Effect of Radix Puerariae on Alcohol Craving and Regional Cerebral Blood Flow in the Patients with Alcohol Dependence

Kang, Cheol Joong; Kim, Myung Jung; Kim, Sung Gon; KIm, In Joo

Abstract

In light of recent reports of the effectiveness of Radix puerariae in the alcoholics and recent formulation of a hypothesis that craving far alcohol In the alcohol-dependent individual is mediated by a limbic circuit involving the fronto-thalamic and fronto-striatoaccumbal region, the authors studied the effect of Radix puerariae on craving for alcohol and cerebral blood flow(rCBF) of these regions. The subjects were hospitalized patients with alcohol dependence recovered from acute intoxication and withdrawal symptoms. On the first day of experiment, rCBF in the areas of caudate nuclei, thalamus and orbitofrontal cortices was measured by Single-Photon Emission Computed nomography. On the third day, the same procedure was repeated artier intake of a small priming dose of alcohol. Radix puerariae in dose of 12gm/day for 10 days was given from fourth day of experiment to the thirteenth day and on the eleventh and thirteenth days, the measurements of rCBF were repeated in the same method as in the first and third day, respectively. Immediately before measurements of the rCBF in each experiment, craving far alcohol was measured by means of Visual Analogue Scale. The results were as follows: 1) Before the treatment of radix puerariae, the alcohol-dependent patients developed a significant alcohol-induced alcohol craving and a concomitant increase of rCBF in the right head of caudate nucleus. 2) Radix puerariae significantly lowered alcohol crating and significantly increased rCBF In the right head of caudate nucleus and the left orbitofrontal cortex in alcohol-free, basal condition. 3) After the treatment of radix puerariae, the rCBF after alcohol intake in bilateral caudate nuclei and bilateral hemithalami was significantly decreased. 4) Radix puerariae did not induce post-alcohol craving for alcohol and significantly decreased post-alcohol rCBF in bilateral caudate nuclei. From these results, it is suggested that Radix puerariae decreases basal alcohol craving in the alcohol-dependent patients, and further that there ma!~ exist a significant association between these changes of alcohol craving and concomitant changes of rCBF in the limbic striatim, especially caudate nucleus.