应用甘草治疗胃溃疡等已有很久的历史。甘草中主要有一种三萜类皂甙——甘草皂甙又称甘草甜素(Glycyrrhizin),经酸水解可得到其甙元甘草次酸(Glycyrrhetinic acid),它基本上是不溶性的。为了做成可溶性化合物,制出了它的琥珀酸半酯,称为生胃酮(Carbenoxolone,或Biogastrone),证明有抗溃疡病作用。此外,又发现了另一种萜类化合物金合欢乙酸香叶醇酯(Geranyl farnesylacetate),简称合欢香叶酯(Gerfarnate),具有抗溃疡病作用。 It has been a long history of using licorice to treat gastric ulcers. Glycyrrhiza mainly contains a triterpene saponin, also known as Glycyrrhizin. Glycyrrhizinic acid, which is glycosylated glycyrrhetinic acid by acid hydrolysis, is essentially insoluble. To make soluble compounds, half-esters of succinic acid, called Carbenoxolone (or Biogastrone), were made, demonstrating anti-ulcer disease. In addition, another terpenoid, Geranyl farnesylacetate (Gefarnate), also known as Gerfarnate, has been found to have an anti-ulcer effect.