Evaluating and forecasting the associated main flavor components in Baijiu (Chinese distilled spirits) with alcohol metabolism and hangover symptoms through mice acute withdrawal model

Abstract

Over the past few decades, more alcohol-problem concerns focused on reducing the risk of hangover caused by the alcoholic beverages over-consumption. Chinese distilled spirits (Baijiu) is one of the most favorite alcoholic beverages. The intention of this study is to explore the associations of main flavor components in Baijiu and hangover symptoms using mice acute alcohol withdrawal model. The behaviors of each mouse were assessed by open-field tests using separate groups of mice with the treatment of sauce-aroma Baijiu, light-aroma Baijiu, strong-aroma Baijiu, pure alcohol, and distilled water, respectively. The behavioral data including total move distance and immobile time were used as indicators for the evaluation of the liquor intoxicating effects. Alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations in mice plasma and the neurotransmitter contents of GABA and Glu in mice cerebellum were detected afterward. The results showed that the mice with the treatment of Baijiu samples displayed unusual exciting behaviors including increased alcohol metabolization with alleviating drunken and hangover symptoms, compared with that of pure alcohol control groups after 2-4 h. Moreover, the sauce-aroma Baijiu treatment group showed lessening intoxicated symptoms than those of light-aroma Baijiu and strong-aroma Baijiu. In addition, there were significant differences between Baijiu and pure alcohol treatment groups at the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABAergic levels and its receptor GABA-AR1 activating levels in the mice neuron cells. Furthermore, the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) analysis inferred that the flavor compounds acetic acid, ethyl acetate, ethyl lactate, and 1-propanol in the sauce-aroma Baijiu were played the major roles in the drunk behaviors that caused by the hangover. While, the acetic acid in the sauce-aroma Baijiu was speculated as a major flavor component to accelerate the alcohol metabolism and retard hangover symptoms.

Keywords: Baijiu (Chinese distilled spirits); alcohol metabolism and hangover symptoms; main flavor compounds; mice acute withdrawal model.

FIGURE 1

The ratios of the C57BL6 mice (n = 5) behavioral parameters at 2, 4, 8, and 24 h after intragastric administration to that of 0 h before intragastric administration with sauce‐aroma Baijiu type, strong‐aroma Baijiu type, light‐aroma Baijiu type, pure alcohol, and distilled water, respectively. (Figure 1a, mobile distance (m ± SEM), Figure 1b, immobile time (s ± SEM))

FIGURE 2

Measures of blood alcohol and acetaldehyde concentration analyzed 2, 4, 8, and 24 h after C57BL6 mice (n = 5) were dosed intragastrically with Baijiu, pure alcohol, and distilled water, respectively. (Figure 2a, blood alcohol concentration, Figure 2b, blood acetaldehyde concentration)

FIGURE 3

(a) Measures of neurotransmitter Glu and GABA levels in the cerebellum of mice brain analyzed 2 h after C57BL6 mice (n = 5) were dosed intragastrically with Baijiu, pure alcohol, and distilled water, respectively. (b) GABA‐AR expression levels in the neuron cells of cerebellum after C57BL6 mice were dosed intragastrically with Baijiu, pure alcohol, and distilled water after 2 h, respectively.

FIGURE 4

Principal component analysis for the association of main flavor Baijiu components and locomotion behavior immobile time at 2 h after C57BL6 mice (n = 5) were dosed intragastrically with Baijiu.