title: Protective effect of Flos puerariae extract following acute alcohol intoxication in mice.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Hubei Province Key Laboratory on Cardiovascular, Cerebrovascular, and Metabolic Disorders, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Jiliang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000523:psychology; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D051379:Mice; D029908:Pueraria; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C442841:Puerariae Flos extract; D000431:Ethanol; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase
keywords: Alcohol Dehydrogenase; Alcoholism; Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; Antioxidant; Flos Puerariae