Kudzu shows promise in curbing
the urge to abuse alcohol

There is some research to suggest that kudzu, considered an invasive weed in the south, can help to dampen the desire to drink. There is stronger evidence to suggest that kudzu acts as a liver tonic, increasing it's ability to fight off toxins. ¹

Most of the herbs mentioned here help the recovery process by supporting and healing the liver, detoxifying the body. One of the best known and respected herbs for protecting the liver is milk thistle. The silymarin contained in the seeds acts to help the liver better eliminate toxins, including alcohol. ² In traditional Chinese medicine, Reishi mushrooms have been used as a tonic to prevent "fatty-liver" and cirrhosis due to alcohol abuse.

"Passionflower is the herbal remedy of choice for treating nausea and vomiting resulting from withdrawal from Vicodin, cocaine, heroin, or opiate painkillers and may also help withdrawal from alcohol."³

Herbs Used for Alcoholism/Drug Abuse

Dandelion * Ginseng * Kudzu * Milk Thistle * Passion Flower * Reishi * Skullcap *

Acorus For: Drug withdrawal
Profile	Acorus affects the brain during, withdrawal from cocaine, heroin, and morphine. During the first one to ten days of withdrawal, addicts experience intense drug cravings, nausea, and vomiting. Acorus can blunt gastric upset during the acute phase of drug withdrawal (although it has no effect on the cravings them-selves) through its ability to prevent the secretion of the inflammatory chemical histamine. Phyllis A. Balch, Prescription for Herbal Healing (2002)

Kudzu For: Alcoholism
Profile	Research has shown the extracts of kudzu can curb the urge to consume alcohol and may strengthen the livers ability to fight off toxins. More research needs to be done to determine kudzu's ability to treat alcoholism, but it might be worth considering before resorting to mainstream medicines pharmaceutical alternatives, Antabuse and Revia....both drugs have violent side effects and may magnify liver problems. James Duke, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (2000)

Kudzu For: Alcohol Abuse
Profile	Kudzu may be more effective if used in its natural state, such as in kudzu tea. It is possible that persons of East Asian ancestry have the greatest response to kudzu as a treatment for alcohol abuse. In Eastern Asia, especially in Korea, as much as 80 percent of the population lacks the enzyme that processes acetaldehyde. Since alcohol tolerance is genetically lower among such persons, kudzu may have a more dramatic effect on them. Phyllis A. Balch, Prescription for Herbal Healing (2002)

Milk Thistle For: Liver protection
Profile	This herbs seeds have a long history of use in protecting the liver. It contains silymarin, which has been shown to protect the liver against a number of toxins, including alcohol. A frequent drinker or recovering alcoholic should take milk thistle extract on a daily basis. Linda B. White, M.D., The Herbal Drugstore (2003)

Wormwood For: Artemisia Intoxicating Effects
Profile	Several herb handbooks warn that artemisia may have intoxicating effects similar to those of marijuana. Whether you consider this to be desirable or undesirable, it is simply not true. Thujone, the intoxicating chemical in artemisia, and tetra-hydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient of marijuana, have similar molecules, and both attach to the same receptor sites in the brain. However, the thujone content of alcoholic beverages containing artemisia is less than one-twentieth of the amount needed for intoxication. Any "high" from artemisia comes from the alcohol in which it is dissolved. Phyllis A. Balch, Prescription for Herbal Healing (2002)

Alcoholism/Drug Abuse Information

• Stop Smoking :
  Herbs can help relieve the tension, depression and stress that goes with stopping smoking