Cissus Quadrangularis

Last Updated: September 28 2022

Cissus quadrangularis is a traditional medicine for joint and bone health (as well as various feminine disorders and menopause), and shows promise in promoting bone growth rates. It is popular as a joint aid for athletes, with preliminary evidence supporting this property of cissus.

Cissus Quadrangularis is most often used for

Summary

Cissus quadrangularis is a traditional medicine usually said to come from Ayurveda but appears to have a wide range of locations which have used it medicinally due to it growing in numerous locations. Its traditional usages are mostly catered around treating feminine disorders (menopause, libido, and menstrual disorders) or treating bones (increasing bone mass or accelerating fracture healing rates) which gives it the traditional name of the 'Bone Setter'; some other traditional usages are in regards to its supposed antiulcer properties, antihemhorroid properties, and pain relieving properties.

It is most frequently used by athletes, and the anecdotes of cissus seem to precede much of the science on the topic. It appears to be a very effective pain killer in rodent studies, but at this moment in time only one preliminary study has been conducted in humans; while it showed promise in athletes who experienced joint pain due to exercise (by reducing overall joint symptoms by about a third) it was still a lone study. More research is needed, but it seems promising as an alterative for joint pain in athletes since most joint health supplements do not have evidence in athletes (rather, most research is in osteoarthritis persons).

Although a potential complication in athletes is that preliminary rodent evidence suggests that cissus has sedative and muscle relaxing properties at high doses (active within 30 minutes of ingestion), suggesting that it might not make the best pre-workout supplement.

In regards to bone health, there are limited human reports of increased fracture healing rate which are poor quality of evidence due to not disclosing adequate methodology (ie. how they did the study) and not disclosing the source of the compound. Animal studies do show a great deal of promise in promoting bone growth, but this traditional claim also needs to be assessed in greater detail.

Finally, there are two human studies which suggest that cissus can be used as a fat loss agent but they have problems with their structure. In particular both studies are confounded with possible financial biases and since the supplements were consumed before meals with water (and cissus is known to have gum forming properties) while food intake was not measured making it wholly possible the observed effects could be due to reduced food intake, which is what happens when a gum (glucomannan, for example) is taken before a meal with water.

Overall, cissus has a good deal of promise in regards to joint and bone health in regards to athletic adults and menopausal women alike but requires a great deal more evidence to fully evaulate this promise.

What else is Cissus Quadrangularis known as?
Note that Cissus Quadrangularis is also known as:
  • Harjor
  • Asthi Shrinkhala
  • Bone Setter
Dosage information

The one study to note benefit with oral supplementation in humans (for the purpose of reducing joint pain) has used 3,200mg of cissus quadrangularis as a daily supplement, which is also in the range for what animal studies suggest sedative and pain killing effects should occur with the water extract.

Elsewhere, 300-600mg of a cissus quadrangularis extract standardized to 2.5% ketosteroids has shown biological activity in humans.

Either of the two aforementioned doses should work (former probably more relevant for athletes), but the optimal dose is not known as this moment in time.

Join our supplement information course

Examine Database: Cissus Quadrangularis
What works and what doesn't?

Unlock the full potential of Examine

Get started

Don't miss out on the latest research

References
3.^Kothari SC, Shivarudraiah P, Venkataramaiah SB, Koppolu KP, Gavara S, Jairam R, Krishna S, Chandrappa RK, Soni MGSafety assessment of Cissus quadrangularis extract (CQR-300): subchronic toxicity and mutagenicity studiesFood Chem Toxicol.(2011 Dec)
4.^Kumar R, Sharma AK, Saraf SA, Gupta RCNS activity of aqueous extract of root of Cissus quadrangularis Linn. (Vitaceae)J Diet Suppl.(2010 Mar)
5.^Udayakumar R, Sundaran M, Krishna RMineral and biochemical analysis of various parts of cissus quadrangularis linnAnc Sci Life.(2004 Oct)
7.^Singh G, Rawat P, Maurya RConstituents of Cissus quadrangularisNat Prod Res.(2007 May 20)
8.^Kumar M, Rawat P, Dixit P, Mishra D, Gautam AK, Pandey R, Singh D, Chattopadhyay N, Maurya RAnti-osteoporotic constituents from Indian medicinal plantsPhytomedicine.(2010 Nov)
16.^Chidambara Murthy KN, Vanitha A, Mahadeva Swamy M, Ravishankar GAAntioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Cissus quadrangularis LJ Med Food.(2003 Summer)
18.^Odeku OA, Okunlola A, Lamprecht AMicrobead design for sustained drug release using four natural gumsInt J Biol Macromol.(2013 Jul)
21.^Oben J, Kuate D, Agbor G, Momo C, Talla XThe use of a Cissus quadrangularis formulation in the management of weight loss and metabolic syndromeLipids Health Dis.(2006 Sep 2)
23.^Panthong A, Supraditaporn W, Kanjanapothi D, Taesotikul T, Reutrakul VAnalgesic, anti-inflammatory and venotonic effects of Cissus quadrangularis LinnJ Ethnopharmacol.(2007 Mar 21)
24.^Bloomer RJ, Farney TM, McCarthy CG, Lee SRCissus quadrangularis reduces joint pain in exercise-trained men: A pilot studyPhys Sportsmed.(2013 Sep)
25.^Oben JE, Enyegue DM, Fomekong GI, Soukontoua YB, Agbor GAThe effect of Cissus quadrangularis (CQR-300) and a Cissus formulation (CORE) on obesity and obesity-induced oxidative stressLipids Health Dis.(2007 Feb 4)
26.^Muthusami S, Ramachandran I, Krishnamoorthy S, Govindan R, Narasimhan SCissus quadrangularis augments IGF system components in human osteoblast like SaOS-2 cellsGrowth Horm IGF Res.(2011 Dec)
28.^Muthusami S, Senthilkumar K, Vignesh C, Ilangovan R, Stanley J, Selvamurugan N, Srinivasan NEffects of Cissus quadrangularis on the proliferation, differentiation and matrix mineralization of human osteoblast like SaOS-2 cellsJ Cell Biochem.(2011 Apr)
29.^Potu BK, Bhat KM, Rao MS, Nampurath GK, Chamallamudi MR, Nayak SR, Muttigi MSPetroleum ether extract of Cissus quadrangularis (Linn.) enhances bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell proliferation and facilitates osteoblastogenesisClinics (Sao Paulo).(2009)
30.^Parisuthiman D, Singhatanadgit W, Dechatiwongse T, Koontongkaew SCissus quadrangularis extract enhances biomineralization through up-regulation of MAPK-dependent alkaline phosphatase activity in osteoblastsIn Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim.(2009 Mar-Apr)
31.^Upadhya V, Hegde HV, Bhat S, Hurkadale PJ, Kholkute SD, Hegde GREthnomedicinal plants used to treat bone fracture from North-Central Western Ghats of IndiaJ Ethnopharmacol.(2012 Jun 2)
32.^Chopra SS, Patel MR, Awadhiya RPStudies of Cissus quadrangularis in experimental fracture repair : a histopathological studyIndian J Med Res.(1976 Sep)
36.^UDUPA KN, PRASAD GCCissus quadrangularis in healing of fractures. A clinical studyJ Indian Med Assoc.(1962 Jun 1)
37.^Singh V, Singh N, Pal US, Dhasmana S, Mohammad S, Singh NClinical evaluation of cissus quadrangularis and moringa oleifera and osteoseal as osteogenic agents in mandibular fractureNatl J Maxillofac Surg.(2011 Jul)
38.^Potu BK, Rao MS, Nampurath GK, Chamallamudi MR, Nayak SR, Thomas HAnti-osteoporotic activity of the petroleum ether extract of Cissus quadrangularis Linn. in ovariectomized Wistar ratsChang Gung Med J.(2010 May-Jun)
39.^Potu BK, Rao MS, Nampurath GK, Chamallamudi MR, Prasad K, Nayak SR, Dharmavarapu PK, Kedage V, Bhat KMEvidence-based assessment of antiosteoporotic activity of petroleum-ether extract of Cissus quadrangularis Linn. on ovariectomy-induced osteoporosisUps J Med Sci.(2009)
41.^Banu J, Varela E, Bahadur AN, Soomro R, Kazi N, Fernandes GInhibition of Bone Loss by Cissus quadrangularis in Mice: A Preliminary ReportJ Osteoporos.(2012)
43.^Bhujade AM, Talmale S, Kumar N, Gupta G, Reddanna P, Das SK, Patil MBEvaluation of Cissus quadrangularis extracts as an inhibitor of COX, 5-LOX, and proinflammatory mediatorsJ Ethnopharmacol.(2012 Jun 14)
44.^Begum VH, Sadique JAnti histaminic activity of cissus quadragularisAnc Sci Life.(1999 Jan)
45.^Austin A, Jegadeesan M, Gowrishankar RIn-vitro screening of cissus quadrangularis L. Variant ii against helicobacter pyloriAnc Sci Life.(2003 Jul)
46.^Jainu M, Vijai Mohan K, Shyamala Devi CSGastroprotective effect of Cissus quadrangularis extract in rats with experimentally induced ulcerIndian J Med Res.(2006 Jun)
51.^Shin VY, Liu ES, Koo MW, Wang JY, Matsui H, Cho CHCigarette smoke extracts delay wound healing in the stomach: involvement of polyamine synthesisExp Biol Med (Maywood).(2002 Feb)
52.^Yetkin G, Celebi N, Ozer C, Gönül B, Ozoğul CThe healing effect of TGF-alpha on gastric ulcer induced by acetylsalicylic acid in ratsInt J Pharm.(2004 Jun 11)
54.^Viswanatha Swamy AH, Kulkarni RV, Thippeswamy AH, Koti BC, Gore AEvaluation of hepatoprotective activity of Cissus quadrangularis stem extract against isoniazid-induced liver damage in ratsIndian J Pharmacol.(2010 Dec)
55.^Swamy AH, Kulkarni RV, Koti BC, Gadad PC, Thippeswamy AH, Gore AHepatoprotective Effect of Cissus quadrangularis Stem Extract Against Rifampicin-induced Hepatotoxicity in RatsIndian J Pharm Sci.(2012 Mar)
61.^Sivaswamy SN, Balachandran B, Balanehru S, Sivaramakrishnan VMMutagenic activity of south Indian food itemsIndian J Exp Biol.(1991 Aug)