that GA may alleviate hyperosmolarity-induced DED by modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and epithelial barrier damage, underscoring its viability as a remedial candidate.

Indexed as

Dry Eye SyndromesEpithelium, CornealGlycyrrhizic AcidOxidative StressPyroptosisAnimalsAnti-Inflammatory AgentsDisease Models, AnimalEpithelial CellsHumansMiceReactive Oxygen SpeciesAnti-Inflammatory AgentsGlycyrrhizic AcidReactive Oxygen Speciesdry eye diseaseepithelial barrier dysfunctionglycyrrhizic acidoxidative stresspyroptosis

Identifiers

PMID42123730
PMCPMC13163720

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.