Although drinking alcohol is a common practice worldwide due to its socializing and relaxing effects, it is not without risks. In 2016 there was Almost three million deaths are linked to alcohol consumption. Currently, there is no drug that can prevent the toxic effects of alcohol, which occurs as a result of the accumulation in the body of acetaldehyde, a molecule formed during the process of eliminating alcohol from our body. Acetaldehyde is subsequently metabolized to acetic acid, which is less harmful.
In the journal Natural nanotechnology A study was published in mice that examined the effectiveness of an antidote in preventing the toxicity of acetaldehyde accumulation. The antidote, taken orally, is a hydrogel formed by milk protein fibrils to which iron atoms are added and which metabolize alcohol directly into acetic acid (without producing acetaldehyde) in the digestive tract.
The effects of the gel were tested on mice
Acute alcohol poisoning was induced in euthanized mice and it was found that those who took the hydrogel They woke up about 2 hours earlier than the control group. (without hydrogel). They also had significantly lower blood alcohol levels than the control group and reduced liver inflammation, as measured by blood tests for liver parameters (transaminases).
The preventive effect of the gel on chronic alcohol consumption was also studied. Mice given the gel showed less weight loss and a significant reduction in Liver injury (decrease in transaminase levels) compared to the control group. On the other hand, a significant reduction in alcohol toxicity in the colon was also observed.
So this is a mouse study. demonstrated the usefulness of the hydrogel in preventing or reducing alcohol-related toxicity.. However, clinical studies must be conducted on humans to confirm its true effectiveness and safety. If the results are confirmed, Dr. Carreno and his team of hepatologists They believe that this hydrogel will be very useful for the prevention and treatment of alcohol intoxication. In addition, the technology developed to create a hydrogel (biomimetic nanozymes) can be used to treat various metabolic pathologies.