Baicalein possessed anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity in vitro and in vivo. Baicalein at the concentrations of 40–120 μM exerted cytotoxicity to three hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines but with little cytotoxicity to a normal liver cell line in vitro 124. In addition, baicalin has potential beneficial effects on ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in alcoholic fatty liver. I/R-induced hepatocellular damage was attenuated by inhibiting TLR4-mediated inflammatory 125. Moreover, baicalin had been found to prevent liver injury in several animal hepatitis models.
Participants
Drinking was recorded using a custom built end table that contained alcoholism treatment a digital scale beneath a ceramic tile insert in the tabletop (Ohaus model #B10P with I5S controller). Participants were instructed to always keep the beer glass on the table except when taking a sip. The scale was connected to a computer in an adjacent room that ran a customized program that sampled the scale at 5 Hz and detected any weight changes that exceeded 1 gm.
This is the first demonstration that a single dose of kudzu extract quickly reduces alcohol consumption in a binge drinking paradigm. These data add to the mounting clinical evidence that kudzu extract may be a safe and effective adjunctive pharmacotherapy for alcohol abuse and dependence. Subjective and psychomotor effects observed after alcohol consumption are typically attributed to be the direct effects of alcohol on the CNS.
Potential Side Effects and Precautions
As expected, I didn’t really feel anything after taking it until I began drinking. I recall feeling a very slight prickly feeling in my skin after I’d had a few drinks, and a mild head rush. In this article, I’m going to discuss how to use kudzu recovery for alcoholism. Kudzu is an invasive weed that has also been used to treat alcoholism for well over one thousand years.
Kudzu extract
The lack of side effects after four weeks of treatment with both placebo and kudzu extract is likely one of the major reasons for the high rate of medication adherence. Vital signs, measures of blood chemistry, liver function tests and urinalysis assessments were all normal. One animal kudzu and alcohol study in particular demonstrated that kudzu extract and its major components are very safe, even after relatively large doses (2 g/day) over a 3-month treatment period (Keyler et al., (2002). The rates of alcohol drinking during follow-up phase were also reduced compared to baseline in both the kudzu- and placebo-treated groups.
- Alcohol can irritate the gastrointestinal tract, and kudzu can also have potential effects on the digestive system.
- If isoflavones such as daidzin significantly increase acetaldehyde levels in humans in vivo, then this could be a possible mechanism of action.
Benefits of Kudzu for Alcohol Cravings
During this time, alcohol increased heart rate consistent with previous reports (Kouri et al., 2004; Penetar et al., 2009). Separate general linear model ANOVAs for data with repeated measurements were used to analyze the number of drinks per week and the number of heavy drinking days per week. The two treatments (kudzu and placebo) were analyzed as fixed effects and time (weeks since randomization) as a repeated-measurements effect. Effect size is reported using the variance-accounted for statistic Partial Eta-Squared (η2Partial). All tests were two-sided with significance level of 0.05 and were performed using SPSS software (version 19.0, IBM SPSS, Inc, Chicago, IL).
Experts believe its calming effects might be due to its activity on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the brain, which slow down the central nervous system. First, kudzu extract causes vasodilation in rat artery tissue (Yan et al., 2009; Yeung et al., 2006) and in human vascular tissue (Tam et al., 2009). Second, there is an approved intravenous preparation of puerarin which is used in China to reduce myocardial oxygen consumption and improve cardiac microcirculation (Yue and Hu, 1996; Zhang et al., 2006). Vasodilation would also be expected to result in a mild reflex tachycardia and a corresponding increase in skin temperature due to greater tissue perfusion; both of these effects were observed in the present study. While kudzu root has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine, people most often use it to help treat alcohol dependence.
It contains several active isoflavones, which are natural plant chemicals with antioxidant effects. This compound has a positive effect on the central nervous system and the brain. Kudzu extract was administered in gelatin capsules containing 500 mg of extract (Alkontrol-Herbal™; NPI-031) prepared by Natural Pharmacia International, Inc., Burlington, MA. The extract contained 26% (130 mg) active isoflavones (20% puerarin, 4% daidzin, 2% daidzein; an improved HPLC analysis revealed that the total puerarin content includes both puerarin and 3-methoxypuerarin.). Participants were randomized on a blind basis to receive either 4 capsules of the extract (for a total of 520 mg isoflavones) or placebo (sugar beet filler) 2.5 hours before the start of an afternoon drinking session.
Kudzu Extract for Alcohol Cravings
The results showed that among all groups the plasma alcohol concentrations were the lowest in Fructus evodiae treated groups. Moreover, the expressions of liver alcohol metabolizing and antioxidant enzymes were also enhanced. The relative expression of ADH and Zn-Cu SOD increased more in treatment groups than that in positive controls.
The antioxidants in kudzu root, particularly puerarin, protect brain cells from oxidative stress, which can impair cognitive performance. In addition, kudzu promotes natural detoxification, which helps maintain overall liver health. Regular consumption of kudzu tea may offer gentle, herbal support for your liver’s well-being. Thus, I WAS drinking a little less because I wasn’t getting as much satisfaction from it as I did before. It wasn’t a big reduction, but I went from drinking 30 or so alcoholic drinks per week, down to approximately 20 per week while taking Kudzu.
Furthermore, trained larvae are able to learn, and develop cognitive dependence to EtOH107. A study of the human brain showed that that hippocampus is involved not only in learning but also in recognition ability108. Taken together, these studies may not provide direct evidence, but they suggest that EtOH-induced changes in multiple neurotransmissions likely involve EtOH-induced formation of cognition. These studies led us to consider that alcohol not only induces adaptation in the central nervous system but also forms cognition and memory of alcohol in the brain that promote the development of alcohol dependence.
These changes affect parts of the brain related to emotional regulation, memory, and decision-making. However, some people may experience mild side effects such as nausea, dizziness, and headache. It is important to consult with a healthcare professional before taking kudzu, especially if you are taking other medications or have underlying health conditions. As with any herbal supplement, it is essential to consult a healthcare professional before incorporating kudzu into one’s regimen, especially if taking medications or dealing with specific health conditions. Research has found that kudzu can help reduce hot flashes and night sweats, as well as improve sleep quality.