Aqueous extract of Laurus nobilis leaf accelerates the alcohol metabolism and prevents liver damage in single-ethanol binge rats

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Excessive alcohol consumption has harmful health effects, including alcohol hangovers and alcohol-related liver disease. Therefore, methods to accelerate the alcohol metabolism are needed. Laurus nobilis is a spice, flavoring agent, and traditional herbal medicine against various diseases. This study examined whether the standardized aqueous extract of L. nobilis leaves (LN) accelerates the alcohol metabolism and protects against liver damage in single-ethanol binge Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. MATERIALS/METHODS LN was administered orally to SD rats 1 h before ethanol administration (3 g/kg body weight [BW]) at 100 and 300 mg/kg BW. Blood samples were collected 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 h after ethanol administration. The livers were excised 1 h after ethanol administration to determine the hepatic enzyme activity. The alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities in the liver tissue were measured. RESULTS LN decreased the serum ethanol and acetaldehyde levels in ethanol-administered rats. LN increased the hepatic ADH and ALDH activities but decreased the alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase activities in the ethanol-administered rats. In addition, LN inhibited lipid peroxidation and increased the activities of SOD and GPx. CONCLUSIONS LN modulates the mediators of various etiological effects of excessive alcohol consumption and enhances the alcohol metabolism and antioxidant activity, making it a potential candidate for hangover treatments.

Hepatoprotective Effect of Allium ochotense Extracts on Chronic Alcohol-Induced Fatty Liver and Hepatic Inflammation in C57BL/6 Mice

“…Serum alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations were measured using commercial kits (Megazyme Int., Bray, Ireland). AUC was measured using the trapezoidal method (for the time interval of the obtained blood samples) [ 43 , 44 ].…”