Supplement
Japanese raisin tree (Hovenia dulcis) is a tree whose fruit and seeds are used as an extract, rich in a plant compound called dihydromyricetin that appears to influence how the liver handles alcohol and fat. People mostly look at it for hangovers, and small crossover trials found symptom scores and stomach upset eased and blood alcohol was lower early on, though one placebo-controlled trial found no clear drop in overall hangover severity. The evidence is limited, since the human studies were small and most of the wider work was in animals or the lab.
Sources: PMID 28750942; PMID 39766963; PMID 38052412
- Updated
- How we grade
- 15 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade C
- Conditions studied
- 2
- Outcomes
- 8
- Graded outcomes
- 0062
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
General
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflammatory Markers A human RCT in NAFLD patients (n=60) showed significant reductions in serum TNF-alpha with DHM supplementation. A crossover hangover trial (n=26) found significant improvements in IL-6 and IL-10/IL-6 ratio. Multiple preclinical studies demonstrate anti-inflammatory effects via NF-kB suppression, NLRP3 inflammasome inhibition, and reductions in TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-1beta, and IL-17. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 5 studies | 86 people | ||
Studies that measured inflammatory markers
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| Lipid and Glucose Metabolism A randomized double-blind RCT in 60 NAFLD patients (Chen et al. 2015) found DHM significantly reduced LDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, glucose, and HOMA-IR index while increasing adiponectin over 3 months. Animal studies confirm DHM reduces hepatic steatosis, circulating LDL/VLDL, total cholesterol, and triglycerides via AMPK activation and enhanced lipophagy. | Changes; see studies | Moderate effect | 4 studies | 60 people | ||
Studies that measured lipid and glucose metabolism
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| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood Alcohol Level Reduction In small human crossover trials, Hovenia dulcis extract combinations significantly reduced blood alcohol concentrations at early timepoints (0.25h and 0.5h) and blood acetaldehyde levels at 6h post-drinking. Animal studies in rats and mice show enhanced ADH and ALDH enzyme activity, though one study (Mahesh et al. 2021) found DHM did not impact ADH activity, suggesting the mechanism may be more complex. | Changes; see studies | Small effect | 4 studies | 51 people | ||
Studies that measured blood alcohol level reduction
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| Hangover Symptom Reduction In small randomized crossover trials (n=26 and n=25), Hovenia dulcis extract significantly reduced hangover symptom scores, gastrointestinal symptoms, and improved inflammatory markers (IL-6, IL-10) compared to placebo. However, one double-blind placebo-controlled trial (Verster et al. 2021) found DHM did not significantly reduce overall hangover severity, indicating mixed results. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 3 studies | 76 people | ||
Studies that measured hangover symptom reduction
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| Anti-Alcohol Intoxication Effects In a landmark rat study (Shen et al. 2012), DHM (1 mg/kg i.p.) counteracted acute alcohol intoxication, withdrawal signs, tolerance, increased anxiety, and seizure susceptibility. DHM antagonized alcohol-induced potentiation of GABA-A receptors and inhibited benzodiazepine-site binding. These intoxication-reducing effects have not yet been directly replicated in human trials. | Changes; see studies | Moderate effect | 2 studies | |||
Studies that measured anti-alcohol intoxication effects | ||||||
| Voluntary Alcohol Consumption In rodent models, DHM greatly reduced voluntary alcohol consumption in rats through GABA-A receptor modulation (Shen et al. 2012). This effect has not been studied in human trials and remains purely preclinical. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 1 study | |||
Studies that measured voluntary alcohol consumption | ||||||
Key findings
- HepatoprotectionImproves (the measure goes up)
- Liver Enzyme LevelsImproves (the measure goes up)
- Inflammatory MarkersImproves (the measure goes down)
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- Grade C
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Studies cited
15 studies from PubMed
- Clinical Evaluation of Hovenia dulcis Extract Combinations for Effective Hangover Relief in Humans
- Efficacy of Hovenia dulcis Fruit Extract in Hangover Mitigation: Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Evaluation
- Effects of Hovenia dulcis fruit and peduncle extract on alcohol metabolism
- Hovenia dulcis: a Chinese medicine that plays an essential role in alcohol-associated liver disease
- Dihydromyricetin supplementation improves ethanol-induced lipid accumulation and inflammation
- Mechanism of Dihydromyricetin on Inflammatory Diseases
- Does Dihydromyricetin Impact on Alcohol Metabolism
- Dihydromyricetin Protects the Liver via Changes in Lipid Metabolism and Enhanced Ethanol Metabolism
- Hepatoprotective effects of Hovenia dulcis seeds against alcoholic liver injury and related mechanisms investigated via network pharmacology
- Dihydromyricetin Ameliorates Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Improving Mitochondrial Respiratory Capacity and Redox Homeostasis Through Modulation of SIRT3 Signaling
- Protective effects and possible molecular mechanism of Hovenia dulcis Thunb. extract on acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity
- A standardized extract of the fruit of Hovenia dulcis alleviated alcohol-induced hangover in healthy subjects with heterozygous ALDH2: A randomized, controlled, crossover trial
- Dihydromyricetin improves glucose and lipid metabolism and exerts anti-inflammatory effects in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A randomized controlled trial
- Dihydromyricetin As a Novel Anti-Alcohol Intoxication Medication
- Preliminary characterization, antioxidant activity in vitro and hepatoprotective effect on acute alcohol-induced liver injury in mice of polysaccharides from the peduncles of Hovenia dulcis