Blood-pressure drug may help problem drinkers, curb alcohol's harmful effects on brain
(STUDY FINDS) -- BRISBANE, Australia — Help may be on the way in an unexpected form for those dealing with the effects of heavy alcohol use. Pindolol, a widely available and affordable medication used to treat high blood pressure, has shown significant promise as an effective method of alleviating anxiety symptoms among problem drinkers. Furthermore, researchers from the Queensland University of Technology say that further tests even suggest the drug is capable of stopping alcohol’s harmful effects on the human brain’s ability to produce new cells.
Overall, the study’s research using adult lab mice indicates that pindolol may be a legitimate option for those looking to treat alcohol use disorders.
“This is a drug that is inexpensive and already available in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia,” says principal investigator and QUT neuroscientist Professor Selena Bartlett in a release. “It’s a beta-blocker that is prescribed for high blood pressure, angina and heart arrhythmias.”
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