New Drug to Protect Against Alcohol Abuse

A NEW drug could hold the key to reversing the effects suffered by foetuses who are exposed to alcohol during pregnancy, according to research.

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) affects large numbers of babies born to women who drink whilst pregnant.

According to PLoS Medicine, a journal published by the Public Library of Science, researchers are using mice to show that nicotinamide could protect against alcohol exposure.

Researchers injected mice with alcohol shortly after birth, and found the dose caused the death of brain cells.

When researchers followed the dose with an injection of nicotinamide two hours later, the number of cells that died was no greater than in normal brain development.