title: Herbal remedies for alcoholism: promises and possible pitfalls.
abstract: This review summarizes the findings of the effects on alcohol intake in alcohol-preferring rats of extracts or purified compounds from two of the most promising herbs: kudzu (Pueraria lobata) and St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum). It is a summary of a symposium presented at the 2002 RSA meeting in San Francisco. The meeting organizers/co-chairs were David Overstreet and Wing-Ming Keung. The presentations were (1) Introduction to the symposium, by David Y. W. Lee and David H. Overstreet; (2) Effects of daidzin on alcohol intake-search for mechanisms of action, by Wing-Ming Keung; (3) Long-term suppressive effects of puerarin on alcohol drinking in rats, by David Overstreet and David Y. W. Lee; (4) St. John's Wort extract reduces alcohol intake in FH and P rats, by Amir Rezvani and David Overstreet; and (5) extracts reduce alcohol intake in Marchigian Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats, by Maurizio Massi.
authors.affiliation: Bowles Center for Alchohol Studies (DHO), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7178, USA. dhover@med.unc.edu
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Overstreet
authors.forename: Wing-Ming
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Keung
authors.forename: Amir H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Rezvani
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massi
authors.forename: David Y W
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D020902:Hypericum; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D029908:Pueraria; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts