effect of glycyrrhiza glabra extract on telomerase enzyme and biochemical parameters in elderly rats

Background: aging with the gradual loss of organ functions leads to extensive complications. as the world’s elderly population is increasing. objectives: we aimed to investigate the effect of glycyrrhiza glabra (gly) on biochemical factors, telomerase content, and antioxidant levels in aged tissues.methods: thirty aged rats were divided into 3 groups: ag or aging group (control), ag-low gly (150 mg/kg), and ag-high gly (300 mg/kg). gly extract gavage was carried out for 2 weeks. eventually, the heart, liver, hippocampus, and right kidney tissues were removed to evaluate their antioxidant levels. the serum samples were used to measure the level of aminotransferase (ast), alanine aminotransferase (alt), urea, creatinine, and telomerase enzyme activity. results: the results indicated that administering high dose gly extract reduced oxidative stress notably in the tissues and blood serum. there was a remarkable decline in the urea, creatinine levels, and alt in the aged group receiving a high dose of gly, but the change in ast was insignificant. receiving gly extract in low and high doses elevated the telomerase enzyme activity remarkably.conclusion: the current study supports that administering gly extract (300 mg/kg) can effectively ameliorate aging-related disturbances.