MAPK8 and kidney disorder: The main bioactive components of licorice against nephropathy are glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhetinic acid, isoliquiritigenin, glabridin, isoliquiritin and licochalcone A. These components alleviate kidney injury through anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative stress, anti-apoptosis, promoting autophagy, inhibiting EMT, and reducing ECM deposition by targeting the signaling pathways of NF-κB, TGF-β1, JNK, MAPK, p53, STAT3 and HMGB1.