Supplement · Nootropics & cognition
Vinpocetine
A cerebral blood-flow nootropic with mixed evidence and pregnancy warnings.
- Evidence
- Silver· human data
- Sources cited
- 1
- Last reviewed
- 22 July 2026
Vinpocetine, derived from the periwinkle plant, is used (as a drug in some countries) to improve cerebral blood flow and is sold elsewhere as a cognitive supplement.
Evidence for cognition is mixed and mostly older, and it is regulated as a medicine in several places. Importantly, safety authorities have warned it should not be used in pregnancy or by those who may become pregnant, owing to potential harm to a developing fetus.