Australian scientists developing “stay sober” pill to combat excessive drunkenness
The Adelaide Herald is reporting that Australian scientists are developing a pill that helps over-indulgers in alcoholic bevvies stay sober. According to scientists at the University of Adelaide, the pill aims to limit the effects of alcohol on a drinker’s brain as well as stop cravings for alcohol in general. The pill has been extremely successful thus far on murine drinkers.
“The pill changes the focus of the wiring of the brain,” Dr. Mark Hutchinson of the University of Adelaide’s School of Medical Sciences is quoted as saying. Reseachers investigated the way alcohol affects the glial cells that make up 90 per cent of the brain. These cells act as a key part of the immune system, which plays a role in the brain’s behavioral response to alcohol. Apparently, when the brain’s immune response was shut off by the drug, the mice were able to act normally (or appeared sober) and no longer preferred alcohol to water after taking the tablet. While the Herald reports that the drug could help in the treatment of alcoholics and prevent drunk driving accidents, the Globe and Mail wonders if this new pill would give many more drinkers a license to over-indulge. For our part, we can think of a more cost-effective way to stay sober: don’t buy a beer in the first place.
• An anti-booze pill is being developed to revolutionize treatment of problem drinkers [Adelaide Herald]
• Want to drink without getting drunk? There’s a (possibly dangerous) pill for that [Globe and Mail]
(Images: pills, e-Magine Art; bottlecaps, DJ Spiess0)
 and no longer preferred alcohol to water after taking the tablet. While the Herald reports that the drug could help in the treatment of alcoholics and prevent drunk driving accidents, the Globe and Mail wonders if this new pill would give many more drinkers a license to over-indulge. For our part, we can think of a more cost-effective way to stay sober: don’t buy a beer in the first place.
• An anti-booze pill is being developed to revolutionize treatment of problem drinkers [Adelaide Herald]
• Want to drink without getting drunk? There’s a (possibly dangerous) pill for that [Globe and Mail]
(Images: pills, e-Magine Art; bottlecaps, DJ Spiess0)){kind=link}
I come from a family of alcholics. My Grandfather died due to liver failure at the ripe age of 28, my brother’s pancrease gave him pain due to drinking, my uncle had a liver transplant, my father was lucky to quit on his own he said by the grace of god. This is genetic and runs in many family’s, it’s a horrible disease. This pill sounds isane, there is only currently three pills on the market and I know people who still continue to drink, including Antibuse. People will drink on this pill too and drink even more to get high and now this going to cause liver, brain, high blood pressure, and pancreatis. He needs to study on looking for one certain gene in the family, especially the Irish decent. I would love to speak to this MD. Do you have his e-mail ? Thanks so much I hope a new med comes very soon too.