ABSTRACT
IntroductionA hangover is the experience of various unpleasant physiological and psychological effects followingconsumption of alcohol beverages, which can last for more than 24 hours. Common symptoms ofhangover are headache, gastrointestinal complaints, sweating, hyper-excitability, dry mouth, anorexia,diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue and vertigo. Alcohol or ethanol gets metabolized to an intermediate product,acetaldehyde, by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and then acetaldehyde is converted toacetate by a second enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Acetaldehyde causes toxic effects,such as high pulse, rate, sweating and vomiting. In most people, ALDH metabolizes acetaldehydequickly and effi ciently, so that this intermediate metabolite does not accumulate in high concentrations.Many treatments are described to prevent hangover, shorten its duration, and reduce the severity of itssymptoms, including innumerable folk remedies and recommendations.GoalThis study was conducted to investigate whether anti-hangover preparation has a protective effectagainst acute alcohol induced hangover in Wistar rats.Materials and MethodsMale and female Wistar line rats, weighing 180-210g were used for hangover model or ethanolmetabolism experiment. Rats were administered orally ethanol as 38% aqueous solution with feedingneedle, 1 ml/200g body weight. The anti-hangover preparation was administered 1 hour before ethanolconsumption. Blood was collected from the tail vein for the measurement of serum acetate andacetaldehyde at just before and 8, 16, 24 hour after ethanol administration.Statistical analysis: All value expressed as mean S.E obtained from n number of experiments.ResultFrom this study results summarize that the anti-hangover preparations decreased blood serum acetateand acetaldehyde levels as compared to control. Anti-hangover preparations enhanced acetaldehydeand acetate metabolism.Conclusion: These fi ndings indicate that anti-hangover preparations may exert benefi cial role inthe treatment of alcohol hangover without any toxicity. Therefore, the content of acetaldehyde wasdecreasing and increasing through repeating 8 hours within 24 hours.