The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of astilbin on concanavalin A (Con A)-induced hepatitis, a T cell-dependent model of liver injury. Con A administration resulted in a severe liver injury in mice, with a strong increment in spleen cell adhesion and liver infiltration of T cells, as well as in tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-¬ production. Against this liver injury, astilbin significantly inhibited the elevation in transaminase activity, reduced the TNF-¬ production, and improved the histological changes, including inflammatory infiltration, hepatocyte necrosis and degeneration and Kupffer cell hyperplasia. In addition, astilbin inhibited the adhesion of spleen cells and purified T lymphocytes isolated from the liver-injured mice to fibronectin, laminin and type IV collagen. Moreover, the adhesion of human Jurkat T cells to endothelial cell line ECV-304 was also inhibited by astilbin. These results suggest that the improvement of the T cell-mediated liver injury by astilbin may be related to the reduction in TNF-¬ production and in T cell adhesion to extracellular matrices and endothelial cells.