Loading...
Medications approved for the treatment of alcoholism — disulfiram, naltrexone, and acamprosate — have had less than inspiring results. In this series of experiments, researchers gave rats alcohol, the novel herbal flavonoid dihydromyricetin (DHM), or both in combination, and the results suggest a novel approach to treating multiple aspects of alcohol dependence.
DHM reversed alcohol intoxication, as measured by the animals' ability to right themselves after receiving alcohol; this effect was blocked by the benzodiazepine receptor antagonist flumazenil. DHM prevented alcohol tolerance and reduced alcohol intake in animals trained to prefer alcohol. During alcohol withdrawal, DHM ameliorated anxiety-like behavior (measured by time in the open …