Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) is a common medical problem that can occur as a result of reducing or cessation of alcohol consumption and lead to alcoholic relapse. The objective of the present study is to investigate the neuroprotective effect of an acetone water extract from Moroccan Cistus Monspeliensis (CM) against the development of AWS and its associated disorders. To study AWS related disorders and possible neuroprotection by the extract of CM, 36 male Wistar rats were used. After ethanol intoxication and CM supplementation, the level of anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors, memory state and oxidative stress (OS) were analyzed. The present data confirms that ethanol withdrawal induces anxiety-like, depression-like and memory disorders which may be associated with neuronal deficits in PFC and HPC related to the development of OS. However, supplementation with CM allowed to decrease the level of various measured behaviors and to balance and regulate the levels of OS markers that explain a protection against AWS development and improvement of its associated disorders. AWS induces the appearance of neurological disorders that can disappear due to the neuroprotective effect of CM’s extract, which seems to have a future in preventing these harmful symptoms as well as reducing the risk of alcoholic relapse.

Keywords: alcohol withdrawal syndrome, Cistus Monspeliensis extract, neuronal deficits, oxidative stress, alcoholic relapse, Wistar rat.