Today, we are lifting the veil on three core licorice-derived active ingredients developed through over 30 years of dedicated research by Fanzhi Pharmaceutical: Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glabridin, and Licochalcone A.
Let’s explore how these scientifically backed ingredients safeguard the skin from three distinct dimensions: anti-inflammatory soothing, precise hyperpigmentation correction, and gentle acne control!
01. The Omnipotent Barrier Guardian: Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate (DPG)
In advanced cosmetic chemistry, a premium soothing agent often delivers multifaceted benefits. As a versatile “golden standard” ingredient, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate (DPG) not only inhibits hyaluronidase activity to prevent the degradation of hyaluronic acid but also prevents melanocyte activation and inhibits melanin synthesis, resulting in a smoother, deeply hydrated, and brighter complexion.
While hydration and brightening form the foundational benefits of DPG, its most prominent clinical efficacy lies in its exceptional anti-inflammatory and soothing properties. Its core structure, glycyrrhetinic acid, shares a similar anti-inflammatory mechanism with steroidal hormones—but crucially, it exhibits zero hormone dependency and no side effects. It penetrates deeply into the dermis to effectively alleviate inflammation without compromising the skin barrier.
(Data sourced from Meiye Research Institute – Beauty Data Brain, MAT 2024.12 – 2025.11)
In vitro testing on zebrafish embryos demonstrates that Fanzhi’s Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate samples provide profound soothing effects against external aggressors, exhibiting stronger anti-allergic properties than Sodium Cromoglycate. Additionally, comprehensive safety and non-irritation reports show that DPG at various concentrations effectively regulates sebum production by inhibiting 5α-reductase activity.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Is it suitable for corticosteroid-dependent skin (steroid rosacea)?
Yes. It can act as a safe alternative to glucocorticoids! DPG indirectly enhances the skin’s natural repair capabilities by inhibiting metabolic enzymes. It is completely free from steroid dependency and is clinically documented to soothe and rehabilitate steroid-damaged skin.
2. Is it suitable for acne-prone skin?
Yes. DPG boasts powerful anti-inflammatory effects and can mitigate the irritation caused by certain chemical UV filters. Furthermore, it regulates sebum production by inhibiting 5α-reductase, directly alleviating acne breakouts and associated erythema (redness).
Setting the Industry Standard for Purity
Historically, the manufacturing process for DPG carried the risk of introducing potential sensitizers—namely residual ammonium ions and ethanol. These impurities can trigger secondary damage to compromised or sensitive skin barriers.
To resolve this, Fanzhi developed a proprietary third-generation DPG manufacturing process. By replacing organic solvents with purified water, they successfully reduced ammonium residue to below 0.004% and ethanol residue to below 0.1%. This eco-friendly process leads the global industry in safety and purity.
Furthermore, during the ion-exchange purification phase, standard resin materials can shed benzene derivatives, which are known skin irritants. Fanzhi utilizes imported, pharmaceutical-grade ion-exchange resins that are replaced every six months. This rigorous quality control ensures that heavy metal levels (Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, Mercury) remain strictly below 0.2mg/kg.
Industry Authority Note: In September of last year, Fanzhi Pharmaceutical’s project, “Development and Industrialization of High-Quality Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate for Cosmetics,” was recognized as one of the Top 10 Scientific and Technological Advancements in China’s cosmetic industry. Currently, Fanzhi operates the world’s largest DPG production line (250 tons/year), holds over 50% of the domestic market share, and spearheaded the drafting of the industry standard for cosmetic-grade Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate.
02. The Gentle Brightening Prodigy: Glabridin
Widely celebrated in the skincare community as “Whitening Gold,” Glabridin’s clinical efficacy is undisputed.
Premium brands eagerly formulate with Glabridin because of its multi-pathway mechanism. While standard brightening agents typically target only a single phase of melanin production, Glabridin acts on four critical targets simultaneously: Tyrosinase, DHICA oxidase, Dopachrome Tautomerase (TRP-2), and α-MSH (Melanocyte-stimulating hormone), achieving highly efficient, multi-target hyperpigmentation correction.
Efficacy Benchmark: Glabridin’s tyrosinase inhibition rate is an astounding 80 times stronger than pure L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) and 140 times stronger than Niacinamide.
Equally important is its exceptional tolerability. Glabridin is non-irritating and requires no “tolerance-building” phase, making it entirely safe for hyper-sensitive and fragile skin types.
Overcoming the “Glabrol” Challenge with Nobel-Prize Winning Tech
Glabridin does have one natural hurdle: during extraction from Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice Root), it is inevitably accompanied by a structurally similar compound called Glabrol. Research published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology indicates that Glabrol can significantly exacerbate muscle toxicity in zebrafish embryos, posing a potential safety risk.
Due to their structural similarities, traditional purification methods fail to separate Glabrol effectively. To solve this industry-wide pain point, Fanzhi Pharmaceutical pioneered the use of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs)—a Nobel Prize-winning technology—in the Glabridin purification process, resulting in two core patents:
- A functionalized MOF composite material, its preparation method, and application in Glabridin purification (Authorized: CN120424361A)
- A purification process for low-Glabrol Glabridin (Pending: CN119390706A)
How it works: Specific MOF materials are packed into an adsorption column. As the concentrated licorice extract flows through, transition metals within the material (such as Fe, Zn, Co, Cu) form π-coordination bonds with the exocyclic double bonds of the Glabrol molecules. The ordered porous structure acts as a microscopic sieve, precisely locking onto and extracting the toxic Glabrol.
This revolutionary step reduces Glabrol concentration from 0.1%–0.15% down to an ultra-safe 0.01%–0.09% (far below industry impurity limits), without compromising the active Glabridin yield, drastically elevating product safety and purity.
03. The Emerging Nemesis of Acne-Prone Skin: Licochalcone A
In October 2025, Fanzhi Pharmaceutical, in collaboration with Imeik, successfully registered “Licochalcone A” as a New Cosmetic Ingredient (Registration No.: Guo Zhuang Yuan Bei Zi 20250124), achieving an unprecedented 90% purity level (compared to the standard 20% previously found on the market).
Licochalcone A offers a highly effective, gentle solution for acne-prone skin through a dual-action mechanism: it regulates sebum secretion by inhibiting the expression of 5α-reductase, and it powerfully suppresses inflammatory responses by downregulating COX-2 and iNOS gene expression.
Clinical Validations:
- 0.5% Licochalcone A significantly inhibits 5α-reductase.
- 0.0075mg/ml Licochalcone A downregulates COX-2 and iNOS gene expression by 59.32% and 92.9%, respectively.
Multiple dermatological studies have cemented the clinical value of Licochalcone A in acne vulgaris treatment:
Study 1: Licochalcone A Sunscreen Enhances Adapalene Therapy
In a study involving 56 patients with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris, participants underwent two weeks of 0.1% Adapalene gel treatment to evaluate skin tolerance. They were then split 1:1, applying either a sunscreen formulated with Licochalcone A or a Niacinamide-based sunscreen (4 times daily for 4 weeks).
Result: The Licochalcone A group demonstrated marked improvements in acne lesions, significantly enhanced skin tolerance, and reported dramatically fewer instances of dryness, burning, and stinging compared to the Niacinamide group.
Study 2: Licochalcone A + Salicylic Acid for Mild Acne
A synergistic composition of Licochalcone A and Salicylic Acid was tested.
Result: By Week 4, the average count of comedones and papules was significantly reduced by 41% and 45% respectively, with sebum volume dropping by 47%. By Week 8, total comedones and papules were reduced by an impressive 64% and 71%, with a 52% reduction in overall sebum.
Conclusion
From the unparalleled soothing and barrier-repairing capabilities of Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, to the gentle, multi-pathway brightening of Glabridin, and the precise acne-eradicating power of Licochalcone A, Fanzhi Pharmaceutical’s 30 years of unwavering botanical research have successfully unlocked the ultimate potential of the licorice plant for the future of clinical skincare.