Anti-alcoholism Effect and Mechanism of Xingjiu Prescription

Objective To study the anti-alcoholism effect and its mechanism of Xingjiu Prescription. Methods Alcoholism model in mice was established with 50 % alcohol. The 72 male mice were randomly divided into 6 groups: normal group, model group, Haiwang Jinzun positive group, low-dose Xingjiu Prescription group(3 g crude drug/kg), medium-dose group(6 g crude drug/kg), high-dose group(12 g crude drug/kg), 12 mice in each group. The climbing time, the latent time of drunkenness, the durative time of drunkenness, the rate of drunkenness and death, the change of spontaneous activity frequency of mice were observed in all groups to evaluate the anti-alcoholism effect of Xingjiu Prescription. The activities of AST, ALT, ADH in serum, and the activity of SOD and the content of MDA in the liver were determined. The liver tissue morphology was also observed. Results Compared to model group, all dosages of Xingjiu Prescription could significantly reduce the rate of drunkenness, shorten the latent time of drunkenness(P0.05) when administered after drunkenness. Only the high dosage of Xingjiu Prescription significantly reduced the durative time of drunkenness(P0.05). Both medium-dose and high-dose of Xingjiu Prescription could increase the frequency of spontaneous activity of mice(P0.05). All dosages of Xingjiu Prescription could significantly down-regulate the levels of ALT, AST and MDA(P0.05), and up-regulate the levels of ADH and SOD(P0.05), compared with the model group. Pathology results showed that the severe hepatic lesions as well as neutrophilic infiltration and ballooning degeneration of hepatocytes induced by ethanol were considerably reduced in Xingjiu Prescription treated groups. Conclusion Xingjiu Prescription has a significant anti-alcoholism effect, which may be associated with the increase of the activities of ADH, SOD and decrease of the content of MDA.