SEOUL, Aug 14, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Asparagus extract may ease hangovers
and protect the liver against toxins found in alcohol, researchers in South
Korea said.
Asparagus, a common vegetable used worldwide, long has been known for its
antifungal, anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties.
Building on that knowledge, researchers at the Institute of Medical Science and
Jeju National University in South Korea analyzed the effects of young asparagus
shoots and leaves on liver cells from humans and rats, lead researcher B.Y. Kim
wrote in the Journal of Food Science.
"The amino acid and mineral contents were found to be much higher in the leaves
than the shoots," Kim said.
Together, however, in an extract, the leaves and shoots significantly eased
alcohol's oxidative stress on liver cells and the toxic effects associated with
a hangover, Kim said.
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Copyright 2009 by United Press International