Condurango

Botanical

What is it

Condurango (Marsdenia cundurango) is a South American climbing vine whose bark has been used in traditional and homeopathic medicine for digestive complaints, particularly poor appetite and stomach upset.

Evidence for 1 use

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

Appetite / digestion (traditional)

Mixed Evidence

Use is based on traditional herbalism and small preclinical data. Modern clinical evidence is lacking.

How it works

Condurango bark contains glycosides (condurangoglycosides), tannins, and saponins. Traditional use is as a bitter aperitif and digestive tonic. Some preclinical studies report mild anti-inflammatory and gastroprotective effects in animal models. Clinical human evidence is sparse; modern use is mostly within homeopathic preparations and traditional herbal bitters.

Dosage

There is no RDA. Traditional doses are around 0.5-1 g of bark or equivalent in tincture. DSLD does not provide a median dose for this entry.

When and how to take it

Bitter herbs are traditionally taken 15-30 minutes before meals to support digestion.

1 commercial form

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Condurango bark extract / tincture

Used as a bitter herbal preparation.

Composition varies by preparation.

Safety

Generally well tolerated at traditional bitter doses. Limited modern safety data; concentrated extracts have not been well studied.

Who should be cautious

Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding due to lack of safety data. Use cautiously in chronic GI conditions.

Interactions

No major clinically documented interactions.

Frequently asked questions

Is condurango safe?⌄

At traditional doses it appears well tolerated, though robust modern safety data are limited.

Will it help my appetite?⌄

Traditional bitter herbs may stimulate appetite and gastric secretions, but modern evidence is anecdotal.

References

Condurango on Wikidata — Wikidata link

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

Research on Condurango (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.