In the body, alcohol is metabolized by first being broken down into the toxic acetaldehyde, which is then turned into acetate. However, when the second stage takes longer -- as is the case for some people -- acetaldehyde builds up in the body, resulting in symptoms typical of a hangover, such as rapid pulse, sweating and nausea.
When injected, the vaccine would work by sending a message to the liver to keep it from expressing these genes the metabolize alcohol, thus producing symptoms characteristic of a "medically induced hangover of epic proportions," FoodBeast writes.
Delivered in a single injection, the vaccine is expected to remain active in a patient's system for at least six months, and it cannot be reversed, according to the Santiago Times.
"With the vaccine, the desire to consume alcohol will be greatly reduced thanks to these reactions," Asenjo told Radio Cooperativa, according to the Agence France-Presse.
Asenjo and his team first revealed their intentions to develop an alcoholism vaccine in January 2011, the APF notes. At the time, the genetic therapy, which targets the enzymes that metabolize alcohol, was found to cut dependent rats' consumption of alcohol in half.
However, according to the report, Asenjo had higher aspirations for the vaccine's effect on humans, hoping the serum would reduce alcohol consumption by at least 90 percent.
Alcoholism carries a number of significant risk factors such as the potential for damage to the liver or other vital organs, the National Institutes of Health notes.
【智利科学家研发世界首例酒瘾疫苗】相关文章:
最新
2020-09-15
2020-09-15
2020-09-15
2020-09-15
2020-09-15
2020-09-15