A new amyloid hydrogel reduced blood alcohol levels by 55.8% within 300 minutes in preclinical trials, according to the results of a new study.

The study, published in Nature Nanotechnology, presented an oral antidote for alcohol detoxification utilizing single-site iron-anchored amyloid hydrogels. Researchers developed a catalytic platform using amyloid fibrils derived from β-lactoglobulin, a milk protein, to stabilize iron atoms. This nanozyme emulates the coordination structure of horseradish peroxidase, enabling efficient catalysis of alcohol into acetic acid and reducing the accumulation of toxic acetaldehyde.

In preclinical trials, researchers treated mice with the hydrogel, which exhibited a significant reduction in blood alcohol levels by over 50% within 5 hours post-alcohol intake, without additional acetaldehyde buildup. "Our hydrogel further demonstrates a protective effect on the liver, while simultaneously mitigating intestinal damage and dysbiosis associated with chronic alcohol consumption, introducing a promising strategy in effective alcohol detoxification," noted the researchers.

They noted challenges in designing “efficient” single-site catalysts and the need for further research to perfect the treatment method for human consumption. “The task also lies in developing an orally administrable nanozyme that can withstand the gastrointestinal environment and features no additional toxicity,” they wrote.

The study was funded by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and the Research Foundation–Flanders.