Ampelopsin (Dihydromyricetin · Hepatoprotective · Alcohol Metabolism)

Compound	Ampelopsin (Dihydromyricetin; DHM; (+)-Dihydromyricetin; 3,3′,4′,5,5′,7-Hexahydroxyflavanone)
Chemical class	Polyphenol — Flavanonol (Dihydroflavonol; C2-C3 saturated myricetin; highest radical scavenging in the flavanonol class)
CAS	27200-12-0
Primary source	Ampelopsis grossedentata (Vine Tea / Rattan Tea / Mao Jian Wang), Hovenia dulcis (Japanese Raisin Tree)
Key applications	Hepatoprotective; alcohol metabolism acceleration; GABA-A modulation (anti-inebriation); anti-inflammatory
Claim strength	Moderate
Typical form	Ampelopsis grossedentata (Vine Tea) extract standardised to DHM ≥98%; Hovenia dulcis extract (DHM + dihydrokaempferol)
Buy from Herbuno	Availability on request — request bulk pricing →

Name origin: Ampelopsin is named after Ampelopsis — the plant genus from which it was first isolated — with the suffix "-psin" following historical alkaloid naming conventions (though ampelopsin is a polyphenol, not an alkaloid). It is systematically dihydromyricetin — myricetin with the C2-C3 double bond of the C-ring saturated. DHM is the common abbreviation in recent supplement literature. Traditional use: Ampelopsis grossedentata (Vine Tea, Teng Cha in Chinese) is a traditional Chinese herbal tea consumed in Hunan, Guizhou, and southern Chinese provinces — one of the most ancient tea substitutes in China with over 2,000 years of documented use for liver protection, heat-clearing, and anti-inflammatory applications. Hovenia dulcis (Japanese Raisin Tree, Zhi Ju Zi) fruit peduncles have been used in Korean, Japanese, and Chinese traditional medicine for hangover prevention and liver protection. Both are rich DHM sources. Research trajectory: DHM has attracted research interest across two distinct domains: hepatoprotection (Nrf2-mediated liver antioxidant induction, alcohol dehydrogenase/ALDH enhancement) and acute alcohol intoxication mitigation (GABA-A receptor modulation to reduce alcohol's acute CNS effects). The latter — marketed as "DHM for hangover" — has commercial appeal and emerging science but less clinical robustness than the hepatoprotective data. Commercial source: DHM-standardised Vine Tea (Ampelopsis grossedentata) extract is not currently in the Herbuno catalogue; availability on request.

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Evidence for Ampelopsin Applications

Hepatoprotective activity: Ampelopsin (DHM) demonstrates potent hepatoprotective activity in CCl₄, APAP (paracetamol), and alcohol-induced liver injury models. The mechanism involves Nrf2/ARE pathway activation upregulating HO-1, NQO1, SOD, and GSH synthesis — providing both direct radical scavenging and induction of sustained antioxidant enzyme activity. In high-fat diet NAFLD models, DHM reduces hepatic lipid accumulation via AMPK activation and SREBP-1c inhibition. Comparative studies show DHM hepatoprotection comparable to silymarin at equivalent doses in some rodent models. Claim strength: Moderate.

Alcohol metabolism and anti-inebriation: Two mechanisms contribute to DHM's anti-alcohol activity: (1) enhancement of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity, accelerating ethanol and acetaldehyde clearance — reducing both acute intoxication duration and hangover severity; (2) GABA-A receptor modulation — at pharmacologically relevant concentrations, DHM acts as a partial GABA-A antagonist/modulator, counteracting ethanol's potentiation of GABAergic inhibition without producing the reverse stimulatory effects of bicuculline-type GABA-A antagonists. This GABA-A mechanism has been demonstrated in rodent intoxication models showing faster righting reflex recovery after DHM administration. Claim strength: Moderate (animal); Emerging (human).

Anti-inflammatory: DHM inhibits NF-κB, NLRP3 inflammasome, and TLR4-MyD88 signalling at micromolar concentrations. Its pyrogallol B-ring (3′,4′,5′-trihydroxy) provides the highest radical scavenging capacity of any flavanonol — superior to taxifolin (catechol) and aromadendrin (monohydroxy) at equivalent molar concentrations. Claim strength: Moderate.

Anti-obesity and metabolic: DHM activates AMPK in adipose and liver tissue, reduces PPARγ-mediated adipogenesis, and improves glucose tolerance in diabetic rodent models. In high-fat diet models, DHM supplementation (50–100 mg/kg) reduces weight gain comparably to metformin in some studies. Claim strength: Emerging.

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Dosage & Formulator Specification

No large-scale human RCT dosing data exist for ampelopsin. For alcohol metabolism applications, studies in humans using DHM from Vine Tea or synthetic DHM have used 200–600 mg/day (some single-dose studies before alcohol consumption). For hepatoprotective applications in NAFLD or alcoholic liver disease context, 300–900 mg/day DHM is the range used in preliminary human studies. Preclinical hepatoprotective animal studies use 50–150 mg/kg.

Ampelopsis grossedentata Vine Tea extract standardised to ≥90% DHM is the primary commercial form — available from Chinese botanical suppliers as a water-extracted, concentrated powder. Hovenia dulcis fruit peduncle extract is a secondary source with lower DHM concentration (typically 5–20% DHM alongside other flavanonols). For high-dose DHM supplement formulas (>300 mg/serving), the ≥90% or ≥98% DHM specification is appropriate; for combination liver or anti-alcohol formulas, lower standardisation (40–60% DHM) with co-delivery of Hovenia-associated constituents is an option.

DHM aqueous solubility is moderate (~1–2 mg/mL). Microencapsulation improves bioavailability for solid dosage. Cyclodextrin complexation enhances aqueous solubility for beverage applications. Stable at pH 4–7; susceptible to oxidation at alkaline pH. Compatible with milk thistle (silymarin), NAC (N-acetylcysteine), and B vitamins (B1, B6, B12) in liver health formulas.

The GABA-A modulation mechanism of DHM means theoretical interaction with benzodiazepines and other GABAergic agents — the interaction would be antagonistic (DHM partially counteracts benzodiazepine potentiation of GABA). This is unlikely to be clinically significant at supplement doses but warrants awareness for professional advice in patients on benzodiazepine therapy.

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Frequently Asked Questions — Ampelopsin

Is DHM truly effective for hangover prevention and how does the mechanism work?
DHM's anti-hangover mechanism operates at two levels: enzyme enhancement and GABA-A modulation. Acetaldehyde (not ethanol itself) causes most hangover symptoms — nausea, headache, flushing. DHM enhances ALDH (aldehyde dehydrogenase) activity, accelerating acetaldehyde clearance. The GABA-A mechanism partially counteracts ethanol's CNS depression, reducing subjective intoxication duration and severity. Human evidence is limited to small studies and traditional use observations; the "DHM hangover cure" marketing exceeds current clinical evidence, but the mechanism is scientifically credible. Responsible positioning would describe DHM as "supporting alcohol metabolism" rather than claiming to prevent hangovers.

How does ampelopsin's antioxidant activity compare to quercetin and EGCG?
In molar radical scavenging comparisons: EGCG (pyrogallol B-ring + galloyl ester) typically ranks highest; ampelopsin (pyrogallol B-ring, no galloyl ester, free C-3 OH) ranks second among flavanonols and comparably to EGC; quercetin (catechol B-ring + C-3 OH conjugated into flavonol) ranks comparable to ampelopsin. Ampelopsin's advantage is its combination of highest flavanonol antioxidant capacity with better oral bioavailability than EGCG (no galloyl ester hydrolysis bottleneck, no COMT inhibition dependence).

What is Vine Tea (Ampelopsis grossedentata) and why is it used as a tea substitute?
Vine Tea (Teng Cha) is a traditional Chinese herbal beverage made from the dried young leaves and stems of Ampelopsis grossedentata — a wild-growing vine in southern Chinese mountain forests. The tea has a distinctive sweet-bitter flavour and characteristic white crystalline surface coating from DHM crystals on the dried leaves. It is consumed in Hunan province as a daily health tea rather than purely a medicinal preparation, giving DHM a traditional food use status in China that supports its supplement ingredient classification.

Is Hovenia dulcis the same source as DHM?
Hovenia dulcis (Japanese Raisin Tree, Zhi Ju Zi) fruit peduncles contain DHM alongside dihydrokaempferol, myricetin, and quercetin derivatives. The fruit peduncle preparation is used specifically in Korean and Japanese traditional medicine for alcohol metabolism and liver protection — the same applications as DHM-rich Vine Tea. Hovenia extract standardised to DHM content is commercially available but at lower DHM purity (5–20%) than Vine Tea extract (≥90%). Both are scientifically credible DHM sources with distinct accompanying phytochemical profiles.

Related compounds: Taxifolin, Aromadendrin, Myricetin, Silybin

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Claim-strength scale – High = multiple human RCTs; Moderate = limited trials or strong preclinical convergence; Emerging = early-stage lab or animal data.

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