Supplement analysis backed by scientific evidence · PT

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Limited evidenceEye health

Dendrobium

An orchid used in Chinese medicine as a yin tonic for dryness, including dry eyes. The dry-eye research is genuinely interesting but entirely in rats, cells and mice — no human trial has been published.

Evidence last reviewed: August 2026

What the science says

  • Relief of dry eye Limited evidence

    Dendrobium extracts alleviated dry eye disease in a rat model by regulating aquaporin expression and MAPK/NF-kB signalling. The effect was measured in animals, and no clinical trial has tested dendrobium in people with dry eye.

  • Stimulating tear and mucous secretion Limited evidence

    Polysaccharides from Dendrobium officinale were shown to induce aquaporin 5 translocation by activating M3 muscarinic receptors in vitro, a mechanism consistent with promoting fluid secretion. This is cell-level evidence for a plausible pathway, not a demonstrated clinical effect.

  • Corneal repair Limited evidence

    Nanovesicles derived from Dendrobium officinale enhanced corneal epithelial repair and reduced inflammation in a mouse dry eye model. This is early-stage preclinical work on an experimental preparation, not the extract sold as a supplement.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseNo clinically studied dose. Traditional decoction use is 6–12 g of dried stem per day; extract capsules typically list 500–1000 mg without trial support.
SafetyLong culinary and medicinal use in East Asia with few documented problems, but formal human safety data are lacking. Dendrobium products have been associated with adulteration by stimulants such as DMAA and phenethylamine derivatives in the sports supplement market — buy only from suppliers who test for this. Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding for lack of data. Some Dendrobium species contain alkaloids with cardiovascular activity, so species labelling matters.

Scientific references

Where to buy

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