Protective effect of Flos puerariae extract following acute alcohol intoxication in mice.
BACKGROUND
The effect of Flos Puerariae extract (FPE) on alcohol metabolism, hepatic injury, and memory impairment was assessed following acute ethanol (EtOH) intoxication in mice.


METHODS
The model of acute EtOH intoxication was established by intragastric administration with 8 g/kg EtOH in mice. FPE was orally administrated (gavage) once a day for 7 consecutive days. Mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group, model group, and FPE groups (100, 200 mg/kg). Alcohol tolerance and intoxication time, blood alcohol concentration, the activities of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) in liver, aspartate amino transferase (AST) and alanine amino transferase (ALT) in serum, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px), catalase and the formation of malondialdehyde (MDA) in both liver and brain, as well as memory ability were determined after acute alcohol exposure.


RESULTS
Compared with model group, pretreatment with FPE significantly prolonged alcohol tolerance time and shortened intoxication time, which is accompanied by decreased blood alcohol concentration and elevated activities of ADH and ALDH in liver. Moreover, the index of hepatic injury, ALT, and AST activities in serum was markedly decreased by pretreatment with FPE. Additionally, decreased MDA level, enhanced GSH-px and catalase activities in liver, as well as enhanced SOD and catalase activities in brain were found in FPE pretreated mice after acute exposure to EtOH. Furthermore, FPE pretreated mice showed markedly relieved memory disruption following acute EtOH intoxication.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that FPE pretreatment could enhance alcohol metabolism, prevent hepatic injury, and relieve memory impairment after acute alcohol intoxication and that this effect is likely related to its modulation on the alcohol metabolizing and antioxidant enzymes.
['Chen|Xiao|X|', 'Cai|Fei|F|', 'Guo|Shuang|S|', 'Ding|Fang|F|', 'He|Yi|Y|', 'Wu|Jiliang|J|', 'Liu|Chao|C|']
D000410:Alanine Transaminase D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase D000818:Animals D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases D001921:Brain D002374:Catalase D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury D004361:Drug Tolerance D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal D000431:Ethanol D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase D008297:Male D008315:Malondialdehyde D008569:Memory Disorders D051379:Mice D029908:Pueraria D013482:Superoxide Dismutase D013997:Time Factors
Flos Puerariae Alcoholism Alcohol Dehydrogenase Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Antioxidant