Rebound, produced by nutri-supplement company Dynamarketing, claims to eliminate hangover symptoms such as headaches, nausea and dry mouth by regulating acetaldehyde, the most toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism.
The company says that the key ingredient in the pill, succinic acid, is synthesized from amber, a mineraloid formed by the fossilized resin of 35 to 40 million-year-old pine trees, which has been used as a natural antibiotic for centuries.
Peter Cochrane, the CEO of Dynamarketing said the idea for Rebound came from a remedy that has been available in Europe for years.
"It was somewhat effective but crude," he said. "It contained succinic acid but was half sugar and MSG (monosodium glutamate).We retained the succinic acid, dropped the MSG and added amino acids and bioflavonoid super antioxidants to increase the overall potencyand effectiveness."
The company's literature encourages sensible drinkers to take two "little purple pills" with every two alcoholic beverages, adding that Rebound has even been reported to work the morning after.
Dynamarketing may come across oppostition from those who question the ethics of getting rid of one good reason for people not to drink too much, namely the dreaded dry mouth and thumping head. However, it is no doubt a tempting offer to reach for the box with a smiley face raising a cocktail glass, and hope that all will be well in the morning.
Rebound is not the only supplement which may be able to help party animals fight against that morning-after-feeling. Researchers from Tulane University and the University of California, San Francisco recently reported that an extract of the cactus pear fruis (opuntia ficus indica) plant lessened hangover symptoms such as nausea and a dry mouth in a group of young adults.
Last summer saw the launch of the first so-called skincare beverage in New York. SkinCola - a mixture of purified water, activated oxygen and Z-Bec, a combination of zinc and vitamins - was primarily aimed at those trying to look good in warm weather by boosting the immune system and promoting cell growth and repair.
However, the company also marketed the product as a hangover cure - toxins in the bloodstream are metabolized faster and the oxygen in SkinCola helps convert alcohol to water and carbon dioxide, claimed the SkinCola founders.