Supplement
Vinpocetine is a compound made from a substance in the periwinkle plant, thought to widen small blood vessels in the brain and protect nerve cells. People mostly look at it for chronic problems with blood flow to the brain, and the evidence is moderate: small studies found a slight improvement in thinking in vascular dementia, along with better everyday functioning and sense of well-being in older adults. Most of that research was small and limited, and one memory finding came from a tiny study in healthy volunteers, so the results are hard to generalize.
Sources: PMID 21183904; PMID 21311488
- Updated
- How we grade
- 3 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade C
- Conditions studied
- 3
- Outcomes
- 9
- Graded outcomes
- 0060
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Decline Small improvement in cognitive function in vascular dementia | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 1 study | 1,011 people | ||
Studies that measured cognitive decline | ||||||
| Functionality in Elderly Small improvement in daily functioning | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 1,011 people | |||
| Functionality in Elderly or Injured Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 1,011 people | |||
| Subjective Well-Being | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 1,011 people | |||
Studies that measured subjective well-being | ||||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Decline Improvement in cognitive symptoms | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 1 study | 20 people | ||
Studies that measured cognitive decline | ||||||
| Subjective Well-Being Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 1 study | 20 people | ||
Studies that measured subjective well-being | ||||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memory Small improvement in memory tasks (healthy volunteers, small study) | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 12 people | |||
| Processing Accuracy | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 12 people | |||
Studies that measured processing accuracy | ||||||
| Reaction Time | Improves (the measure goes up) | 12 people | ||||
Key findings
- Cognitive DeclineImproves (the measure goes down)
- Subjective Well-BeingImproves (the measure goes up)
- Functionality in ElderlyImproves (the measure goes up)
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- Grade C
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Studies cited
3 studies from PubMed
- [Efficacy of cavinton in the treatment of patients with chronic blood flow insufficiency. Russian multicenter clinical-epidemiological program "CALIPSO"]
- Psychopharmacological effects of vinpocetine in normal healthy volunteers
- [Efficacy of vinpotropile in the therapy of initial signs of cerebrovascular pathology]