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Attenuation of alcohol intake by extract of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort) in two different strains of alcohol-preferring rats.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Rezvani, AH; Overstreet, DH; Yang, Y; Clark, E
Published in: Alcohol Alcohol
1999

Extract of the common plant Hypericum perforatum L. (St John's Wort, SJW) has been used successfully for the treatment of mild to moderate depression since ancient times and has recently been studied clinically. Depression and alcoholism have some neurochemical similarities, such as low brain serotonin activities. Thus, we hypothesized that SJW extract, which contains 0.22% hypericin and 4.05% hyperforin, also may be effective in suppressing alcohol intake. To test this hypothesis, the effects of SJW extract on voluntary alcohol intake were studied in two different genetic animal models of human alcoholism: fawn-hooded (FH) and high-alcohol drinking (HAD) rats. FH and HAD rats received a single oral administration (5 ml/kg) of either vehicle or one of the five doses (100, 200, 400, 600, and 800 mg/kg) of SJW extract. The oral administration of SJW extract significantly (P < 0.0001) reduced alcohol intake in both FH and HAD rats. In a third study, FH rats did not develop tolerance to the suppressant effects of SJW on alcohol intake and preference following oral administration of (400 mg/kg) of the extract for 15 consecutive days. These promising findings suggest that SJW extract should be evaluated clinically as a potential therapeutic agent in the treatment of alcoholism.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Alcohol Alcohol

DOI

ISSN

0735-0414

Publication Date

1999

Volume

34

Issue

5

Start / End Page

699 / 705

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Substance Abuse
  • Rats
  • Plants, Medicinal
  • Plant Extracts
  • Phytotherapy
  • Hypericum
  • Ethanol
  • Eating
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Central Nervous System Depressants
 

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Rezvani, A. H., Overstreet, D. H., Yang, Y., & Clark, E. (1999). Attenuation of alcohol intake by extract of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort) in two different strains of alcohol-preferring rats. Alcohol Alcohol, 34(5), 699–705. https://doi.org/10.1093/alcalc/34.5.699
Rezvani, A. H., D. H. Overstreet, Y. Yang, and E. Clark. “Attenuation of alcohol intake by extract of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort) in two different strains of alcohol-preferring rats.Alcohol Alcohol 34, no. 5 (1999): 699–705. https://doi.org/10.1093/alcalc/34.5.699.
Rezvani, A. H., et al. “Attenuation of alcohol intake by extract of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort) in two different strains of alcohol-preferring rats.Alcohol Alcohol, vol. 34, no. 5, 1999, pp. 699–705. Pubmed, doi:10.1093/alcalc/34.5.699.
Journal cover image

Published In

Alcohol Alcohol

DOI

ISSN

0735-0414

Publication Date

1999

Volume

34

Issue

5

Start / End Page

699 / 705

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Substance Abuse
  • Rats
  • Plants, Medicinal
  • Plant Extracts
  • Phytotherapy
  • Hypericum
  • Ethanol
  • Eating
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Central Nervous System Depressants