Dendrobium (Dendrobium officinale and related orchids)
Also called Dendrobium officinale, Dendrobium candidum, Dendrobium nobile, shi hu, tie pi shi hu, dendrobium orchid.
Best grade C across 5 graded outcomes Botanical Last checked
The short answer
From 8 sourcesDendrobium is an orchid stem used in Chinese medicine. Human evidence is thin: a Chinese trial found a dendrobium tea eased radiation mouth sores, and a one-week study raised saliva in Sjogren's syndrome. In a vaccine study it lowered neutralising antibodies. The FDA called CRAZE, a pre-workout listing "dendrobium extract", adulterated; tests had found a methamphetamine analog in it.
Every graded outcome on this page
5 rows · line = participants- CGrade CMouth sores and saliva flow during radiotherapyOral mucositisn 60
- DGrade DLiver function and blood lipids in fatty liver diseaseLiver functionn 80
- DGrade DNeutralising antibody response to COVID-19 vaccinationVaccine responsen 51
- DGrade DSaliva output in Sjogren's syndromeDry mouthn 16
- ∅No effectStrength, body composition and blood pressure with a pre-workout blendWorkout performancen 43
- 2 more graded outcomes, in the evidence chapter
Key facts
- Radiation mouth sores
- Dendrobium tea plus a vitamin B12 rinse improved saliva flow and mouth-sore scores more than the rinse alone in 60 nasopharyngeal cancer patients1
- Dry mouth
- Saliva output rose about 65% after one week of a D. candidum liquid extract in 16 people with Sjogren's syndrome, compared with a control group2
- Vaccine response
- Volunteers given 2 g/day of D. officinale extract during COVID-19 vaccination had lower neutralising antibody levels than placebo (51 analysed)3
- Fatty liver
- A retrospective study of 80 adults found better liver tests and blood lipids when D. nobile powder was added to standard care for 8 weeks8
- Pre-workout labels
- A blend of creatine, betaine and "dendrobium extract", funded by Driven Sports, raised blood pressure 3.0-5.4 mmHg after one dose (the comparator also raised diastolic pressure 3.0-3.9 mmHg) and did not improve strength or body composition over 6 weeks4
- Regulators
- In 2014 the FDA warned Driven Sports that the "Dendrobex" dendrobium extract in its CRAZE pre-workout made the product adulterated, and said the stimulant-type phenethylamines on its label do not appear to occur in Dendrobium; tested CRAZE samples held 21-35 mg per serving of the methamphetamine analog N,α-DEPEA675
What it is
Dendrobium is a genus of orchids whose stems, especially Dendrobium officinale, are used in Chinese medicine and in teas and supplements.
Forms, side by side
3 forms named in our sources. The rest show what our data holds, and say plainly where it holds nothing yet.
Dendrobium (Dendrobium officinale and related orchids) forms compared
3 forms| 3 forms | Dendrobium officinale stem tea | Aqueous or liquid stem extract | "Dendrobium extract" in pre-workout blends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absorption in people | Not measured in the trial abstract.1 | Not measured.23 | Not measured.45 |
| GI tolerance | Not described in the abstract.1 | Lowered neutralising antibodies after COVID-19 vaccination in one placebo-controlled study.23 | Blood pressure rose after a single dose of one blend.45 |
| Studied for | Radiation mouth sores | Dry mouth, immune markers | Workout energy (no performance benefit) |
- Dendrobium officinale stem tea
- Aqueous or liquid stem extract
- "Dendrobium extract" in pre-workout blends
- Studied for
- Workout energy (no performance benefit)
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form line shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
Trial map
5 graded outcomes, largest study first5 graded outcomes: 3 improved, 1 no effect, 1 worsened. The largest, a 2024 observational study of 80 people on liver function and blood lipids in fatty liver disease, found an improvement. One outcome found a worsening: neutralising antibody response to COVID-19 vaccination (51 people).
1Liver function and blood lipids in fatty liver disease
Improved · Grade D · Observational, 80 people, 2024
Adults with mild to moderate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (China)
Dose, result and source| Outcome | Found | People | Study | Who was studied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liver function and blood lipids in fatty liver disease | Improved | 80 | Grade D · Observational, 2024 | Adults with mild to moderate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (China) |
| Mouth sores and saliva flow during radiotherapy | Improved | 60 | Grade C · RCT, 2025 | Nasopharyngeal cancer patients with radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis (China) |
| Neutralising antibody response to COVID-19 vaccination | Worsened | 51 | Grade D · RCT, 2023 | Healthy adults (median age about 65) receiving two doses of an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine (China) |
| Strength, body composition and blood pressure with a pre-workout blend | No effect | 43 | No-effect grade · RCT, 2014 | Healthy young men and women in a 6-week resistance training program |
| Saliva output in Sjogren's syndrome | Improved | 16 | Grade D · Open-label trial, 2011 | People with Sjogren's syndrome and dry mouth |
Every graded row
5 rowsShowing 5 of 5 outcomes. Human trials only.
CGrade CMouth sores and saliva flow during radiotherapyOral mucositisBetter saliva and mouth scoresRCT
n 60 · 2025
Improved Salivary flow and oral mucosa scores improved more than in the control group (P < .05); IL-10 rose and oral bacteria shifted in the dendrobium group.
- Design
- RCT, n = 60, 2025
- Population
- Nasopharyngeal cancer patients with radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis (China)
- Form
- Dendrobium officinale tea drink plus vitamin B12 rinse vs vitamin B12 rinse alone
- Dose
- Daily tea drink (amount not stated in the abstract)
- Duration
- About 1 month (to the end of radiotherapy)
- Source
- Reference 1 · PubMed 39811879 (opens PubMed)
DGrade DLiver function and blood lipids in fatty liver diseaseLiver functionBetter liver tests (retrospective)Observational
n 80 · 2024
Improved Liver function, blood lipids, and liver fibrosis markers (HA, LN, PC III, CIV) improved more with dendrobium added (P < 0.05), and inflammatory markers fell; the reported total effective rate was 97.5% vs 72.5%.
- Design
- Observational, n = 80, 2024
- Population
- Adults with mild to moderate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (China)
- Form
- Dendrobium nobile powder added to standard treatment vs standard treatment alone
- Dose
- Not stated in the abstract
- Duration
- 8 weeks
- Source
- Reference 8 · PubMed 39649546 (opens PubMed)
DGrade DNeutralising antibody response to COVID-19 vaccinationVaccine responseLower neutralising antibodiesRCT
n 51 · 2023
Worsened Neutralising antibody levels were lower with the extract than with placebo (IgG and IgM were higher). The authors also reported immune-cell and gut-bacteria changes and said it may not be recommended during COVID-19 vaccination.
- Design
- RCT, n = 51, 2023
- Population
- Healthy adults (median age about 65) receiving two doses of an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine (China)
- Form
- Dendrobium officinale aqueous extract capsules vs cornstarch placebo
- Dose
- 2 g/day (n and dose from full text)
- Duration
- 9 weeks (extract started 3 weeks before the first vaccine dose)
- Source
- Reference 3 · PubMed 37062221 (opens PubMed)
DGrade DSaliva output in Sjogren's syndromeDry mouthAbout 65% more salivaOpen-label trial
n 16 · 2011
Improved Salivary secretion increased by about 65% compared with the control group, and aquaporin-5 labelling in lip gland biopsies was higher.
- Design
- Open-label trial, n = 16, 2011
- Population
- People with Sjogren's syndrome and dry mouth
- Form
- Dendrobium candidum liquid extract
- Dose
- Not stated in the abstract
- Duration
- 1 week
- Source
- Reference 2 · PubMed 20655712 (opens PubMed)
∅No effectStrength, body composition and blood pressure with a pre-workout blendWorkout performanceNo performance benefitRCT
n 43 · 2014
No effect No improvement in DEXA body composition or measured performance; self-rated energy and concentration were higher. A single dose raised systolic and diastolic pressure by 3.0-5.4 mmHg (p < 0.01), while the comparator also raised diastolic pressure by 3.0-3.9 mmHg; there was no QT change.
- Design
- RCT, n = 43, 2014
- Population
- Healthy young men and women in a 6-week resistance training program
- Form
- Pre-workout blend of creatine, betaine and dendrobium extract vs caffeine-matched comparator
- Dose
- One pre-workout serving per day
- Duration
- 6 weeks (plus a single-dose safety study in 40 people)
- Source
- Reference 4 · PubMed 24465156 (opens PubMed)
What the numbers add up to
Each point is worked out from the data and the sources numbered on this page, with the arithmetic shown under it. It adds no new data and is not medical advice.
Very little human evidence
Only one randomized trial of dendrobium by itself measured a clinical outcome, and it tested a tea added to a mouth rinse in 60 cancer patients.1
Immune effects cut both ways
Studied doses
Doses used in research, shown against the official limits. They describe the studies, not a recommendation for you.
Studied doses in research, not advice. These are amounts used in research, not personal advice. Your clinician or pharmacist can say what fits you.
Doses studied in human trials
Interactions and safety
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
What Dendrobium meets
1 cited row 3 tested togetherMedicines 1
Supplements and foods 3
- Measured in a human study
- Tested together in a graded trial
Choose a medicine or supplement above to read its cited rows here.
Also cited: 3 tested together
Vaccines
RCTMeasured in a human study
Vaccines, for example inactivated COVID-19 vaccine (CoronaVac): In a placebo-controlled study, people taking 2 g/day of D. officinale aqueous extract around vaccination had lower neutralising antibody levels than on placebo (IgG and IgM were higher); the authors said it may not be recommended during COVID-19 vaccination.
Source 3, Biomed Pharmacother (2023)
Creatine monohydrateCreatine monohydrate page
Tested together
Strength, body composition and blood pressure with a pre-workout blend. Graded on the Dendrobium page; tested together is not a claim that they work better together.
TMGTMG page
Tested together
Strength, body composition and blood pressure with a pre-workout blend. Graded on the Dendrobium page; tested together is not a claim that they work better together.
Vitamin B12Vitamin B12 page
Tested together
Mouth sores and saliva flow during radiotherapy. Graded on the Dendrobium page; tested together is not a claim that they work better together.
Interactions
1 agent| Agent | What the source says | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Medicines1 | ||
| Vaccinese.g. inactivated COVID-19 vaccine (CoronaVac) | In a placebo-controlled study, people taking 2 g/day of D. officinale aqueous extract around vaccination had lower neutralising antibody levels than on placebo (IgG and IgM were higher); the authors said it may not be recommended during COVID-19 vaccination.3 | RCT |
Check with what you take
Kept on this device onlyAdd what you take. We list every interaction our evidence profiles cite between Dendrobium and your picks, and between your picks.
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Add a supplement or medicine you take to check it against Dendrobium.
Starting from one medicine? The interaction checker rates how serious each pair is, on a curated list of 19 entries for 11 medicines. This cabinet has no severity rating: it lists every interaction row our supplement pages cite.
Who should be careful
5 groups- Around vaccination
- In a placebo-controlled study, people taking D. officinale extract during COVID-19 vaccination had lower neutralising antibody levels; the authors advised against using it during vaccination.3
- People with high blood pressure or heart conditions
- A pre-workout blend containing dendrobium extract raised blood pressure after one dose, and the FDA has warned that a "dendrobium extract" pre-workout ingredient was unlawful and listed stimulant-type compounds not found in the plant; one such product contained a methamphetamine analog.467
- People with cancer
- The mouth-sore trial added dendrobium tea to standard care during radiotherapy; it has not been tested as a substitute for cancer care.1
How to read the label
What to check on the Supplement Facts panel.
How to read the label
2 checksOrchid stem vs stimulant blend
Traditional products use the orchid stem, often as tea. "Dendrobium extract" on pre-workout labels is a different context: the FDA said the phenethylamines declared on one such label do not appear to occur in Dendrobium species, and FDA scientists list dendrobium among supplement ingredients involved in enforcement over stimulant-type phenethylamines.65
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to common questions; the numbers link to the sources below.
Common questions
5 answersCan I use dendrobium around a vaccine?
One placebo-controlled study found lower neutralising antibodies after COVID-19 vaccination in people taking D. officinale extract, and the authors advised against it during vaccination.3
Is dendrobium in pre-workouts safe?
What are the side effects of dendrobium?
Little is known. In the fatty-liver study, 5% of people given dendrobium with standard care had adverse reactions, fewer than with standard care alone. The documented concerns are lower vaccine antibody levels in one trial and pre-workout products labelled "dendrobium extract", one of which contained a methamphetamine analog.837
Is dendrobium safe to take long term?
Sources
8 sources: trial abstracts, NIH fact sheets and reference databases. Numbers in the text link here.
Sources cited on this page
8 sources- 1Effect of Dendrobium Officinale on Radioactive Oral Mucositis of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and Changes of Oral Microecology.RCT Integr Cancer Ther, 2025 · PMID 39811879
- 2Dendrobium candidum extract increases the expression of aquaporin-5 in labial glands from patients with Sjögren's syndrome.Open-label trial Phytomedicine, 2011 · PMID 20655712
- 3Dendrobium officinale aqueous extract influences the immune response following vaccination against SARS-CoV-2.RCT Biomed Pharmacother, 2023 · PMID 37062221
- 4Effects of a pre-workout supplement on lean mass, muscular performance, subjective workout experience and biomarkers of safety.RCT Int J Med Sci, 2014 · PMID 24465156
- 5Overview of regulation of dietary supplements in the USA and issues of adulteration with phenethylamines (PEAs).Review Drug Test Anal, 2017 · PMID 27259162
- 6FDA Warning Letter to Driven Sports Inc. re CRAZE and Dendrobex (April 4, 2014; full text reproduced by Casewatch)Safety communication U.S. Food and Drug Administration, CFSAN Office of Compliance, 2014 · quackwatch.org
- 7A methamphetamine analog (N,α-diethyl-phenylethylamine) identified in a mainstream dietary supplement.Observational Drug Test Anal, 2014 · PMID 24124092
- 8Effect of Dendrobium nobile powder combined with conventional therapy on mild to moderate fatty liver.Observational World J Gastroenterol, 2024 · PMID 39649546
What changed
Every dated change to this page: what changed, who made it and why.
Change log
3 entries| Date | Change | Who and why |
|---|---|---|
| evidence; studied doses; interactions; key facts; who should avoid; FAQ; questions; related | Added the 2023 placebo-controlled COVID-19 vaccine study as a graded row (lower neutralising antibodies; 51 analysed and 2 g/day taken from the PMC full text) and a matching vaccine interaction, plus a 2024 retrospective fatty-liver study of D. nobile powder in 80 adults (PMID 39649546), graded D. Studied doses now show the 2 g/day amount. Pregnancy and breastfeeding note rewritten: LactMed and LiverTox have no dendrobium entry (offline NCBI archive searched) and NCCIH has no dendrobium page. Replaced the FAQ that repeated the page's own evidence-strength question with side effects and long-term safety, added questions this page answers and an immune goal-hub link. PubMed search through October 2026 found no other human trial or meta-analysis; no pharmacokinetic interaction study exists. | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: A–Z audit against docs/supplements/AUDIT-STANDARD.md |
| all | Initial editorial evidence review (first draft). Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (titles and years taken from the record, none retracted) and the abstract read for each cited row. Studied doses are reported as research doses, not dosing advice. | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: new page |
| all | Adversarial review: added the FDA's April 4, 2014 warning letter to Driven Sports over Dendrobex in CRAZE and the Cohen 2013 analysis (PMID 24124092) finding N,alpha-DEPEA in CRAZE; noted the pre-workout trial was funded by Driven Sports and that its comparator also raised diastolic pressure; described the 2017 regulatory review as written by FDA scientists rather than as an FDA review. | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: adversarial review |
Supplement & Nutrient Encyclopedia. Educational information only; it is not medical advice and does not replace a clinician. Dietary supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Statements about supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA.