Background: This study was designed to investigate the effect of a herbal mixture extract
(DTS20) on the attenuation of oxidative stress and hangover after alcohol consumption in
healthy volunteers.
Methods: DTS20 consists of Viscum album L. (40%), Lycium chinense L. (30%), Inonotus obliquus
(20%), and Acanthopanax senticosus H. (10%). We recruited healthy, nonsmoking, adult men
volunteers aged between 21 years and 30 years to participate in a crossover trial. Twenty participants
received either one package of placebo with 200mL water or DTS20 with 200mL
water. Thirty minutes later, the volunteers ingested one bottle of Soju, which is a commercially
available liquor (19% alcohol in 360mL).
Results: Volunteers received the opposite treatment after a 1-week washout period. DTS20
is mainly composed of sugars (564.5mg/g) and polyphenol (28.2mg/g). Alcohol levels in the
DTS20 group were significantly lower than the control group at 2hours after drinking Soju
(p < 0.05). Acetaldehyde levels in the DTS20 group tended to be lower than the control group at
2 hours after drinking Soju, but was not significantly different. The antioxidant activity level
was also significantly different between the control and DTS20 group 2hours after drinking
Soju (p < 0.05). No differences in plasma alanine transaminase or aspartate transaminase
levels were observed between plasma levels before drinking and 2hours after drinking Soju
in the control group.
Conclusion: It was concluded that DTS20 reduced oxidative stress a