A licorice root compound helped radiation kill brain tumor cells in the lab
Original title: 18β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid Exerts Subgroup-Specific Antitumor Activity and Enhances Radiosensitivity in Medulloblastoma.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was done on cells in a lab, not in people. It is a very early step.
This was only done on cells in a dish, not in people.
The short version
In lab dishes, a licorice root compound made radiation better at killing medulloblastoma cells.
What was studied. Researchers tested a compound from licorice root on two types of medulloblastoma cells. The cells were grown in dishes. Some got the compound, some got radiation, and some got both.
What they found. The compound alone left fewer living cells. The amount and the time both mattered. It also slowed how the cells moved and spread. When the compound was added to radiation, far fewer cells survived than with radiation alone. The cells also showed more signs of dying off.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: This gives scientists a reason to keep studying the compound. It might one day help radiation work better for this tumor. It does not change anyone's care right now.
What it doesn't mean: This was only cells in a dish. It was not tested in people, or even in animals. That is the earliest stage of research. It is a long way from everyday care. It is not a treatment and it is not a cure. Eating licorice or taking a supplement will not do this. Do not start anything new without asking your doctor.
Source: PubMed, October 8, 2026 · Read the original
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