Dihydromyricetin (DHM) is a natural flavonoid compound isolated from the traditional Chinese medicinal plant Bletilla striata. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that dihydromyricetin has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-tumor, anti-diabetic, heart, liver and skin protective effects. It can scavenge ROS to resist oxidative stress, or enhance ROS production to selectively fight cancer cells without any effect on normal cells. The most important thing is that DHM has minimal side effects.

Improves sleep

Dihydromyricetin can reduce oxidative stress and promote longevity. In a fruit fly model study, the results showed that DHM improved the sleep quality of LPD and extended their lifespan by reducing their nocturnal activity, reducing intestinal epithelial cell mortality, and restoring glucose and glutathione levels. In addition, DHM has the potential to regulate the intestinal immunity of fruit flies and reduce mitochondrial oxidative stress. The above results indicate that DHM can be used as an effective intervention to improve sleep quality and offset the damage of sleep deprivation to lifespan.

Reduce scars and protect skin

Studies have shown that local intradermal injection of dihydromyricetin (50 μM) can reduce the area of large scars, scar cross-sectional area, and scar elevation index. DHM treatment also significantly reduced the collagen density of scar tissue. In addition, both in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that DHM inhibits the proliferation, activation, contraction, and migration of hypertrophic scar-derived fibroblasts (HSFs), but does not affect HSF apoptosis.

Reduce liver damage

Dihydromyricetin has been reported to improve blood sugar control in diabetic animals, reduce serum cholesterol levels in dyslipidemic animals, improve cognitive function in brain injury models, and reduce liver damage in animal models of hepatotoxicity and alcoholic liver disease.

Anti-tumor

Dihydromyricetin has a wide range of anti-tumor effects. It can inhibit cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and promote apoptosis of cholangiocarcinoma cells by regulating miR-21.

Antioxidant, prevention of osteoarthritis

An osteoarthritis cell model was constructed by inducing interleukin-1β, and DHM treatment was found to significantly improve the viability of chondrocytes. In addition, DHM significantly downregulated the expression of nitric oxide, prostaglandin-E2, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6, and improved cartilage destruction in interleukin-1β-treated chondrocytes, and inhibited interleukin-1β-induced oxidative stress through the nuclear factor κB axis.

Hangover remedy

Dihydromyricetin is a good hangover treatment. Studies have shown that DHM can stabilize GABAergic activity and prevent excessive dopamine release usually triggered by alcohol, which may reduce the rewarding effects of alcohol, mood swings, and potential alcohol dependence. However, its effectiveness remains unproven.