Free entry from The Complete Supplement Guide

Cissus Quadrangularis

Graded Emerging · Recovery & Joint Health · free to read

Cissus Quadrangularis has centuries of use in Ayurvedic medicine for fracture healing and joint repair under the name Hadjod, meaning bone joiner.

The form that actually absorbs, the purity red flags and what not to stack it with are in the guide.

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Last reviewed September 2026

The Complete Supplement Guide

The verdict

Is Cissus Quadrangularis worth taking?

Cissus Quadrangularis has centuries of use in Ayurvedic medicine for fracture healing and joint repair under the name Hadjod, meaning bone joiner. Preclinical data on bone healing acceleration is compelling. A July 2025 systematic review of human trials found mixed results across bone biomarkers with very low certainty of evidence overall. Strong traditional track record, promising mechanism, limited modern trial confirmation. Use 1,200 to 1,600 mg daily for bone and ligament recovery applications. Treat as a complementary compound rather than a primary one at this stage.

What it does

What Cissus Quadrangularis does in the body

Bone healing acceleration, ligament and tendon repair, joint pain, and anti-inflammatory activity. Cissus Quadrangularis contains beta-sitosterol, lupeol, vitamin C, flavonoids, and ketosteroids believed to promote osteoblast activity while inhibiting osteoclast activity that breaks bone down. Animal studies consistently show accelerated fracture healing, increased bone mineral density, and improved bone quality markers. Human evidence for fracture healing acceleration from Ayurvedic clinical use is positive though trial quality is variable.

The evidence

What the research actually shows

Emerging. Preclinical evidence in animal models is consistent and mechanistically compelling. Human trials for fracture healing in Ayurvedic contexts report faster healing times. A July 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of seven human trials totaling 354 participants found significant increases in parathyroid hormone but no significant changes in other bone biomarkers including calcium, phosphorus, or alkaline phosphatase. GRADE certainty of evidence was rated very low. Traditional evidence base is strong but modern clinical trial data remains limited and mixed.

Food first

Getting Cissus Quadrangularis from food

Cissus Quadrangularis is consumed as a vegetable in parts of Southeast Asia and Africa, typically boiled or made into a paste. This traditional dietary use at culinary amounts is far below clinical research doses. No common food- form equivalent in Western diets exists for this compound.

What the guide adds

The part that is not on this page

Everything above is the assessment. What the guide adds for Cissus Quadrangularis is the protocol:

  • Optimal Form
  • Bioavailability
  • Purity Red Flags
  • Stack With / Avoid

147 entries across nine categories, every one graded against the clinical literature the same way.

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About the author

Who graded this

Daniel Edlund is a Le Cordon Bleu-trained private chef in Los Angeles, a certified personal trainer and strength coach, and an internationally licensed massage therapist. Thirty years of strength training and fifteen years cooking in private estate kitchens. He is the author of The Complete Supplement Guide, which grades 147 entries against the clinical literature, and of The EASY Way to Organic Cooking, first published in 2013.

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This page is information, not medical advice. Supplements interact with prescription medication and with each other, and the right answer depends on your own bloodwork and history. Talk to your doctor before starting anything, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, managing a health condition, or already taking medication.

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