acitretin + glycyrrhizin

Acitretin + glycyrrhizin is a combination therapy consisting of acitretin, an oral retinoid, and glycyrrhizin (often administered as compound glycyrrhizin), a bioactive component derived from licorice root. This combination has been studied primarily for the treatment of psoriasis, including generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP), especially in patients with liver test abnormalities. Acitretin acts by modulating keratinocyte differentiation and proliferation, while glycyrrhizin exhibits anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. The combination has demonstrated improved clinical efficacy compared to acitretin monotherapy, likely through synergistic downregulation of Th17 cell differentiation and reduction in related pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-17, IL-22, and TGF-β. Clinical studies report higher response rates and better normalization of liver enzymes with this regimen[2][3][1].