Plant derivatives in the treatment of alcohol dependency.
Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior – June 01, 2003
Source: PubMed
Summary
Extracts from plants like St. John's wort and kudzu can significantly reduce alcohol intake in alcohol-preferring rats. In trials with various rat strains, including high-alcohol-drinking types, compounds such as puerarin and daidzin showed a dose-dependent decrease in alcohol consumption, with minimal impact on food intake. Chronic treatment with these compounds continued to suppress drinking behavior effectively. These findings suggest potential pathways for developing new treatments for alcoholism, contingent on future clinical trials to explore their efficacy in humans.
Abstract
The present review summarizes the findings of the effects of extracts of purified compounds from several plants on alcohol intake in alcohol-preferring rats. These include St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum, HPE), kudzu (Pueraria lobata) and ibogaine (Tabernanthe iboga). Alcohol-preferring (P), Marchigian Sardinian (msP), high-alcohol-drinking (HAD), Fawn-Hooded (FH) rats were allowed to drink alcohol or water voluntarily to establish baseline levels. Pure compounds (puerarin, daidzin, daidzein or analogs) isolated from kudzu, extracts from HPE or ibogaine and its analog were given by either intraperitoneal or oral administration. After acute administration, all agents dose-dependently reduced alcohol intake with minimal effects on food intake. Puerarin and HPE were also effective following chronic treatment. Overall, it is clear that pure compounds (daidzin, puerarin), extracts from St. John's wort, ibogaine and an ibogaine analog suppress alcohol intake in animal models of excessive drinking with minimal effects on other appetitive behaviors. Although the true mechanisms of action of these compounds on alcohol intake are not fully understood, with the current information, it appears that these compounds exert their effects by modulating several neuronal systems implicated in drinking behavior. However, their role in the future of pharmacotherapy for alcoholism will depend upon the outcome of carefully conducted clinical trials.