Alcohol abuse and its associated complications have lead to the search of scientific formulations and herbal drugs that would enhance alcohol clearance and its management. In this study, anti-intoxicating principle of C. aconitifolius extract was demonstrated. Twelve Sylvilagus nuttallii rabbits weighing between 1kg -1.2kg were used. The animals were divided into three groups of four rabbits each. On two different sessions, administration was carried out orally. During the first occasion, alcohol alone was consumed, but during the second occasion different extract doses were used (0.5, 1.5 and 2g extract/kg body weight). The ingestion of 1.1g ethanol/kg body weight produced a peak blood alcohol level (ρBAL) of 0.105%, 0.133% and 0.092% respectively for the three groups. The administration of 0.5g/kg of C. aconitifolius extract generated a ρBAL of 0.093% as against 0.105%, while 1.5g/kg of C. aconitifolius extract produced a ρBAL of 0.129% as against 0.133% ethanol alone. Also at a dose of 2g/kg of C. aconitifolius extract, the peak BAL obtained was 0.090% as compared to 0.092% ethanol. Subsequently, the blood ethanol disappearance rate (β60) was enhanced from 0.052%/h on ethanol administration to 0.059%/h upon 1.5g/kg C.a treatment, with a significant decrease (p<0.05) in time to zero BAL of 150.9mins for ethanol administration alone and 131.5mins on 1.5g/kg treatment of C.a. The same ethanol kinetic change was observed when the extract dose was increased to 2g/kg. The time to zero BAL was reduced from 139.6mins to 119.8mins when 2g/kg was administered. The result from this claim corroborates folk claims that C. aconitifolius might posses antiintoxicating properties, however, this claim needs to be substantiated in terms of establishing a clear-cut mechanism as to how the extract facilitates and accelerates alcohol clearance from blood system.
