Common Name: Veld Grape (Cissus Quadrangularis)
Traditional African and Ayurvedic Medicine. All parts of plants used. In recent studies, this anti-inflammatory herb has shown benefits for joint, tendon, and bone repair!
My Experience:
Cissus Quadrangularis benefits: Cissus quadrangularis is believed to help with collagen turnover, and my personal use has been for torn tendons. In 2011 I started having issues with my wrists, and ended up quitting my office/typing job in 2013 due to these issues. However, at the same time I began training horses, and by 2016 the damage had moved up to my elbows, and both forearms were torn from wrist to elbow, with shoulder tendon damage. I stopped training and all physical work involving my arms in an attempt to heal, but the damage wouldn’t heal on it’s own.
Approximately 2-3 months after starting Cissus quadrangularis in 2019 I was able to use my arms for more physical work, and after 6 months of use the tendon damage seems to be healed. I don’t take large breaks from this herb – maybe 1-2 days per month.
Web MD: “Test tube studies and research in animals show that it has antioxidant, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties. It might have activity against the organism that causes malaria.” 1
Common Dosages:
For Cissus quadrangularis, common dosages range from 500 mg to 1,000 mg. No long term studies have been done on this herb, so generally you’ll want to limit use to 6-12 weeks. It has been suggested through various studies that up to 3,200 mg per day can be used safely, and those studies were usually limited to 8 weeks.
My own experience is that I can’t go off Cissus Quadrangularis for even a couple days without tendon pain, so I’ve been on this herb for about 3 years with only occasional (1 day) breaks.
While Cissus Quadrangularis can be found in capsule form, I’ve used the powder form to mix into my morning tea. I started by taking around 600 mg daily, but found 1,000mg to be beneficial while having tendon issues. After beginning to really use my arms again back in 2019 (when we bought our farm), I moved up to 2,500mg and saw HUGE improvements. My tendons are now back to healthy, but won’t maintain without daily high dose Cissus Quadrangularis.
Tendon Health Supplements: this is my main herb for tendon health, and it’s amazing. I do use a higher dose than recommended, but have had no troubles doing so for the last 3 years (as of early 2023). I also take collagen, which is helpful but doesn’t do the job alone.
Ligament Healing: I’ve had a few injuries involving ligaments since being on Cissus Quadrangularis, namely a dislocated finger and sprained ankle. While the finger is still crooked, both it and the ankle healed remarkably quickly for the amount of damage done.
For horses: using this herb for my horse really drove home how powerful it is for healing soft tissue damage. My horse didn’t have severe tendon issues, but was showing signs of discomfort. Within days of putting him on this herb it was improved.
For Horses and Pets:
Cissus quadrangularis, or veld grape, can be used for horses at an average dose of 8 grams per day per 1,100 pounds. I use my human-grade powder, but some companies sell it specifically for horses (Animal Element). I used approximately 2 grams per day for a couple of months for my horse when he was showing signs of tendon stress, and it had him feeling better quick! Even though it did work quick for him, I kept him on it for a bit to make sure we took care of the issue.
As always, take care when adding herbal supplements to an animal’s ration – they can’t always tell us when something doesn’t agree with them! If you’d like to learn more about my horse with Polysaccharide Muscle Myopathy, or PSSM, see my Jax’s Story site.
Other Common Benefits of Cissus Quadrangularis:
- Weight loss 2
- Metabolic syndrome 2
- Joint and bone healing 3
For more on tendon health, see my research into Lyme and how it affects tendons.
Cissus Quadrangularis Side Effects:
Little is known about long-term safety with Cissus quadrangularis. It appears to be safe for short-term use (6-12 weeks). At higher levels, Cissus quadrangularis can lower blood glucose levels, and can have muscle relaxing and sedative effects. Headaches, diarrhea, and insomnia can be common side effects of smaller doses (500 mg – 1,000 mg). There is no known research on use during pregnancy so it’s best to avoid this herb if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Interactions/ Contraindication:
May interact with diabetes medications causing hypoglycemia.
Where To Purchase:
Note: I earn a commission on some links, at no cost to you. Purchasing through these links is a great way to support this site!
I purchase my Cissus Quadrangularis powder through Bulk Supplements. There’s no sugar, soy, dairy, yeast, gluten, or other additives. Last I checked, MRH didn’t carry this herb, but it is a great source for herbs, seeds, and tinctures!
from: BulkSupplements.com
Mountain Rose Herbs – I love this company and products. See policies for quality and sustainability.
Bulk Supplements’ Cissus Quadrangularis has no sugar, soy, dairy, yeast, gluten, or other additives. This is the company I use for pea protein, and bulk herbs in larger amounts, etc. Some of my herbs, like cissus quadrangularis, can be found here when MRH doesn’t carry them.
Research Articles and Sources:
- Web MD Article on Cissus Quadrangularis – Uses, Side Effects, and More – Cissus quadrangularis might have antioxidant, pain-relieving, and anti-inflammatory effects. It might also help stimulate bone growth.
- The use of Cissus quadrangularis formulation in the management of weight loss and metabolic syndrome – Once considered a problem of developed countries, obesity and obesity-related complications (such as metabolic syndrome) are rapidly spreading around the globe. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the use of a Cissus quadrangularis formulation in the management of metabolic syndrome, particularly weight loss and central obesity.
- Clinical evaluation of Cissus quadrangularis as osteogenic agent in maxillofacial fracture: A pilot study – Conclusion: C. quadrangularis helps in reducing pain, swelling, and fracture mobility and accelerate the healing of fracture jaw bones.
Image Credits:
Main Image Indivar Kaushik on Unsplash | Thumbnail Jonathan Pielmayer on Unsplash