RI, MA EHS Pest Control Blog

Rats Given 20 Beers in Two Hours, But Recovered Their Balance in 15 Minutes

A chemical from an ancient herbal remedy makes rats almost immune to the effects of alcohol. Rats who've consumed the drug can consume vast quantities of alcohol without passing out, show few signs of a hangover - and don't become alcoholics, even after weeks of solid drinking, say researchers. The chemical is extracted from an ancient Asian remedy - a seed first used as a hangover cure in the year 659. Rats respond to alcohol in a very similar way to humans. The UCLA researchers now aim to find out if the compound will work in humans.

The Asian seeds - from the tree Hovenia Dulcis - was first used as a hangover cure in the year 659, according to Science Daily. The researchers began their study by looking at herbal compounds that supposedly had 'anti alcohol' effects. They rapidly homed in on the Asian seed. They tested one ingredient - called DHM or dihydromyricetin in the rats.

The rats were given the equivalent of 15 to 20 bottled beers in two hours. Most animals passed out, and remained motionless when flipped over. When given DHM, the rats could 'handle' their drink better. They took longer to get drunk, and seemed to sober up in about 15 minutes. The compound seemed to help rats dealing with hangover anxiety, too. Rats recovering from a binge seemed to perk up when given the compound. Perhaps most importantly for medical professionals, the chemical seems to stop rats wanting to drink. Although rats on DHM can drink more, they don't. 'When you drink alcohol with DHM, you never become addicted,' says the lead researcher, Jing Liang in research published in Journal of Neuroscience. The drug appears to work by blocking a brain receptor. Other promising anti-alcohol drugs have targeted the same receptor - but also caused seizures.

George Williams,
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA 

Man Contracts Rat Lungworm Disease in Hawaii, Paralyzing Ailment Caused by Microscopic Parasite

Eric Reinert, 22, lost 50 pounds, suffered pain, numbness and nerve damage, but says 'I'm getting better every day'

A microscopic parasite turned a man’s trip to tropical paradise into a medical nightmare.

Eric Reinert, a 22-year-old Minnesota man, has had to learn to walk all over again after contracting rat lungworm disease in Hawaii.

The rare and revolting bug lives in the bodies of rats and turns up in their feces. Snails and slugs often eat the droppings and lay eggs, contaminating water sources.

Rat lungform, or eosinophilic meningitis, can cause permanent nerve and brain damage.

Reinert, who was in Hawaii’s Puna district to learn about organic farming, told WCCO that the illness began with stomach cramps.

Things got worse quickly when the pain spread, leaving him bedridden.

“Just staying as still as I could on my back was the only way I could be at peace for a little bit,” he said.

After a few days, he was unable to cope with the agony and went to the hospital.

Luckily, a doctor figured out that Reinert had rat lungworm, most likely from eating fruits and vegetables that weren’t properly washed.

“A lot of people in Hawaii don’t know this exists, I didn’t know it existed,” said Reinert. “I wasn’t told about it because I’m sure the people I lived with didn’t know it exists.”

The diagnosis was good news but Reinert was still in big trouble. He had to stay in the hospital for nearly a month before being allowed to continue convalescing in his home in Watertown, Minn.

He had lost 50 pounds, experienced the numbness and nerve damage associated with the disease, and relies on a wheelchair.

Still, he’s making progress and his friends have raised $3,500 to help him pay his medical bills.

“Every day it gets a little better,” Reinert said. “It’s kind of a roller coaster with the pain, but overall, that’s what I tell everybody. Overall, I’m getting better every day.”

George Williams,
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA