Chinese raisintree

Other Names

Chi KouChi TsaoChi-chao liChinese raisin treeCoral treeGuai ZaoHaedok-suHeotgaeHeotgae namuHoney treeHovenia dulcisHovenia dulcis f. deviata HondaHovenia dulcis f. latifolia (Nakai ex Y.Kimura) H.HaraHovenia dulcis Thunb.Hovenia dulcis var. glabra MakinoHovenia dulcis var. koreana Nakai ex Y.KimuraHovenia dulcis var. latifolia Nakai ex Y.KimuraHovenia inaequalis DC.Japanese honey treeJapanese raisin treeJapanese raisintreeJi Zhua LiJigujaJiǔzǎoKemponashiKenpo nashiKorean raisin treeMi Chih KouMu HsingMu MiOriental raisin treeRaisin hoveniaRaisin treeSemen HoveniaeSweet stickWànshòuguǒZhǐ Jǔ Zǐ拐枣木蜜枳椇枳椇子萬壽果酒枣鸡爪梨해독수헛개나무

Synopsis

Chinese Raisintree (Hovenia dulcis Thunb.): A Comprehensive Reference

1. Identity and Botanical Profile

Scientific Classification and Nomenclature

Hovenia dulcis Thunberg is an herbal plant belonging to the Rhamnaceae family. It is indigenous and widespread in East Asia, where it is commonly known as the Chinese Raisin Tree, Coral Tree, Japanese Raisin Tree, Korean Raisin Tree, and Oriental Raisin Tree, while in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and Central Africa it has been introduced as an ornamental plant. It belongs to the kingdom Plantae, class Magnoliopsida, order Rosales, family Rhamnaceae.

Hovenia dulcis has stood as the representative or default species for its tightly-knit little genus ever since Carl Peter Thunberg first described it in 1781. Among the genus Hovenia, H. dulcis Thunb., H. acerba Lindl., and H. dulcis var. tomentella are known as herbal remedies in ancient medicine; particularly, H. dulcis extracts are used in Chinese Traditional Medicine in the treatment of several diseases.

Common names in various languages include: Jiǔzǎo (酒枣) in traditional Chinese, meaning "wine date" or "alcohol date"; Heotgae-na-mu / 헛개나무 in Korean; and Kenpo Nashi (meaning "health tree pear") in Japan.

Botanical Description

The tree, rarely a shrub, is deciduous and grows 10–30 m tall. Branchlets are brown or black-purple, glabrous, with inconspicuous lenticels. The glossy leaves are large and pointed. The trees bear clusters of small cream-coloured hermaphroditic flowers in July. The drupes appear at the ends of an edible rachis.

Although able to reach heights of up to 50 feet, this tree typically grows to approximately 30 feet in height in cultivation, with an upright oval to rounded outline spreading 20 feet. The fruit is a red fleshy fruit that has the flavor of a raisin. It flowers May–July, and fruits August–October. The stalk elongates and becomes swollen, red, and edible after being subjected to frost.

Geographic Distribution

Ranging from Eastern China to Korea and the Himalayas, Hovenia dulcis — the oriental raisin tree — is perhaps the best-known Rhamnaceae member. By the time of its formal botanical description, it was already widely cultivated across temperate and subtropical East Asia, making it harder to ascertain its original natural distribution; even within China, it is strongly associated with disturbed habitats and is not a feature of primary forests.

Plant Parts Used and Common Forms/Preparations

The edible "raisins," the durable timber, the sweet young bark, and the medicinal seeds were all traditionally utilised. As a dietary supplement, the tree produces a small fruit that resembles a raisin, and the fruit, seeds, and peduncles are all used as a Hovenia dulcis extract for its nutritional and traditional medicine benefits.

Modern preparations include:

Hot water decoctions of fruit and peduncles (the traditional method across all three major East Asian traditions)
Standardised dry extracts of the fruit, seeds, or peduncles, typically delivered in capsule or tablet form
Aqueous and ethanolic extracts used in research and in commercial beverages, particularly in South Korea
Tinctures (alcohol-based liquid extracts)

H. dulcis products are mainly consumed as drinks in Asian countries, and the fruit stalk has been popularly used as an herbal dietary supplement.

2. Traditional and Historical Use

China

Hovenia dulcis is listed among the premier anti-hangover herbal medicines in China's first pharmacopoeia, the Tang Materia Medica (Su, 659 AD). In the Materia Medica Compendium (A.D. 1,578), Hovenia dulcis is listed as a TCM with anti-alcoholic properties. This reference corresponds to Li Shizhen's (1518–1593) monumental Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), one of China's greatest compilations of herbal medicine knowledge.

In ancient Chinese medicine, its fruits and pedicels were also used as a febrifuge and administered for parasitic infections, as an antispasmodic, laxative, and diuretic. The seeds were used as a diuretic and were also applied in cases of alcoholism. Hovenia dulcis is found in open fields and forests in China at an altitude of less than 2,100 m and is classified as a plant used for both food and medicine.

Korea

H. dulcis has been used in Korean and Chinese traditional medicine for a long time to relieve intoxication due to alcohol poisoning after excessive drinking. In Korea, Hovenia dulcis Thunb., known as the Japanese raisin tree, is commonly found in East Asia and has a long history as a food supplement and traditional medicine in Japan, China, and Korea, but is little known and used in Western countries. The Korean name heotgae-namu refers specifically to the tree's fruit-bearing parts, and the peduncle has been widely used as both a food ingredient and a hangover remedy in traditional Korean folk medicine.

Japan

It has been used in traditional Chinese, Korean, and Japanese medicines to treat fever, parasitic infection, as a laxative, and as a treatment of liver diseases and as a hangover treatment. It is also used as medicine for preventing and treating chronic diseases as well as in skincare products for its ability to protect skin from UV-induced damage and aging.

Traditional Preparations

Across all three traditions, the primary method of preparation was aqueous decoction — boiling the dried fruit, peduncle, or seeds in water. One of the most prominent traditional uses of Hovenia dulcis was as a hangover remedy. In many East Asian cultures, the plant was consumed before, during, or after alcohol consumption to mitigate the unpleasant effects of overindulgence. In traditional medicine, Hovenia dulcis was often used to support digestive health, believed to soothe upset stomachs, reduce nausea, and promote overall gastrointestinal wellbeing, with the fruit in particular consumed for its perceived digestive benefits. Traditional practitioners also used Hovenia dulcis to help reduce fevers, with the plant believed to have cooling properties that could help bring down elevated body temperatures.

3. Key Constituents and Active Compounds

Overview of Chemical Diversity

HDT (Hovenia dulcis Thunberg) is rich in various bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, polysaccharides, and organic acids. These biological properties are related to a variety of secondary metabolites synthesized by the different plant parts. Root, bark, and leaves are rich in dammarane-type triterpene saponins; dihydrokaempferol, quercetin, 3,3′,5′,5,7-pentahydroflavone, and dihydromyricetin are flavonoids isolated from the seeds; fruits contain mainly dihydroflavonols, such as dihydromyricetin (or ampelopsin) and hovenodulinol, and flavonols such as myricetin and gallocatechin; alkaloids were found in root, barks (frangulanin) and seeds (perlolyrin), and organic acids (vanillic and ferulic) in hot water extract from seeds. Finally, peduncles have plenty of polysaccharides, which justify the use as a food supplement.

Flavonoids and Dihydroflavonols

The representative constituents of H. dulcis extracts are phenolic compounds and triterpene saponins. As phenolic compounds, hovenodulinol, hovenitins I, II, and III, (+)-3,3',5',5,7-pentahydroflavanone, laricitrin, myricetin, (+)-gallocatechin, dihydrokaempferol, dihydromyricetin (ampelopsin), and quercetin have been reported. Saponin C2, β-daucosterol, hovenidulciosides A1, A2, B1, and B2, hodulosides I and III, and hovenidulcigenin have been reported as triterpene saponins.

A review based on current research on Hovenia dulcis and its derived natural compounds retrieved nine chemical components related to alcohol-associated liver disease: beta-sitosterol, DHM, quercetin, naringenin, lutein, myricetin, kaempferol, emodin, and apigenin.

Dihydromyricetin (DHM) — The Primary Bioactive

Dihydromyricetin (DHM), also known as ampeloptin, rac-ampelopsin, and ampelopsin, is a flavonoid isolated mainly from Japanese raisin trees (Hovenia dulcis Thum.) and Chinese Rattan tea [Ampelopsis grossedentata (Hand.-Mazz.) W.T. Wang]. It is a flavonoid with antioxidant properties primarily found in the tree's leaves, stems, and bark.

DHM has a wide range of positive effects, including anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties, and has been shown to cause motor and memory improvements, all of which can help treat dysfunctions associated with brain aging and some neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

The potential application of DHM as a drug or active component in food supplements is limited by its poor chemical stability and poor bioavailability; however, in the last decade, new drug delivery systems have been proposed to overcome these disadvantages.

Mechanisms of Action

Alcohol Metabolism Enhancement

Hovenia extracts ameliorate alcohol-induced liver injuries and relieve hangover, partly by promoting ethanol elimination via enhancement of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity.

GABA_A Receptor Modulation

Dihydromyricetin (DHM) has been demonstrated to be highly effective in counteracting acute ethanol intoxication, ethanol exposure/withdrawal-induced GABA_AR plasticity and alcohol withdrawal syndrome symptoms, as well as reducing excessive ethanol consumption. Electrophysiology studies in α5β3γ2 GABA_A receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes suggest dihydromyricetin (10 µM) potentiates GABAergic activity (+43.2%), while the metabolite 4-O-methyl-dihydromyricetin (10 µM) negatively modulates GABAergic activity (−12.6%).

Hepatoprotective Mechanisms

Hovenia dulcis has a variety of chemical components such as dihydromyricetin, quercetin, and beta-sitosterol, which can affect alcohol-associated liver disease through multiple pathways, including ethanol metabolism, immune response, hepatic fibrosis, oxidative stress, autophagy, lipid metabolism, and intestinal barrier function.

Antioxidant Activity

The EtOAc-soluble fraction from methanolic extract exhibited in vitro neuroprotective activity at the concentration of 5 µg/mL, increasing HT22 cell viability (71.3% ± 8.1%) compared to those treated with glutamate only (38.3% ± 4.1%). The fraction also possesses antioxidant activity against DPPH, ABTS, and superoxide radical scavenging assay. A bioassay-guided method led to the identification of (−)-catechin and (+)-afzelechin as active compounds. Both molecules demonstrated neuroprotective and antioxidant activities.

Anti-Angiogenic Potential

Research evaluated for the first time whether a 100% ethanol extract of Hovenia dulcis Thunb. (HDT) inhibits the angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) using in vitro angiogenesis assays. HDT suppressed vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced proliferation, migration, invasion, and tube formation of HUVECs at subtoxic doses.

Antimicrobial Activity

A study conducted on the methanol-soluble fraction of H. dulcis hot-water extracts led to the isolation of vanillic and ferulic acids as active molecules with antimicrobial activity against a range of Gram-positive bacteria (including Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Streptococcus mutans), Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella typhi), and yeast (Candida albicans).

4. Scientific Evidence by Area of Use

4.1 Hangover Mitigation and Acute Alcohol Metabolism

This is the area where the most direct human clinical evidence exists, though all studies are small and several involve combination products rather than H. dulcis in isolation.

Key Human Clinical Trials

Kim et al., 2017 (Journal of Ethnopharmacology): Kim H. and colleagues conducted a randomized, controlled, crossover trial in healthy subjects with heterozygous ALDH2, examining a standardized extract of the fruit of Hovenia dulcis for its effects on alcohol-induced hangover. The results were published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2017, volume 209, pages 167–174. This was a randomized controlled crossover trial with 26 male adults with a mean age of 24 years who received a single dose of 2.5 g of the extract together with 360 mL of Korean Soju (17.5% v/v alcohol) in order to evaluate its effects on hangover symptoms.

PMC 2024 (Efficacy of Hovenia dulcis Fruit Extract in Hangover Mitigation — double-blind RCT): A randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted to compare the effects of beverages containing 0.475% HD (HDB), HD combined with 0.1% Pueraria lobata extract (HDPB), and HD combined with 0.02% glutathione yeast extract (HDGB) with the placebo on the symptoms of a hangover. Subjects (n = 30) were randomized into six test groups consuming three beverages, including the placebo. After ingestion, blood alcohol and blood acetaldehyde concentrations were measured at 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 15 h post-alcohol consumption. No significant differences in hematology tests and vital signs were observed amongst the treatment groups; however, at 0.5 and 6 h, the blood alcohol concentrations of the HDB and HDPB groups were significantly lower compared to the placebo group (p < 0.05).

PMC 2024 (Clinical Evaluation of Hovenia dulcis Extract Combinations — 25-participant RCT): The objective was to examine the potential benefits of traditional beverages containing a combination of Hovenia dulcis extract (HD) with either Pueraria lobata extract (HDPB) or glutathione yeast extract (HDGB) in abbreviating alcohol intoxication and mitigating hangover symptoms. A total of 25 participants between the ages of 19 and 40 who had previously experienced a hangover were evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Results showed that blood alcohol concentrations in the HDPB and HDGB groups were significantly lower than in the placebo group at 0.25 and 0.5 h, suggesting that HD aids in early alcohol metabolism (p < 0.05).

Evidence Strength Assessment — Hangover/Alcohol Metabolism

A limited number of small-scale human trials have explored the efficacy of Hovenia dulcis extracts for mitigating hangover symptoms and protecting liver function, with some promising results. However, these studies often have methodological limitations, and larger, well-controlled clinical trials are needed to confirm these effects and establish optimal dosages. Notably, the most recent trials tested H. dulcis in combination with other botanicals, making it difficult to attribute effects to H. dulcis alone. The mechanistic work underpinning DHM's action on GABA_A receptors is based primarily on animal and in vitro data.

4.2 Hepatoprotection (Liver Protection)

Hovenia dulcis is an herbal medicine with properties promoting alcohol removal clearance, lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective activity. Preclinical evidence includes the following:

H. dulcis fruit peduncles significantly inhibited the increase of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels during response to carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) in rats when 100 mg·kg⁻¹ extract was administered twice a day for 1 week before CCl₄ intoxication.

A mechanism of action concerning the hepatoprotective activity of H. dulcis fruit extract has been proposed, and a further study elucidated the direct involvement of DHM in the metabolism of acetaminophen, endowing the use of fruits as a potential herbal remedy for preventing acetaminophen-induced liver injury.

Evidence Strength Assessment — Hepatoprotection

Hepatoprotective evidence remains predominantly from animal models (rats, mice) and in vitro cell studies. The human clinical trial data are very limited. A literature survey using Hovenia dulcis as a keyword highlighted a lack of rigorous scientific evidence in major international databases such as PubMed. Overall, the hepatoprotective potential is biologically plausible and supported by mechanistic and preclinical data, but human evidence is insufficient to draw firm clinical conclusions.

4.3 Antidiabetic Effects

Hovenia dulcis Thunb., a food supplement and traditional medicine used in East Asia, has been demonstrated to exhibit hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, and antioxidant activities. To evaluate the anti-oxidant activities of H. dulcis in STZ-induced diabetic mice, different extracting solvents were employed; the ethanol (70%) extract exhibited the most effective antioxidant activity and dose-dependently upregulated SOD and downregulated MDA and iNOS significantly in STZ-induced diabetic mice, indicating remarkable anti-diabetic activity.

A study showed that DHM treatment can significantly lower the levels of blood glucose and insulin.

Evidence Strength Assessment — Antidiabetic

Evidence is preliminary and restricted to animal models (diabetic mice). No robust human trials on glycaemic outcomes have been published. This area is considered speculative for clinical application.

4.4 Neuroprotection and Brain Aging

In the past few decades, scientific knowledge about the effects of DHM has increased considerably. This molecule has a wide range of positive effects, including anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties, and has been shown to cause motor and memory improvements, all of which can help treat dysfunctions associated with brain aging and some neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

A recent in vitro study using the human intestinal Caco-2 cell model, a common tool used to predict in vivo absorption of drugs in humans, showed that the uptake and transport of DHM occurs mainly through a passive diffusion mechanism, which can partially explain the low bioavailability of DHM after oral administration.

Evidence Strength Assessment — Neuroprotection

Evidence is preclinical only (cell culture and animal models). Administration route and sex significantly impact DHM bioavailability in mice, which is limited by poor absorption and rapid clearance. This correlates with the observed short duration of DHM's anti-intoxicating properties and highlights the need for further investigation into the mechanism of DHM's potential anti-intoxicating properties. No human clinical trials on neurological outcomes have been conducted.

4.5 Anticancer Activity

Previous studies have revealed the significant cytotoxic effects of HDT extracts on numerous cancer cell lines, including breast, lung, cervical, colon, and liver cancer cells.

In research focused on liver cancer stem cells: The inhibitory activity of ethanol, chloroform, and ethyl acetate extracts from HDT branches on the growth of Huh7-derived liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) was evaluated. The ethyl acetate extract of HDT (EAHDT) exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity against the growth of Huh7 LCSCs among the three HDT extracts. HDT suppressed VEGF-induced proliferation, migration, invasion, and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) at subtoxic doses. In addition, HDT significantly inhibited in vivo angiogenesis of the chorioallantoic membrane from growing chick embryos without exhibiting cytotoxicity.

Evidence Strength Assessment — Anticancer

All anticancer data are in vitro and in chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) models. No animal tumour model or human data exist. This area is entirely preliminary and speculative at the clinical level.

4.6 Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Activity

DHM, quercetin, naringenin, and other chemical components have been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and are considered potential therapeutic agents for alcohol-associated liver disease. Extracts from H. dulcis accelerate detoxification of ethanol and possess hepatoprotective, antioxidative, antimicrobial, and antidiabetic properties.

Evidence Strength Assessment — Anti-inflammatory/Antioxidant

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are well-characterised in cell-based assays and are consistently reported across multiple phytochemical studies. However, translation to confirmed human clinical benefit remains to be demonstrated in well-designed trials.

4.7 Immunostimulatory Activity

Authors suggested that molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, and uronic acid content of polysaccharides from H. dulcis were crucial for immunostimulatory activity. This work is in vitro, and no clinical data exist.

5. Body Systems and Health Areas Associated with Hovenia dulcis

Hepatic / Liver System: Hepatoprotection from alcohol and chemical toxins; modulation of ALT and AST; anti-steatotic and anti-fibrotic effects in preclinical models; traditional role in alcohol-related liver support.
Metabolic System: Antidiabetic potential (blood glucose and insulin modulation) demonstrated in animal models; lipid-lowering properties in preclinical studies.
Central Nervous System: GABA_A receptor modulation by DHM; preclinical evidence for neuroprotection and support in alcohol use disorder models.
Immune System: Polysaccharide-mediated immunostimulatory activity (in vitro).
Gastrointestinal System: Traditional use for nausea, digestive discomfort, and as a mild laxative; modern study of the intestinal barrier in alcohol-associated liver disease.
Cardiovascular / Angiogenic: Anti-angiogenic effects of DHM and whole extract demonstrated in vitro; potential relevance in cancer angiogenesis.
Antimicrobial: Activity against a range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and Candida albicans in vitro.
Dermatological: Used in skincare products for its ability to protect skin from UV-induced damage and aging.

6. Dosage Forms and Dosages Reported in Studies

The following dosages are reported strictly as they appear in the cited sources. They are not recommendations.

A randomized controlled crossover clinical trial administered a single dose of 2.5 g of a standardized fruit extract together with 360 mL of Korean Soju (17.5% v/v alcohol).
A randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled clinical trial used beverages containing 0.475% HD (Hovenia dulcis extract), with subjects (n = 30) randomized into six test groups consuming three different beverage formulations.
In a rat preclinical study, H. dulcis fruit peduncles significantly inhibited hepatic enzyme elevations at a dose of 100 mg·kg⁻¹ extract administered twice a day for 1 week before CCl₄ intoxication.
In rat animal studies, DHM at 1 mg/kg potently counteracted acute ethanol intoxication.
In mouse studies, dihydromyricetin at 50 mg/kg intraperitoneally administered 0 or 15 min prior to ethanol significantly reduced ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex. Total serum exposures of dihydromyricetin via oral (PO) administration at 50 mg/kg were determined to be 2.5 µM × h (male) and 0.7 µM × h (female).

Larger, well-controlled clinical trials are needed to confirm effects and establish optimal dosages for human use.

7. Safety Considerations and Drug Interactions

Regulatory Status

An application for Hovenia dulcis fruit extract as a Novel Food under EU Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 was submitted and assessed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The applicant provided some information on a history of consumption of Hovenia dulcis fruits and extracts in foods, mainly beverages and food supplements, and in traditional Chinese medicine. The application included study reports on an acute toxicity study, a bacterial reverse mutation test, an in vivo micronucleus test, a chromosome aberration test, and a 90-day subchronic toxicity study in rats. However, the genotoxicity studies provided did not comply with EFSA Guidance documents, as an in vitro micronucleus test was missing. In addition, the studies did not include information that permitted the identification and characterization of the test substance. Consequently, the EFSA Panel considered that the provided toxicological study reports were not informative for the assessment of the toxicological properties of the novel food and could not be used to derive safe intake levels for human consumption.

In the subchronic toxicity study, the applicant did not provide sufficient information to show that the test material was representative of the novel food. The potential allergenicity of the novel food had not been well explored. No assessment of the botanical relationship between Hovenia dulcis fruits and other fruits known to cause allergic reactions in the European population had been undertaken, which would have been a valuable indicator for potential cross-reactivity.

Reported Adverse Events

A clinical human trial was conducted to assess possible efficacy, and no adverse events occurred during that study. However, in Korea, two acute toxicity cases in humans have been reported as a result of continuous misuse of Hovenia dulcis.

A particularly notable safety signal involves pediatric use. A case report published in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition (2012) described toxic hepatitis induced by Hovenia dulcis in a 3-year-old boy who complained of nausea, abdominal discomfort, and jaundice. The patient had consumed water boiled with Hovenia dulcis for about 1 year prior to presentation. A diagnosis of toxic hepatitis was made based on history, laboratory data, viral markers, ultrasonography, and biopsied liver tissue. Supportive management for acute fulminant hepatitis was administered but symptoms and liver function progressed, necessitating transfer for consideration of liver transplantation. Because acute liver failure due to herbs or dietary supplements taken for a long time is often fatal, early diagnosis and cessation of the implicated agent are critical when drug-induced liver injury is suspected.

Some cases of toxic hepatitis have been recorded in the published literature, underscoring that prolonged or high-dose use warrants caution.

Herb–Drug Interactions

A study evaluated possible food–drug interactions involving H. dulcis fruit extracts based on the inhibition of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme activity. The water extract of H. dulcis fruit was incubated in human liver microsomes with CYP-specific substrates, and the formation of CYP-specific metabolites was measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. H. dulcis fruit extracts showed negligible effects on seven CYP isozyme activities at all concentrations tested. Previous reports raised concerns about the possibility of inhibited CYP enzyme activity by H. dulcis extracts; however, no considerable inhibitory effects were observed. It is supposed that the chemical complexity of H. dulcis extracts may compensate for or dilute the individual effects of ampelopsin and taxifolin.

Although the herb–drug interactions of H. dulcis fruit extracts via the modification of pharmacokinetic regulators such as cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes have been reported in vitro, there are not any studies in vivo on pharmacokinetics, internal metabolism, proper usage, and side effects of H. dulcis.

Bioavailability Limitations of DHM

Administration route and sex significantly impact DHM bioavailability in mice, which is limited by poor absorption and rapid clearance. Although DHM's poor oral bioavailability limits clinical utility, the promise of this mechanism for the treatment of alcohol use disorder warrants further investigation into its specificity and druggable potential.

Short-Term Clinical Safety in Trials

No statistically significant differences were observed between each treatment group and the placebo group for any hematological test at 15 h post-drinking, and no serious adverse events occurred in the most recent 2024 randomized controlled trial (n = 30).

8. Gaps in Evidence and Research Outlook

The biological activities of H. dulcis crude extracts and secondary metabolites isolated from them have highlighted promising pharmacological effects in vitro and in vivo. However, the field as a whole suffers from the absence of large-scale, well-powered randomised controlled trials in humans across all proposed indications. Most mechanistic data come from cell culture systems or rodent models, and questions of dose, standardisation, long-term safety, and bioavailability remain open.

Human data on long-term safety and anticancer potential remain sparse. Ongoing debates include the standardisation of DHM content versus whole-plant synergy: some researchers argue that purified DHM may lack other supportive compounds found in full-spectrum extracts.

While the traditional uses and emerging scientific data on Chinese Raisintree are encouraging — especially in the context of liver support and antioxidant activity — further research is essential to fully validate its benefits.

References

Health Conditions

Health conditions that Chinese raisintree may help support.

No conditions available.

Body Systems

Body systems that Chinese raisintree may help support.

No body systems available.