Vinpocetine
Also called ethyl apovincaminate, Cavinton.
Best grade C across 6 graded outcomes Other Last checked
The short answer
From 12 sourcesVinpocetine is a synthetic derivative of vincamine, a periwinkle alkaloid, prescribed in some countries but never FDA-approved. Cochrane found dementia evidence inconclusive. The FDA tentatively concluded in 2016 that it is not a lawful dietary ingredient and in 2019 warned it may cause miscarriage or harm fetal development. Supplement labels are unreliable.
Every graded outcome on this page
6 rows · line = participants- CGrade CDeath or significant disability after acute ischaemic strokeStroken 837
- CGrade CCognition and global impression in dementiaDementian 583
- CGrade CGlobal improvement and cognitive performance in mild-to-moderate organic psychosyndromesDementian 203
- DGrade DSeizure frequency in focal epilepsy, added to anti-seizure medicinesEpilepsyn 87
- DGrade DDeath or dependency after acute ischaemic strokeStroken 63
- DGrade DCognition in healthy volunteers and people with focal epilepsyCognitionn 16
- 3 more graded outcomes, in the evidence chapter
Key facts
- What it is
- A synthetic compound derived from vincamine (a Vinca minor alkaloid); FDA says it is not a constituent of any plant1
- US status
- FDA tentatively concluded in 2016 that vinpocetine is not a dietary ingredient and may not be sold as a supplement1
- Pregnancy warning
- On June 3, 2019 the FDA advised pregnant women and women who could become pregnant not to take vinpocetine, because it may cause a miscarriage or harm fetal development1
- Dementia evidence
- Cochrane (3 trials, 583 people): inconclusive and does not support clinical use2
- Label accuracy
- Of 23 US products labelled as vinpocetine, 6 contained none; the rest held 0.3–32 mg per daily serving8
- Interactions
- May add to blood thinners and blood-pressure medicines (MSKCC); a small study found only a minor effect on warfarin107
- Healthy people
- A small crossover trial found no cognitive benefit from single 10–60 mg doses in healthy volunteers11
What it is
Vinpocetine is a synthetic compound made from vincamine; the FDA warns against use in pregnancy.
Forms, side by side
2 forms named in our sources. The rest show what our data holds, and say plainly where it holds nothing yet.
Vinpocetine forms compared
2 forms| 2 forms | Tablets or capsules | Products labelled as periwinkle or Vinca minor extract |
|---|---|---|
| Absorption in people | Taken with food, relative bioavailability was about 60–100% higher than when fasting (8 volunteers, 10 mg tablets).6 | No human data.8 |
| GI tolerance | Cochrane found few adverse effects at the doses studied, though reporting was inconsistent.2 | FDA states vinpocetine is synthetic, not a plant constituent; three tested supplements implied it came from lesser periwinkle.18 |
| Studied for | Dementia and cognitive-impairment trials (30–60 mg/day) | Not studied |
- Vinpocetine tablets or capsules
- Absorption in people
- Taken with food, relative bioavailability was about 60–100% higher than when fasting (8 volunteers, 10 mg tablets).6
- GI tolerance
- Cochrane found few adverse effects at the doses studied, though reporting was inconsistent.2
- Studied for
- Dementia and cognitive-impairment trials (30–60 mg/day)
- Products labelled as periwinkle or Vinca minor extract
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
6 graded outcomes, largest study first6 graded outcomes: 3 improved, 1 mixed, 2 no effect. The largest, a 2022 meta-analysis of 837 people on death or significant disability after acute ischaemic stroke, found an improvement.
1Death or significant disability after acute ischaemic stroke
Improved · Grade C · Meta-analysis, 837 people, 2022
Patients with acute ischaemic stroke (4 placebo-controlled trials)
Dose, result and source| Outcome | Found | People | Study | Who was studied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Death or significant disability after acute ischaemic stroke | Improved | 837 | Grade C · Meta-analysis, 2022 | Patients with acute ischaemic stroke (4 placebo-controlled trials) |
| Cognition and global impression in dementia | Mixed | 583 | Grade C · Meta-analysis, 2003 | People with vascular, Alzheimer’s or mixed dementia (3 trials, all run before the 1990s) |
| Global improvement and cognitive performance in mild-to-moderate organic psychosyndromes | Improved | 203 | Grade C · RCT, 1991 | Outpatients with mild to moderate organic psychosyndromes, including primary dementia |
| Seizure frequency in focal epilepsy, added to anti-seizure medicines | Improved | 87 | Grade D · RCT, 2019 | Patients with focal epilepsy on 1 to 3 anti-seizure drugs (Mexico) |
| Death or dependency after acute ischaemic stroke | No effect | 63 | Grade D · Systematic review, 2008 | People within 14 days of acute ischaemic stroke (2 trials) |
| Cognition in healthy volunteers and people with focal epilepsy | No effect | 16 | Grade D · Crossover RCT, 2021 | 8 healthy adult volunteers and 8 patients with focal epilepsy |
Every graded row
6 rowsShowing 6 of 6 outcomes. Human trials only.
CGrade CDeath or significant disability after acute ischaemic strokeStrokeImprovedMeta-analysis · 4 studies
n 837 · 2022
Improved Death or significant disability was lower than with placebo at 1 month (RR 0.80) and 3 months (RR 0.67); the authors say evidence is not enough to show lower deaths and call for larger trials.
- Design
- Meta-analysis, 4 studies, n = 837, 2022
- Population
- Patients with acute ischaemic stroke (4 placebo-controlled trials)
- Form
- Vinpocetine
- Dose
- Not stated in the abstract
- Duration
- 1 and 3 months follow-up
- Source
- Reference 4 · PubMed 35488169 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CCognition and global impression in dementiaDementiaMixedMeta-analysis · 3 studies
n 583 · 2003
Mixed Benefits over placebo were reported, but few people were treated for 6 months or longer and intention-to-treat data were missing; reviewers judged the evidence inconclusive and not supportive of clinical use.
- Design
- Meta-analysis, 3 studies, n = 583, 2003
- Population
- People with vascular, Alzheimer’s or mixed dementia (3 trials, all run before the 1990s)
- Form
- Vinpocetine tablets
- Dose
- 30 mg/day and 60 mg/day
- Duration
- Up to 1 year (few people treated for 6 months or more)
- Source
- Reference 2 · PubMed 12535455 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CGlobal improvement and cognitive performance in mild-to-moderate organic psychosyndromesDementiaImprovedRCT
n 203 · 1991
Improved Both doses beat placebo on clinical global improvement and a cognitive test (SKT); the higher dose was not better than the lower one. Adverse events were similar to placebo.
- Design
- RCT, n = 203, 1991
- Population
- Outpatients with mild to moderate organic psychosyndromes, including primary dementia
- Form
- Vinpocetine tablets
- Dose
- 3 × 10 mg or 3 × 20 mg per day (30 or 60 mg/day)
- Duration
- 16 weeks
- Source
- Reference 5 · PubMed 2071888 (opens PubMed)
DGrade DSeizure frequency in focal epilepsy, added to anti-seizure medicinesEpilepsyImprovedRCT
n 87 · 2019
Improved 69% on vinpocetine vs 13% on placebo had at least 50% fewer seizures (p < 0.0001). Adverse effects did not differ from placebo; the most frequent were headache (7.9%) and double vision (5.2%).
- Design
- RCT, n = 87, 2019
- Population
- Patients with focal epilepsy on 1 to 3 anti-seizure drugs (Mexico)
- Form
- Extended-release vinpocetine
- Dose
- 2 mg/kg/day
- Duration
- 4-week titration, then 8-week evaluation
- Source
- Reference 12 · PubMed 31536041 (opens PubMed)
DGrade DDeath or dependency after acute ischaemic strokeStrokeNo effectSystematic review · 2 studies
n 63 · 2008
No effect Death or dependency did not differ from placebo; confidence intervals were wide, so neither benefit nor harm could be ruled out.
- Design
- Systematic review, 2 studies, n = 63, 2008
- Population
- People within 14 days of acute ischaemic stroke (2 trials)
- Form
- Vinpocetine
- Dose
- Not stated in the abstract
- Duration
- 1 and 3 months follow-up
- Source
- Reference 3 · PubMed 18253980 (opens PubMed)
DGrade DCognition in healthy volunteers and people with focal epilepsyCognitionNo effectCrossover RCT
n 16 · 2021
No effect No significant cognitive benefit in either group, and no appreciable side effects. Blood levels of vinpocetine and its metabolite were lower in people than in mice given doses that work in animal models.
- Design
- Crossover RCT, n = 16, 2021
- Population
- 8 healthy adult volunteers and 8 patients with focal epilepsy
- Form
- Vinpocetine, oral
- Dose
- Single doses of 10, 20 and 60 mg (healthy volunteers); a single 20 mg dose, then 20 mg three times a day open-label (epilepsy)
- Duration
- Single doses; then 1 month open-label in the epilepsy group
- Source
- Reference 11 · PubMed 33957389 (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.
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 Vinpocetine meets
4 cited rowsMedicines 4
Supplements and foods 0
No supplement rows in our sources.
- Measured in a human study
- Reference summary
Choose a medicine or supplement above to read its cited rows here.
Also cited:
Warfarin
PK studyMeasured in a human study
Warfarin: In 18 men, 10 mg vinpocetine doses given from day 6 to day 24 (frequency not stated in the abstract) slightly lowered warfarin’s effect on prothrombin time; the change met equivalence limits and was judged probably not clinically important.
Source 7, Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther Toxicol (1990)
Anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs
ReviewReference summary
Anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs: MSKCC lists possible additive effects and a higher risk of bleeding.
Source 10, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (About Herbs) (2021)
Blood-pressure medicines
ReviewReference summary
Blood-pressure medicines: Vinpocetine may increase the blood-pressure-lowering effect (MSKCC).
Source 10, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (About Herbs) (2021)
P-glycoprotein substrate drugs
ReviewReference summary
P-glycoprotein substrate drugs: In lab studies vinpocetine strongly inhibited P-glycoprotein, which could change levels of drugs that depend on it; clinical relevance is not known.
Source 10, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (About Herbs) (2021)
Interactions
4 agents| Agent | What the source says | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Medicines4 | ||
| Warfarin | In 18 men, 10 mg vinpocetine doses given from day 6 to day 24 (frequency not stated in the abstract) slightly lowered warfarin’s effect on prothrombin time; the change met equivalence limits and was judged probably not clinically important.7 | PK study |
| Anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs | MSKCC lists possible additive effects and a higher risk of bleeding.10 | Review |
| Blood-pressure medicines | Vinpocetine may increase the blood-pressure-lowering effect (MSKCC).10 | Review |
| P-glycoprotein substrate drugs | In lab studies vinpocetine strongly inhibited P-glycoprotein, which could change levels of drugs that depend on it; clinical relevance is not known.10 | Review |
Check with what you take
Kept on this device onlyAdd what you take. We list every interaction our evidence profiles cite between Vinpocetine and your picks, and between your picks.
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Add a supplement or medicine you take to check it against Vinpocetine.
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
6 groups- Pregnancy or possible pregnancy
- On June 3, 2019, the FDA issued a safety warning: according to data it reviewed, vinpocetine is associated with adverse reproductive effects and may cause a miscarriage or harm fetal development. FDA advises pregnant women and women who could become pregnant not to take it, and advised firms to check that their labels carry this warning.1
- Breastfeeding
- We found no human data on vinpocetine during breastfeeding: LactMed has no record, and the FDA warning addresses pregnancy and women who could become pregnant. Given the reproductive warning and the lack of data, use while breastfeeding has no safety evidence behind it.1
- Anyone buying it as a supplement
- FDA has tentatively concluded vinpocetine may not be marketed as a dietary supplement, and tested products often did not match their labels.18
- People on blood thinners
- MSKCC warns vinpocetine may add to the effects of anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs and raise bleeding risk. A small study found only a minor effect on warfarin, but data are limited to 18 healthy men.107
- Low blood pressure, heart disease or stroke
- MSKCC advises people with low blood pressure, a history of heart problems or strokes, or on cardiovascular or blood-thinning medicines to consult a physician first; low blood pressure is a listed side effect.10
- Blood counts
- MSKCC cites a case of agranulocytosis (very low white blood cells) in a 73-year-old man after 50 days of vinpocetine, which resolved after stopping it.10
Safety first
3 notesA regulatory and pregnancy warning page, not a buying guide.
- Reproductive risk
- FDA’s 2019 warning cites data that vinpocetine is associated with adverse reproductive effects; a 2026 lab study found it disrupted mouse and human stem-cell embryo models in the dish, at concentrations the authors say are commonly used to elicit its purported neuroprotective effects.19
- Legal status
- US: never FDA-approved; FDA tentatively concluded in 2016 that it is excluded from the dietary-supplement definition because it was authorised for investigation as a new drug first. Prescribed as a drug in some other countries.18
- Unreliable products
- Labels did not give consumers accurate information about vinpocetine presence or amount.8
How the body handles vinpocetine
2 notesHow to read the label
What to check on the Supplement Facts panel.
How to read the label
3 checksNot a periwinkle extract
Label dose vs studied dose
Other names
FDA lists ethyl apovincaminate, lesser periwinkle extract and Vinca minor extract as names used for vinpocetine.1
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to common questions; the numbers link to the sources below.
Common questions
8 answersDoes vinpocetine improve memory?
What are the side effects of vinpocetine?
Does vinpocetine interact with blood thinners?
Is vinpocetine safe during pregnancy?
No. In June 2019 the FDA advised pregnant women and women who could become pregnant not to take it, because data it reviewed link vinpocetine to adverse reproductive effects such as miscarriage or harm to fetal development.1
Is vinpocetine safe while breastfeeding?
There are no human data. LactMed has no record, and the FDA warning covers pregnancy and women who could become pregnant, so its safety while breastfeeding is unknown.1
Do vinpocetine supplements contain what the label says?
Often not: 6 of 23 US products had none, and amounts in the rest varied from 0.3 to 32 mg.8
Is vinpocetine legal in the US?
FDA tentatively concluded in 2016 that it is not a dietary ingredient and may not be sold as a supplement; it has never been FDA-approved as a drug.1
Is vinpocetine from periwinkle?
It is made from vincamine, a periwinkle alkaloid, but FDA says vinpocetine itself is synthetic and not found in the plant.1
Sources
12 sources: trial abstracts, NIH fact sheets and reference databases. Numbers in the text link here.
Sources cited on this page
12 sources- 1Vinpocetine in Dietary SupplementsSafety communication U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2023 · fda.gov
- 2Vinpocetine for cognitive impairment and dementia.Meta-analysis Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2003 · PMID 12535455
- 3Vinpocetine for acute ischaemic stroke.Systematic review Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2008 · PMID 18253980
- 4Safety and Efficacy of Vinpocetine as a Neuroprotective Agent in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Meta-analysis Neurocrit Care, 2022 · PMID 35488169
- 5Efficacy and tolerance of vinpocetine in ambulant patients suffering from mild to moderate organic psychosyndromes.RCT Int Clin Psychopharmacol, 1991 · PMID 2071888
- 6Bioavailability of vinpocetine and interference of the time of application with food intake.PK study Arzneimittelforschung, 1992 · PMID 1418055
- 7Influence of vinpocetine on warfarin-induced inhibition of coagulation.PK study Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther Toxicol, 1990 · PMID 2272713
- 8Identification and quantification of vinpocetine and picamilon in dietary supplements sold in the United States.Observational Drug Test Anal, 2016 · PMID 26426301
- 9Developmental Toxicity Evaluation of the Dietary Supplement Vinpocetine Using Mouse and Human 3D Gastruloids.Animal study Birth Defects Res, 2026 · PMID 42167926
- 10Vinpocetine: Purported Benefits, Side Effects & More (About Herbs, last updated December 10, 2021)Database Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (About Herbs), 2021 · mskcc.org
- 11Vinpocetine, cognition, and epilepsy.Crossover RCT Epilepsy Behav, 2021 · PMID 33957389
- 12Extended-release vinpocetine: a possible adjuvant treatment for focal onset epileptic seizures.RCT Bol Med Hosp Infant Mex, 2019 · PMID 31536041
What changed
Every dated change to this page: what changed, who made it and why.
Change log
4 entries| Date | Change | Who and why |
|---|---|---|
| evidence, key facts, interactions, who should be careful, FAQ, related | FDA vinpocetine page re-read: the June 3, 2019 pregnancy warning is now quoted with its date and wording. Added a crossover trial in healthy volunteers (PMID 33957389) and an add-on epilepsy trial marked as supervised medical use (PMID 31536041). Added blood-thinner, blood-pressure and P-glycoprotein interactions, heart and blood-count cautions and a breastfeeding note from MSKCC About Herbs; two FAQs added. No LactMed or LiverTox record exists for vinpocetine. Fact-checked against the sources; corrected: FDA advised firms to check their labels rather than requiring a label warning; the epilepsy trial support is from outside the US government, not non-government; MSKCC rates the listed side effects rare. | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: A–Z page audit |
| all | Independent adversarial review: warfarin row no longer states a daily dose the abstract does not give (10 mg doses, days 6–24); embryo-model note now says the concentrations are lab concentrations, as the abstract states. | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: review |
| all | Adversarial review pass: every evidence row, key fact, interaction, safety note and FAQ re-read against its PubMed abstract or source page, and every number machine-checked against the cited source text. Retraction, expression-of-concern and withdrawn checks on all PMIDs: none flagged. Fixes: mechanism limited to what the sources state; Cochrane duration and stroke population matched to the abstracts; warfarin timing corrected. | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: review |
| all | Initial editorial evidence review (first draft). Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (titles and years taken from the record) and the abstract read for each cited row. Studied doses are reported as research doses, not dosing advice. | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: new page |
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.