Vinpocetine

Vinca minor · Ethyl apovincaminate · Cavinton · Apovincaminic acid ethyl ester

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Post-stroke disability¹ Acute cerebral infarction² Cerebral blood flow^{2, 3} Cognitive impairment in dementia⁴ Genetic epilepsy (case reports)^{5, 6}	Pregnancy or nursing⁷ Blood-thinning medication use⁷ Low blood pressure⁷

Vinpocetine is a synthetic ethyl ester of apovincamine, derived from an alkaloid of lesser periwinkle (Vinca minor)⁸. It raises regional cerebral blood flow and glucose uptake. Supplementation follows from that effect, for memory and cognition and for cerebrovascular disorders such as stroke and dementia⁹. Typical users are older adults with cognitive decline and stroke survivors. Case reports also describe use in epilepsy linked to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor gene variants^{5, 6}.

A Cochrane review found the evidence in dementia inconclusive and not supportive of clinical use, while an umbrella review of herbal medicines rated cognitive benefit as suggestive⁴. In acute ischemic stroke, a 2022 meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials found less death or disability but too little evidence for routine use. A 2021 crossover trial found no cognitive benefit in healthy volunteers or patients with epilepsy¹⁰. In a 2026 in vitro study, vinpocetine disrupted development in mouse and human gastruloids at concentrations used for neuroprotective effects; no human trial has tested this. Products are sold mainly as capsules and tablets, with 663 products listing vinpocetine in the NIH label database. A US analysis found some labeled products contained none¹¹.

The developmental findings are the reason behind the pregnancy caution, which US product labels state outright⁷. For blood-thinning medication or low blood pressure, US product labels ask users to consult a healthcare provider before use⁷.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

51 sources, 44 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources