Cissus quadrangularis: Bones, Joints and Recovery – A Biohacking Check

Biohacker verdict in 60 seconds

How to read the evidence tags

Every important claim carries its evidence level right next to it:

• well established – several good human studies or reviews with consistent results
• probable or context-dependent – mostly positive human data, but dependent on baseline status, dose or product
• mechanistically plausible – biologically coherent, derived from cell, animal or metabolic data, not confirmed as an effect in humans
• early study signal – small or short human studies with a positive result, not yet independently confirmed
• anecdotal or N-of-1 – individual observations and self-experiments without a control group
• currently not supported – specifically studied without an effect, or no reliable data

Why Cissus is biologically interesting

Cissus quadrangularis belongs to the grape family (Vitaceae). The succulent climber comes from parts of Africa and Asia and is also known in English as “veldt grape” (Vinoth & Ramesh Kumar, 2025). Its stems contain flavonoids such as quercetin and resveratrol, phytosterols, triterpenes and so-called ketosteroids; how much of each ends up in a product depends heavily on plant material, cultivation and extraction (Vinoth & Ramesh Kumar, 2025; Stohs & Ray, 2013). For biohackers, exactly this mix is interesting: several groups of compounds act on bone remodelling, inflammation and oxidative stress at the same time. mechanistically plausible

Hadjod: the reputation as a bone healer

In Hindi, the plant is called “Hadjod”, which specialist authors translate as “bone setter”. In Ayurveda and Siddha it is traditionally used as a pain reliever, general tonic and for bone fractures (Azam et al., 2023). Other names are “Horjora” and, in Tamil, “Pirandai”; mainly roots and stems were used (Sundaran et al., 2020). We found no reliable dating such as “for thousands of years” in the sources we checked (Bafna et al., 2021).

This tradition is a good reason to take a closer look – and research has done exactly that. It is not proof of efficacy: with good care, fractures usually heal anyway, and successes were passed down more readily than failures.

From reputation to clinical proof

1. ● present

   1. Reputation – “Hadjod”, translated as “bone setter”; an attribution, not a measurement

2. ● present

   2. Documented tradition – use for fractures in Ayurveda and Siddha; no reliable dating

3. ● present

   3. Biological plausibility – laboratory and animal models of bone-forming and bone-resorbing cells

4. ● present

   4. Animal and laboratory studies – preclinical findings, not confirmed in humans

5. ◐ partial

   5. Small human studies – a few small, mostly maxillofacial studies with mixed results

6. ○ not reached

   6. Reliable clinical proof – meta-analysis with very low certainty of evidence

How Cissus works: bone, cartilage and the joint environment

In short: the mechanisms are convincingly described – but they come from cell and animal models. Every finding in this section is a reason for human studies, not a measured effect in humans.

Bone remodelling: osteoblasts and osteoclasts

Bone is constantly remodelled: osteoblasts build new bone matrix, osteoclasts break down old bone. Healing and bone maintenance depend on both sides working in the right balance. Reviews describe, for Cissus in laboratory and animal models, a stimulation of bone-forming cells and an inhibition of bone-resorbing cells (Manocchio et al., 2026). In an oestrogen-deficiency model of osteoporosis, a Cissus extract inhibited RANKL-mediated osteoclast formation and improved the animals’ bone parameters (Azam et al., 2023). mechanistically plausible

Collagen, matrix and cartilage

Joint cartilage consists mainly of type II collagen and aggrecan, a water-binding proteoglycan. In osteoarthritis, enzymes such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) break down this matrix. In a rat model of knee osteoarthritis, the animals received 30, 50 or 100 mg of Cissus extract per kilogram of body weight for five weeks. The cartilage genes for type II collagen (COL2A1) and aggrecan were better preserved, proteoglycan content remained stable, histological cartilage damage (OARSI score) was lower, and the bone beneath the cartilage showed more trabecular mass (Choi et al., 2025). mechanistically plausible

Inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress

In the same osteoarthritis model, gene activity of iNOS, COX-2, 5-LOX, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α fell in the joint lining, as did that of the cartilage-degrading enzymes MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9 and MMP-13 (Choi et al., 2025). In a second rat model with inflammatory arthritis, a hydroalcoholic extract reduced joint swelling in a dose-dependent manner, lowered TNF-α in the blood and oxidative stress, and dampened inflammatory messengers (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF receptor 1), the vascular growth factor VEGF and the enzymes MMP-3 and MMP-9 in synovial tissue (Kumar et al., 2015). mechanistically plausible

What this can mean for loaded joints: people who load their joints hard in training often experience discomfort as a mix of irritation, inflammation and tissue adaptation. A substance that dampens inflammatory mediators and matrix-degrading enzymes fits that picture biologically. Whether this becomes noticeable in humans has to be shown by human studies – you will find the first pilot study below.

Joint environment and synovial fluid: what was actually measured

It is often claimed that Cissus improves synovial fluid, the joint lubricant. We checked the original sources:

• Choi et al., 2025 (rats, knee osteoarthritis): synovial tissue was examined via gene expression and histology. The amount, viscosity, hyaluronic acid or composition of synovial fluid was not measured. The authors stress that human data are missing.
• Kumar et al., 2015 (rats, arthritis): joint swelling, blood values and the expression of inflammatory markers in synovial tissue were measured – again not the fluid itself.
• Human studies: we found no study that analysed synovial fluid after Cissus (PubMed and Europe PMC, as of 14 September 2026).

Result: an inflammation-dampening effect on the joint lining in animal models is documented. A direct change in synovial fluid has not been studied and is therefore currently not supported. Because the joint lining produces the joint fluid, an indirect influence on the joint environment is biologically conceivable – nothing more can seriously be said.

What human studies actually show

Joint pain in exercise-trained men

For physically active people, this is the most exciting study. Bloomer and colleagues gave 29 exercise-trained men aged 20 to 46 with exercise-related joint pain 3,200 mg of Cissus per day for eight weeks. The WOMAC score – a questionnaire on pain, stiffness and function – fell on average from 25.4 to 17.4 points, about 31 percent (Bloomer et al., 2013). early study signal

Why this is not final proof: there was no placebo group. Pain questionnaires respond strongly to expectation, to natural course and to participants often adjusting their training load during a study. The authors themselves call for placebo-controlled studies in broader groups. Still: the direction of the result matches the mechanisms from the animal models – exactly this combination makes Cissus interesting for loaded joints.

Bone healing in maxillofacial surgery

Most bone studies come from maxillofacial surgery. After jaw distraction, the Cissus group showed higher bone density on X-ray (Altaweel et al., 2021), and a pilot study of nine patients with facial skeleton fractures reported less pain and swelling (Brahmkshatriya et al., 2015). early study signal In lower jaw fractures, however, only alkaline phosphatase rose, with no difference on X-ray (Nayak & R, 2020). An older meta-analysis of nine studies with 1,108 participants saw a benefit in fractures but mixed very different applications (Sawangjit et al., 2017).

Bone turnover after menopause

In the largest single study, 134 postmenopausal women with osteopenia received 1.2 or 1.6 g of Cissus per day or placebo for 24 weeks; 108 completed. Bone turnover markers fell, side effects were about as common as on placebo, but bone density did not change (Benjawan et al., 2022). early study signal for bone turnover, currently not supported for higher bone density. The most recent meta-analysis found only a rise in parathyroid hormone across seven studies and rates the certainty as very low (Na Takuathung et al., 2025).

Small, heterogeneous human studies at a glance

• Cissus

  Altaweel et al., 2021

  Population: 20 people, jawbone after distraction

  Design: randomised

  Result: higher bone density on X-ray; very small sample

• Cissus

  Nayak & R, 2020

  Population: people with lower jaw fractures

  Design: randomised pilot study

  Result: only alkaline phosphatase rose; X-ray findings, pain and swelling without significant difference

• Cissus

  Brahmkshatriya et al., 2015

  Population: 9 patients with facial skeleton fractures

  Design: pilot study

  Result: less pain and swelling reported; a chance finding cannot be ruled out

• Cissus

  Benjawan et al., 2022

  Population: 134 postmenopausal women with osteopenia, 108 completed

  Design: placebo-controlled; 1.2 or 1.6 g per day for 24 weeks

  Result: bone density unchanged, bone turnover markers fell

• Combination product

  Pg et al., 2023

  Population: 24 people with jaw fractures

  Design: Cissus plus Dalbergia sissoo, with a control group

  Result: no radiological difference

• Combination product

  Mungara et al., 2026

  Population: 50 people with a radius fracture

  Design: Cissus plus Boswellia serrata; open, unblinded, funded by a company

  Result: faster healing reported; the contribution of Cissus cannot be separated

2025 meta-analysis: seven randomised controlled trials with 354 participants, 500 mg to 10 g per day over four to 24 weeks; only parathyroid hormone differed significantly; certainty very low.

Weight, muscle and tendons

• Body weight: several double-blind studies by one research group report less weight and better blood lipid and glucose values, for example with 300 mg of the standardised extract CQR-300 over six weeks (Oben et al., 2007). Some tested combination products, the study material came from suppliers, and independent confirmation is missing (Oben et al., 2006; Oben et al., 2008). early study signal
• Muscle growth: we found no controlled human study. The ketosteroid rationale is shaky: in castrated rats, the effect of different extracts on bone did not track their ketosteroid content (Jadhav et al., 2016). currently not supported
• Tendons and ligaments: no human study found (PubMed and Europe PMC, as of 14 September 2026). The matrix findings from cartilage models cannot be transferred directly.

Combination products do not count for Cissus alone

An open, company-funded study of 50 patients with a radius fracture reported faster healing with a combination of Cissus and Boswellia serrata (Mungara et al., 2026); a combination with Dalbergia sissoo showed no radiological difference in 24 jaw fractures (Pg et al., 2023). Whether Cissus, the second plant or the study situation explains the difference cannot be separated.

Cissus as a recovery adjunct: what carries healing and what does not

Healing is carried by basic care – Cissus can at most run alongside it. These building blocks are better studied than any plant extract:

• Fracture care: diagnosis, reduction, immobilisation or surgery and follow-up checks are the basis. Stabilisation creates the conditions in which bone cells can work.
• Rehabilitation: measured loading guided by doctors and physiotherapists. Loading too early or too heavily can disrupt healing.
• Energy and protein: in older people after hip fracture, energy and protein supplements may reduce complications; the evidence is of low quality (Avenell et al., 2016). context-dependent
• Calcium and vitamin D: a deficiency should be treated. However, vitamin D alone hardly influenced fracture healing and union rates in a systematic review of 14 studies (Gatt et al., 2023).
• Collagen building blocks: in eight men, vitamin C-enriched gelatin before short bouts of loading doubled a blood marker of collagen synthesis (Shaw et al., 2017). early study signal as a marker finding.
• Smoking: in a meta-analysis, smoking was associated with about a 2.5-fold higher risk of a fracture not healing (Xu et al., 2021). well established as a risk factor.

Why Cissus remains interesting anyway: once the basics are in place, a substance with plausible effects on bone remodelling and inflammation is an understandable addition – especially for exercise-related joint discomfort, where the human signal is clearest.

Who is most likely to benefit

None of these groups has a proven benefit. These are the starting points that best match the available data:

• Trainees with exercise-related joint pain without structural injury – the population of the Bloomer study. early study signal
• People in maxillofacial treatment who discuss the topic with their treatment team. early study signal
• Postmenopausal women with osteopenia who track bone turnover markers with their doctor – with unchanged bone density in the study. context-dependent

Who will probably notice little

• People without symptoms who want to strengthen bones or tendons “preventively” – there are no human data for that.
• Anyone expecting muscle growth or strength: currently not supported
• People with structural injuries such as tears, instability or advanced osteoarthritis who need diagnosis and treatment.
• Anyone neglecting the basics: an energy deficit, protein deficiency, smoking or loading too early override any possible added effect.

Dosing by goal: extracts are not interchangeable

This is not an intake recommendation. The studies used different plant parts, extraction solvents and standardisations. An amount from a study applies only to the product used there.

Standardised extract or plant powder? An extract concentrates certain groups of compounds; a powder contains the whole plant in varying composition. Whether extraction used water or alcohol changes the profile considerably. According to animal data, the common standardisation to ketosteroids may not measure the active fraction (Jadhav et al., 2016). That is why 300 mg of one extract cannot be offset against 3,200 mg of another product – and none of these amounts is a personal dose.

What you can measure before and after a trial

User experiences and their limits

Common observations: many trainees report that elbows, knees or shoulders feel more resilient after a few weeks of Cissus, and some describe faster recovery after fractures. Others feel nothing or stop because of gastrointestinal complaints. anecdotal

Such experiences are genuinely felt, but they do not know the comparison: overuse complaints often settle on their own, anyone who starts at the peak of symptoms usually improves afterwards anyway, and training, physiotherapy and sleep change in parallel. A cleanly documented self-experiment with a baseline phase and a break is far more informative. N-of-1

Why a personal report does not know the comparison

• Observed, reported course with Cissus (solid)
• Unknown course without Cissus (dashed, not observed)

Most fractures heal with appropriate care even without additional remedies. Schematic, without numbers, without patient data and without an effect curve.

Combinations and possible synergies

None of these combinations has a human study with Cissus as a single ingredient. The table separates shared mechanism, theory and actual studies.

Biohacker rule: anyone starting Cissus together with collagen, vitamin D or Boswellia cannot tell afterwards what helped. Secure the basics first, then test one variable.

Safety and sensible limits

In short: in short studies, Cissus was mostly well tolerated. Long-term data, data for pregnancy and breastfeeding, and verified interaction data are missing.

• Side effects: mainly headache, sleep problems, flatulence and diarrhoea, some of them also on placebo (Oben et al., 2006; Oben et al., 2008). In the osteopenia study, side effects were about as common as on placebo (Benjawan et al., 2022); the 2017 meta-analysis found no serious side effects (Sawangjit et al., 2017).
• Animal data: a 90-day toxicity study in rats found no harm even at high amounts; it was written by employees of the extract supplier (Kothari et al., 2011). The assessment that Cissus is exceptionally safe rests on a few short studies (Stohs & Ray, 2013).
• Unexplained laboratory findings: creatinine rose in one study (Oben et al., 2007), parathyroid hormone in the meta-analysis (Na Takuathung et al., 2025). Their significance is unclear.
• Interactions: fasting blood glucose fell in the weight studies (Oben et al., 2007; Oben et al., 2008). With glucose-lowering medication, an added effect is conceivable but not studied.
• Not without medical advice: pregnancy, breastfeeding, minors, diabetes, kidney disease, osteoporosis or other bone metabolism disorders, fresh fractures and surgery.
• Legal framework: foods in the EU must not be advertised with healing claims (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Article 7(3)), health claims must be authorised (Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006), and the assessment of many claims on botanicals has been on hold for years (EFSA). Claims such as “heals fractures” are a warning sign. The European Commission’s catalogue gives the novel food status of individual plants as non-binding guidance; we have not confirmed a binding status specifically for Cissus (European Commission).
• Product quality: plant part, extract type, amount of Cissus per daily serving and standardisation should be declared, along with analyses of identity, heavy metals and microbial contamination.

Final verdict

Cissus quadrangularis is more than a myth – and less than a proven bone glue. The mechanisms for bone remodelling, cartilage protection and dampened joint inflammation are impressively consistent in animal models, and the pilot study in exercise-trained men provides a real application signal for loaded joints. Synovial fluid itself, however, was never measured, bone studies are small and mixed, and human data for muscles and tendons are missing.

For biohackers, this means: Cissus is a plausible recovery adjunct for exercise-related joint discomfort when diagnosis, training, energy, protein, calcium and vitamin D are in place – tested with one variable, clean pain documentation and a medical check-in for pre-existing conditions. Fracture care heals a fracture, not the plant.

Medical disclaimer

This article is for general information and does not replace medical, pharmaceutical or physiotherapy advice. It contains no personal dosing recommendation. If you suspect a fracture, or have severe, persistent or increasing pain, get it assessed medically. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before taking it – especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding, with pre-existing conditions, regular medication or for minors.

You can find more topics in the knowledge section. If you want to approach training, load and recovery in a structured way, fitness coaching can support you – without medical diagnosis or treatment. You can record symptoms and training load objectively in the Coach Cedric app; for structured progression, see the 5/3/1 article.