Herb Profile

Cissus

Cissus quadrangularis

Cissus (Cissus quadrangularis) carries a Grade C rating — limited evidence.

Last reviewed: •3 sources citedReport a correctionProfile-wide ·C Limited

Use extra caution — May influence glucose or metabolic markers; monitor with antidiabetic medications and avoid pregnancy/breastfeeding use unless clinician supervised. Details

Evidence
Limited Evidence
Typical onset
Varies by prep
Safety rating
High caution
Best for
Anti Inflammatory, Analgesic, Inflammatory signaling, Metabolic health
Avoid / review if
Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Without Clinician Guidance, Diabetes Medications Without Monitoring, May Potentiate Antidiabetic Agents
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Cissus monograph visual
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Safety

Safety & Cautions

May influence glucose or metabolic markers; monitor with antidiabetic medications and avoid pregnancy/breastfeeding use unless clinician supervised.

High caution

Caution level: High. Multiple caution categories apply, or the record uses avoid/contraindication language.

  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding CautionPregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Detailed safety fields

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and contraindications

  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Without Clinician Guidance
  • Diabetes Medications Without Monitoring
  • May Potentiate Antidiabetic Agents
  • Caution With Anticoagulants If Blended Products Include Additional Actives.

Safety classifications

  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution: Pregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.

Full safety note

  • May influence glucose or metabolic markers; monitor with antidiabetic medications and avoid pregnancy/breastfeeding use unless clinician supervised.

Safety labels

  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution

Evidence-based safety

Caution when combined

Severity and certainty are shown separately. A high-priority caution can still be theoretical: these pairings are screened from shared contraindication mechanisms and are not automatically documented clinical interactions. Provenance identifies the source fields that produced each flag; it does not upgrade the certainty of the pairwise claim.

High-Priority Caution

147 flagged pairings

Bleeding / anticoagulant risk

Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.

Bleeding / anticoagulant riskCertainty: Theoretical

Data provenance recorded for 147 of 147 pairings in this mechanism group.

+135 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.

Moderate Caution

110 flagged pairings

Blood-sugar lowering

Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.

Blood-sugar loweringCertainty: Theoretical

Data provenance recorded for 110 of 110 pairings in this mechanism group.

+98 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.

Evidence

Evidence Summary

Evidence lens

Read as directional context, not settled clinical proof.

LimitedLimited Evidence

Human clinical evidence: Not the primary signal

Mechanistic / preclinical: Mechanism mapped — Inflammatory Signaling Modulation · Metabolic Regulation

Research maturity: Theoretical / mechanistic research — Mechanistic or unresolved evidence is kept separate from established human outcomes.

Safety boundary: Safety note available — May influence glucose or metabolic markers; monitor with antidiabetic medications and avoid pregnancy/breastfeeding use unless clinician supervised.

This profile cites 3 human studies.

Study design details
Evidence Grade

Grade C: Limited Evidence

Evaluation of methodological rigor, population reach, and evidence alignment.

Design Match
Narrative review
Risk of Bias
High
Consistency
Not assessed
Strongest recorded design is a narrative review, drawn from 3 recorded studies, none of which measured an outcome in people.
How evidence grades work

Each grade reflects the strength and consistency of published human evidence — not marketing claims. Grades are based on study count, design quality, effect size, consistency, and recency.

Strong
Multiple RCTs, consistent direction, adequate effect size
Moderate
Some RCTs or consistent observational data in humans
Preliminary / Mixed
Animal or in-vitro only, or conflicting human data
Traditional / Theoretical
Traditional use only; no controlled human trials
Clinical Study Summaries (3)0 human evidence sources · 0 human trials · Participant totals not consistently reported · Consistency not yet classifiable

What the evidence actually shows

This table contains 3 structured sources, including 0 human evidence sources; 0 are human trials.

StudyDesignNDoseDurationPopulationOutcomeResult & magnitudeSource

Seed Geometry in the Vitaceae

Cervantes E et al. · Plants (Basel) · 2021

Background
Narrative review

Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review.

——————PubMed →

A review and evaluation of the efficacy and safety of Cissus quadrangularis extracts

Stohs SJ et al. · Phytother Res · 2013

Background
Narrative review

Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review.

——————PubMed →

Review of the Phytochemistry and Biological Activity of Cissus incisa Leaves

Nocedo-Mena D et al. · Curr Top Med Chem · 2021

Background
Narrative review

Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review.

——————PubMed →

Dosing & Timing

No standardized dose
Preparation specific; use standardized product label for Stem extracts/powders and require source backed dosage review before therapeutic claims.
How Cissus works

Simplified mechanism pathway based on preclinical and pharmacological evidence. Does not confirm clinical efficacy.

Mechanism Pathway — How Cissus Works

How Cissus WorksCissus acts on biological target pathways via anti inflammatory, leading to anti inflammatory.CissusBiological TargetBiological pathwayAnti InflammatoryAnti InflammatoryObservable outcomeMetabolicRegulation
CompoundTarget / ReceptorMechanismEffect / Outcome
Mechanisms & biological pathways (preclinical)
  • Inflammatory Signaling Modulation
  • Metabolic Regulation

Compare related active botanicals

Explore botanicals with similar chemistry, effects, or safety considerations in the Botanical Activity Atlas.

Compare & Sourcing

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Safety first · Harm reduction

This information is educational and not medical advice. Start low, avoid risky combinations, and consult a licensed clinician before making health decisions—especially if you use medications, have diagnosed conditions, or are pregnant/breastfeeding.

Learn how we evaluate confidence, safety, and intensity on the methodology page.

By Willie B. Randolph III

Founder & Head Researcher · Oak Ridge, TN · Last reviewed August 2026

Editorial Review

Checked against primary sources, cited evidence, and contraindication language before publication. Evidence claims, safety language, and affiliate modules are reviewed independently. Not personal medical advice.

Editorial Standards →

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