Apocynum venetum

BotanicalBest before bedBest taken with food

What is it

Apocynum venetum (rafuma, luo bu ma, dogbane) is a plant whose leaves are used in traditional Chinese medicine. Standardized extracts (e.g., Venetron, Posinol) are marketed for mood and sleep support.

Evidence for 1 use

AI-assisted evidence assessment — talk to your doctor before relying on any single supplement.

Mood / sleep support

Limited Evidence

Small RCTs of standardized Apocynum venetum extracts suggest modest improvements in subjective mood and sleep quality.

How it works

Apocynum venetum leaves contain flavonoids including hyperoside and isoquercitrin. Animal studies suggest anxiolytic and antidepressant-like activity, with proposed mechanisms involving monoaminergic and serotonergic pathways. Small human studies of standardized extracts have explored effects on subjective sleep quality and mood, with modest reported improvements.

Dosage

There is no RDA. Standardized extracts (Venetron) are typically dosed at around 50 mg/day. DSLD does not provide a median dose for this entry.

When and how to take it

Often taken in the evening for sleep applications. Take with food for tolerability.

1 commercial form

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Apocynum venetum leaf extract (Venetron / Posinol)

Look for branded extracts with clinical data.

Standardized extracts are the studied form.

Safety

Generally well tolerated in short-term studies. Older literature mentions cardiac glycoside content in some Apocynum species; modern standardized extracts are formulated to minimize this. Long-term safety data are limited.

Who should be cautious

Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding due to limited safety data. Caution if on antidepressants or cardiac medications. Use only standardized branded extracts when possible.

Interactions

Theoretical interactions with antidepressant medications based on monoaminergic activity. Potential additive effects with cardiac drugs if non-standardized products are used.

Frequently asked questions

Will Apocynum venetum help me sleep?⌄

Small studies suggest modest sleep quality improvements. It is not a substitute for evidence-based sleep care.

Is it the same as Apocynum cannabinum (Indian hemp)?⌄

No. They are different species; Apocynum cannabinum has historically been used for its cardiac glycoside content and is not interchangeable.

References

Apocynum venetum on Wikidata — Wikidata link

Apocynum venetum on NIH DSLD (US supplement label database) — NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database link

Research on Apocynum venetum (PubMed search) — PubMed link

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Evidence-based·How we grade evidence

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This page is educational, not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Evidence grades are AI-assisted assessments — talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, on medications, or managing a chronic condition.