The Anti-Alcoholism Effects of Tengcha-Gegen Plant Solid Beverage on Acute Alcohol Intoxication in Mice

Aims Acute alcohol intoxication (AAI) caused by the intake of excessive alcohol is a harmful clinical condition and potentially life threatening. Therefore, there has been increasing attention on the development of anti-alcoholism products. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic benefits of an anti-alcoholism product (Tengcha-Gegen Plant Solid Beverage, which contains Ampelopsis grossedentata, Pueraria Lobata, Hovenia dulcis Thunb, and turmeric) in an AAI mouse model.Methods The AAI mouse model was established through alcohol gavage. Male Kunming mice were first given three doses of Tengcha-Gegen Plant Solid Beverage for 30 min and then gavaged with 52% (V/V) liquor (0.15 mL liquor/10 g body weight). The impact of Tengcha-Gegen Plant Solid Beverage on AAI was evaluated by the sober-up time, the plasma alcohol content, and the plasma and liver superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents or activities.Results The Tengcha-Gegen Plant Solid Beverage could shorten the sober-up time and decrease plasma alcohol levels at 0.2 and 0.4 g/kg body weight. The mechanistic studies showed that Tengcha-Gegen Plant Solid Beverage increased the plasma SOD and liver GSH levels but decreased the plasma MDA levels at the indicated doses.Conclusions This study confirmed that Tengcha-Gegen Plant Solid Beverage might have anti-alcoholism therapeutic potential and protect the liver against high oxidative stress induced by acute alcohol exposure in AAI mice. In this study, we showed that the Tengcha-Gegen Plant Solid Beverage at 0.2 and 0.4 g/kg body weight could shorten the sober-up time and plasma alcohol level, increase the plasma SOD level and liver GSH, but decrease the plasma MDA level. This indicates that the Tengcha-Gegen Plant Solid Beverage might have a specific anti-alcoholism effect in the acute alcohol intoxication mouse model.