Scientists develop ‘breakthrough’ hangover cure


28 Nov 2014

The holy grail of hangover cures may well have been found, with researchers at the University of Huddersfield claiming they have developed a ‘breakthrough’ medication that reduces the harmful effects of binge drinking.

A collaborative effort between 11 EU-funded European scientists, including the University of Huddersfield’s Prof Mike Page and Dr Karl Hemming, ‘ethane-beta-sultam’ is a new medication that the team says can curb brain-cell loss and inflammation, as well as improve memory. 

As revealed by a new article published in the Journal of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, when testing the drug on rats researchers found the impairing effects of alcohol on brain functions were reduced and the drug could potentially be used to treat Alzheimer’s and other neurological diseases.

A newly developed compound within the drug allows it to easily enter the blood stream and flow into the brain. It had previously been difficult to for medication to do so because of the blood-brain barrier, the natural defence mechanism that blocks the medicinal treatment of neurological illness.

“One of things that alcohol does is to destroy some of the brain cells which are important for navigation and orientation,” said Page. “But a combination of alcohol and our compound could overcome this damage.”

Regular binge drinking, which is defined as consuming five or more alcoholic drinks over a four to six-hour period, can cause long-term damage, particularly to teenagers, whose brains are still developing.

Hangover image via Shutterstock