For many years, scientists have faced a tough challenge in finding a cure for alcohol addiction. Now, ginseng, a renowned Chinese herb, has brought a glimmer of hope to researchers as they discover their remarkable ability to effectively lessen alcohol addiction.
Researchers at Sahmyook University in Korea discovered that ginseng is the answer to many health issues related to alcohol consumption, including cognitive decline.
Alcohol addiction can harm a person’s health in many ways, immediate being accidents, violence, alcohol poisoning, and risky sexual behaviors. Pregnant women, who consume excessive amounts of alcohol, are at risk of experiencing miscarriages or giving birth to babies with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). In the long run, heavy drinking can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, liver problems, and various types of cancer.
It also weakens the immune system, affects learning and memory, and may lead to depression and anxiety, as mentioned by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Korean red ginseng extract is gaining recognition as a valuable botanical remedy for treating neuroinflammation and providing therapeutic benefits. It has long been around, and has come to be used in traditional medicines to amplify their therapeutic value.
Now, modern science is investigating its potential to treat conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.
The findings of the latest research have been published in the Journal of Ginseng Research, according to Medical Express.
“While much is talked about the healing properties of KRG against addictive drugs like cocaine and morphine, there aren’t many studies describing its effects on the addictive responses due to chronic alcoholic consumption. Alcohol is a legalized psychoactive drug that is very commonly consumed. Hence, we aimed to examine whether KRG exerts a positive effect on alcohol intoxication responses and cognitive impairments arising from alcohol abuse,” assistant professor Mikyung Kim from the Uimyung Research Institute for Neuroscience at the Sahmyook University, the lead author of the study, explained to Medical Express.
“We observed that spatial working memory was restored in KRG-treated mice exposed to alcohol. Moreover, we also noted that mice treated with KRG and alcohol had reduced withdrawal symptoms. The crucial finding here is that a higher dose of KRG led to greater improvement.”
Scientists, who studied the effects of Korean red ginseng, found that it can help reduce the addictive effects of alcohol by blocking certain signals in the brain called PKA-CREB pathway, which are linked to addiction. It also helps reduce inflammation in the brain, which may improve memory and cognitive functions affected by alcohol.
Published by Medicaldaily.com
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