Griffonia

What Is Griffonia?

Griffonia is a woody climbing shrub of West Africa whose seeds are the commercial source of 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan), the direct precursor of serotonin ^{30,31Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →Reference 31Useful Tropical Plants DatabaseGriffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) BaillView study →}.

Griffonia simplicifolia is an evergreen shrub or liana of the legume family that climbs to about 3 m on short, woody tendrils ^{31Reference 31Useful Tropical Plants DatabaseGriffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) BaillView study →}. It grows from Liberia to Gabon, in savanna, coastal scrub and forest margins ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}. Across that range its bark, leaves, stems and roots are local medicines, and its stems are chewed to clean the teeth ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}.

The ripe seeds contain 6–14% 5-HTP ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}, and seed from Ghana has been measured at 20.8% ^{25Reference 25Lemaire PA · 2002An HPLC method for the direct assay of the serotonin precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan in seeds of Griffonia simplicifoliaView study →}. Research on 5-HTP has looked at depression, fibromyalgia, appetite and panic in small trials, most of them decades old, and the one trial of the seed extract itself found no effect on pain ^{1,29Reference 1Shaw K et al. · 2001Systematic reviewTryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan for depression — systematic reviewView study →Reference 29Schlemmer AJ et al. · 2026RCTThe effect of Griffonia simplicifolia on pain intensity, central and peripheral sensitization, and pain modulation in healthy volunteers — randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trialView study →}.

How Is Griffonia Used?

Griffonia is taken almost entirely as a standardised seed extract, in capsules or tablets, dosed by its 5-HTP content rather than by the weight of seed. It is usually taken for weeks to months rather than continuously.

In West Africa the plant is used differently: leaf and stem decoctions, leaf sap and pastes are applied or drunk, and the stems and roots serve as chew-sticks ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}.

Traditional Uses

West African Folk Medicine

In Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria the pulped bark is applied to syphilitic sores ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}.

A leaf decoction is taken as an emetic, a cough medicine and an aphrodisiac. A decoction of the stems and leaves is taken as a purgative for constipation, and used externally as an antiseptic wash for suppurating wounds ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}.

The leaf sap is used as eye drops for inflamed eyes, and is drunk or given as an enema for kidney problems. A paste of the leaves is applied to burns, and a paste of the stems and stem bark to decaying teeth ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}.

In Ghana the stems are beaten into fibres that serve as chewing sponges for cleaning the teeth, and the stems and roots are used as chew-sticks for the teeth and gums ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}. In Nigeria an extract of the powdered root has been used for sickle-cell anaemia ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}.

Indications

• Low mood and mild depression [seed extract, as 5-HTP]
• Appetite control and weight loss [seed extract, as 5-HTP]
• Fibromyalgia [seed extract, as 5-HTP]
• Anxiety and panic [seed extract, as 5-HTP]
• Difficulty falling asleep [seed extract, as 5-HTP]
• Migraine prevention [seed extract, as 5-HTP] ⚠Caution: Adult trials compared 5-HTP only with other drugs. The one placebo-controlled trial, in children, found no difference between 5-HTP and placebo ^12,13.
• Coughs [leaf decoction; West African folk use]
• Constipation [stem and leaf decoction; West African folk use]
• Wounds and burns [stem and leaf wash, leaf paste; West African folk use]
• Tooth decay and gum health [stems and roots as chew-sticks; West African folk use]
• Sickle-cell anaemia [root extract; Nigerian folk use]

Botany

Griffonia is an evergreen, hard-wooded shrub or large climber in the legume family (Fabaceae) ^{30,31Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →Reference 31Useful Tropical Plants DatabaseGriffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) BaillView study →}. It climbs with short, strong, woody tendrils and grows to about 3 m ^{31Reference 31Useful Tropical Plants DatabaseGriffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) BaillView study →}. Its branches are smooth and brown-black ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}.

Its leaves are simple rather than divided, which gives the plant its species name, simplicifolia. Each leaf is oval, 6–12 cm long and 3–6 cm wide, with three to five main veins running from the base ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}.

The flowers grow in upright, branched clusters 5–20 cm long ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}. Each flower has an orange calyx tube and fleshy, greenish petals 10–12 mm long ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}. In West Africa it flowers from July to November, and the pods ripen from August onwards ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}.

The fruit is an inflated, leathery pod about 8 cm long and 4 cm wide, holding one to four round seeds about 18 mm across ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}. The seed is the part traded for its 5-HTP ^{30,31Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →Reference 31Useful Tropical Plants DatabaseGriffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) BaillView study →}. Older literature names the plant Bandeiraea simplicifolia ^{31Reference 31Useful Tropical Plants DatabaseGriffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) BaillView study →}.

Distribution

Griffonia grows in West and west-central Africa, from Liberia to Gabon ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}, with records from Nigeria and Congo ^{31Reference 31Useful Tropical Plants DatabaseGriffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) BaillView study →}. It grows in grass savanna, on termite mounds in coastal plains, in scrub thickets, in secondary and disturbed forest, and along the edges of primary forest ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}.

Nearly all commercial seed is gathered from wild plants; the species is not cultivated as a crop, and seed germination and stem cuttings have both given poor results in trials ^{30,31Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →Reference 31Useful Tropical Plants DatabaseGriffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) BaillView study →}. In the early 1990s Ghana alone exported about 80 tonnes of seed a year to Germany ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}.

Sourcing: griffonia is reported to be common, and taking the seed does not have to harm the vine. But there are reports of whole lianas being cut down to collect the seed, and destructive harvesting combined with heavy grazing could reduce wild populations ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}. It is worth asking a supplier how the seed was collected.

Growing Conditions

Cultivation snapshot for Griffonia

Lifeperennial

• Strictly tropical: griffonia has no frost tolerance and needs consistent warmth and humidity year-round.
• Naturally a climber of savannah scrub and forest edge — give it support and room to scramble, in full sun to part shade.
• Tolerant of poor and sandy soils in the wild, including coastal ground; sharp drainage suits it.
• Hard to propagate: seed germination is poor even with pre-treatment and stem cuttings generally fail, which is why the plant is still wild-harvested rather than farmed.

Grow it yourself

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How to growComing soon

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Phytochemistry

The seed’s main constituent is 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), the direct precursor of serotonin. Ripe seeds contain 6–14% 5-HTP ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}, and the highest level recorded, 20.83% of fresh weight, was in seed from Ghana ^{25Reference 25Lemaire PA · 2002An HPLC method for the direct assay of the serotonin precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan in seeds of Griffonia simplicifoliaView study →}.

5-HTP is an amino acid made one step before serotonin in the body. Taken by mouth it skips the rate-limiting enzyme, tryptophan hydroxylase, and crosses into the brain without a carrier ^{16Reference 16Birdsall TC · 1998ReviewBirdsall TC. (1998). 5-Hydroxytryptophan: a clinically-effective serotonin precursor — review. Alternative Medicine Review. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9727088/View study →}.

The seed also contains smaller amounts of the β-carboline alkaloid griffonine and seven other alkaloids ^{26,27Reference 26Vigliante I et al. · 2019Chemical characterization and DNA fingerprinting of Griffonia simplicifolia BaillView study →Reference 27Wang XZ et al. · 2013A new β-carboline alkaloid from the seeds of Griffonia simplicifoliaView study →}, and several lectins, carbohydrate-binding proteins. One of these, isolectin B4, is used in neuroscience research as a marker for small sensory neurons ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}. The seed oil is mostly linoleic and oleic acid ^{26Reference 26Vigliante I et al. · 2019Chemical characterization and DNA fingerprinting of Griffonia simplicifolia BaillView study →}. Seed extracts also carry phenolic compounds, chiefly isomyricitrin and taxifolin, in amounts that depend on the solvent used ^{19Reference 19Mannino G et al. · 2023In vitroBiological activity and metabolomics of Griffonia simplicifolia seeds extracted with different methodologies — in vitroView study →}.

In the leaves, 5-HTP and serotonin each occur at 0.1–0.2%, alongside a volatile oil and coumarins ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}. The roots contain lithospermoside (also called griffonin), a cyanoglucoside distinct from the seed alkaloid griffonine ^{30Reference 30Bosch · 2008Griffonia simplicifolia (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. — species account (uses, properties, description, ecology, propagation, harvesting)View study →}.

Constituent Summary

Amounts are for the seed.

Pharmacology & Research

Almost all the human research behind griffonia is research on purified 5-HTP, the molecule its seed extract delivers ^{15,16Reference 15Turner EH et al. · 2006ReviewSerotonin a la carte: supplementation with the serotonin precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan — reviewView study →Reference 16Birdsall TC · 1998ReviewBirdsall TC. (1998). 5-Hydroxytryptophan: a clinically-effective serotonin precursor — review. Alternative Medicine Review. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9727088/View study →}. That literature is small and mostly dated: randomised trials in depression, fibromyalgia, appetite and panic, largely from the 1980s and 1990s ^{1,2Reference 1Shaw K et al. · 2001Systematic reviewTryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan for depression — systematic reviewView study →Reference 2Shaw K et al. · 2002Meta-analysisAre tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan effective treatments for depression? A meta-analysisView study →}.

Studies of the seed extract itself are mostly in animals and cell lines: anxiety and sexual-behaviour tests in rats, a mouse model of vaginal candidiasis, and antioxidant and anticancer screening in cells ^{17,18,19,20Reference 17Carnevale G et al. · 2011AnimalAnxiolytic-like effect of Griffonia simplicifolia Baill. seed extract in rats — animal modelView study →Reference 18Carnevale G et al. · 2010AnimalGriffonia simplicifolia negatively affects sexual behavior in female rats — animal modelView study →Reference 19Mannino G et al. · 2023In vitroBiological activity and metabolomics of Griffonia simplicifolia seeds extracted with different methodologies — in vitroView study →Reference 20Puccetti M et al. · 2025AnimalGriffonia simplicifolia seeds extract rich in 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan reduces infection and inflammation in a mouse model of vulvovaginal candidiasis — animal modelView study →}. The first placebo-controlled human trial of the extract, published in 2026, found no effect on pain ^{29Reference 29Schlemmer AJ et al. · 2026RCTThe effect of Griffonia simplicifolia on pain intensity, central and peripheral sensitization, and pain modulation in healthy volunteers — randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trialView study →}.

About twenty registered trials have completed, nearly all of purified 5-HTP. One tested griffonia seed extract (NCT06893822), and it found no benefit ^{29Reference 29Schlemmer AJ et al. · 2026RCTThe effect of Griffonia simplicifolia on pain intensity, central and peripheral sensitization, and pain modulation in healthy volunteers — randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trialView study →}.

1. Depression & Low Mood

A Cochrane review of 5-HTP and tryptophan for depression located 108 studies, of which only two (64 patients in total, one of 5-HTP and one of tryptophan) met its quality criteria. Pooled, they favoured the precursors over placebo (Peto OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.3–13.2), but the reviewers judged the evidence of insufficient quality to be conclusive ^{1,2Reference 1Shaw K et al. · 2001Systematic reviewTryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan for depression — systematic reviewView study →Reference 2Shaw K et al. · 2002Meta-analysisAre tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan effective treatments for depression? A meta-analysisView study →}.

Later trials are small and mostly compare 5-HTP with an antidepressant rather than placebo. 5-Hydroxytryptophan matched fluoxetine over 8 weeks in first-episode depression (60 patients completed) ^{3Reference 3Jangid P et al. · 2013RCTComparative study of efficacy of l-5-hydroxytryptophan and fluoxetine in first depressive episode — randomised double-blind trialView study →} and was compared with fluvoxamine ^{4Reference 4Pöldinger W et al. · 1991RCTA functional-dimensional approach to depression: 5-hydroxytryptophan versus fluvoxamine — randomised multicentre trialView study →}. In a placebo-controlled crossover trial in Parkinson’s disease (25 patients, 50 mg/day), 5-HTP improved depression scores but had no effect on apathy ^{5Reference 5Meloni M et al. · 2020RCTEfficacy and safety of 5-hydroxytryptophan on depression and apathy in Parkinson’s disease — randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trialView study →}.

All of these used purified 5-HTP.

Gap: no adequately powered, modern, placebo-controlled trial; and no depression trial has used the whole-seed extract that consumers actually buy.

2. Appetite & Weight Regulation

In a double-blind RCT, 20 obese adults were given 5-hydroxytryptophan 900 mg/day or placebo over two 6-week periods. Those on 5-HTP lost significant weight, ate less carbohydrate and reported early satiety, both with and without a prescribed diet, and tolerated it well ^{8Reference 8Cangiano C et al. · 1992RCTEating behavior and adherence to dietary prescriptions in obese adult subjects treated with 5-hydroxytryptophan — randomised controlled trialView study →}.

A double-blind RCT in 27 overweight women used a sublingual spray of plant extracts naturally containing 5-HTP, five times a day for 8 weeks. It increased satiety, and urinary 5-HIAA confirmed the 5-HTP was absorbed ^{9Reference 9Rondanelli M et al. · 2009RCTSatiety and amino-acid profile in overweight women after a natural plant-extract (5-hydroxytryptophan) sublingual spray — randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trialView study →}. It is one of the few human trials to use a botanical preparation rather than the pure molecule.

In rats, griffonia seed extract at 25–100 mg/kg reduced food intake and body weight over 9 days ^{18Reference 18Carnevale G et al. · 2010AnimalGriffonia simplicifolia negatively affects sexual behavior in female rats — animal modelView study →}.

The trials are short and small, and there is no data on whether the weight loss lasts.

3. Fibromyalgia

Two Italian studies underpin this use. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 50 patients with primary fibromyalgia found that 5-hydroxytryptophan significantly improved all the clinical measures studied, with only mild, transient side effects ^{6Reference 6Caruso I et al. · 1990RCTDouble-blind study of 5-hydroxytryptophan versus placebo in the treatment of primary fibromyalgia syndrome — randomised controlled trialView study →}.

A 90-day open study in another 50 patients found significant improvement in tender points, anxiety, pain, sleep and fatigue, sustained through the treatment period. Fifteen patients (30%) reported side effects, and one withdrew because of them ^{7Reference 7Sarzi Puttini P · 1992Primary fibromyalgia syndrome and 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan: a 90-day open studyView study →}.

Both studies come from one group, one was uncontrolled, and both are over thirty years old.

Gap: no replication outside the original investigators, no placebo-controlled confirmation since 1990, and no whole-extract data.

4. Anxiety & Panic

In a challenge-model RCT, 200 mg L-5-hydroxytryptophan reduced the reaction to a 35% CO₂ panic challenge in 24 panic-disorder patients (subjective anxiety, panic-symptom score and number of attacks), but not in 24 healthy volunteers ^{10Reference 10Schruers K et al. · 2002RCTAcute L-5-hydroxytryptophan administration inhibits carbon-dioxide-induced panic in panic disorder patients — randomised controlled trialView study →}.

In an older double-blind comparison in 45 patients with anxiety disorders, 5-HTP moderately reduced symptoms, while clomipramine improved every rating scale ^{11Reference 11Kahn RS · 1987RCTEffect of a serotonin precursor and uptake inhibitor in anxiety disorders: a double-blind comparison of 5-hydroxytryptophan, clomipramine and placeboView study →}.

Griffonia seed extract itself has been tested in rats. At 10 and 25 mg/kg it increased time spent in the light compartment of a dark–light test, and at 5–25 mg/kg it increased time in the centre of an open field, both signs of an anxiolytic-like effect ^{17Reference 17Carnevale G et al. · 2011AnimalAnxiolytic-like effect of Griffonia simplicifolia Baill. seed extract in rats — animal modelView study →}.

A companion rat study found that the extract at 100 mg/kg reduced receptive sexual behaviour in female rats after a single dose, and repeated dosing reduced proceptive behaviour ^{18Reference 18Carnevale G et al. · 2010AnimalGriffonia simplicifolia negatively affects sexual behavior in female rats — animal modelView study →}.

Gap: human data are a single acute challenge model, not a treatment trial; the direct-herb evidence is rodent-only.

5. Migraine Prophylaxis

In adults, an RCT of 124 migraineurs found that 5-hydroxytryptophan improved migraine in 71% of patients, against 75% on methysergide, with fewer side effects. It had no placebo arm ^{12Reference 12Titus F et al. · 1986RCTTitus F, Dávalos A, Alom J, Codina A. (1986). 5-Hydroxytryptophan versus methysergide in the prophylaxis of migraine — randomised clinical trial. European Neurology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3536521/View study →}.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial in 21 children (5 mg/kg/day), both 5-HTP and placebo reduced the migraine index, with no difference between them ^{13Reference 13Santucci M et al. · 1986RCTL-5-hydroxytryptophan versus placebo in childhood migraine prophylaxis — double-blind crossover studyView study →}.

Gap: no adult placebo-controlled trial; the one placebo comparison, in children, was negative.

6. Sleep Onset

Serotonin is the precursor of melatonin, so raising serotonin synthesis has been proposed to support sleep onset ^{16Reference 16Birdsall TC · 1998ReviewBirdsall TC. (1998). 5-Hydroxytryptophan: a clinically-effective serotonin precursor — review. Alternative Medicine Review. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9727088/View study →}.

Early work showed that 5-hydroxytryptophan alters sleep architecture in healthy subjects ^{14Reference 14Wyatt RJ et al. · 1971Clinical trialEffects of 5-hydroxytryptophan on the sleep of normal human subjects — clinical trialView study →}. There is no modern, placebo-controlled insomnia trial of griffonia extract. Better sleep has been reported as a secondary outcome in the fibromyalgia studies ^{7Reference 7Sarzi Puttini P · 1992Primary fibromyalgia syndrome and 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan: a 90-day open studyView study →}.

Gap: no dedicated insomnia RCT of the extract; the claim leans on mechanism and secondary outcomes.

7. Antioxidant

A study of griffonia seed extracts made with water, acetone, methanol and ethanol, by several extraction methods, identified 43 compounds, 34 of them phenolic. Acetone and ethanol extracted the most flavonoids, but the hydroalcoholic extracts had the strongest radical-scavenging activity, suggesting that the more polar compounds contribute most ^{19Reference 19Mannino G et al. · 2023In vitroBiological activity and metabolomics of Griffonia simplicifolia seeds extracted with different methodologies — in vitroView study →}.

These are test-tube assays, and there is no data on whether the effect survives digestion.

8. Immunomodulatory & Anti-Infective

A 2025 study made a griffonia seed extract by high-power ultrasound, giving 82.8% 5-HTP by weight of extract. Given as a vaginal preparation to mice infected with Candida albicans, it reduced inflammation, tissue damage and fungal growth ^{20Reference 20Puccetti M et al. · 2025AnimalGriffonia simplicifolia seeds extract rich in 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan reduces infection and inflammation in a mouse model of vulvovaginal candidiasis — animal modelView study →}. The authors chose the model because of serotonin’s known effects on the immune system.

It is a single animal study from one group.

9. Anticancer

A hydroalcoholic (ethanol/water 70:30) griffonia seed extract had little direct effect on the growth of osteosarcoma cells. It did block the proliferation and migration signals triggered by interleukin-1β, did not interfere with doxorubicin, and added to that drug’s anti-metastatic effect ^{21Reference 21Bellavia D et al. · 2026In vitroAntimetastatic effects of a Griffonia simplicifolia seed extract in osteosarcoma cell lines — in vitroView study →}.

In the solvent comparison above, seed extracts slowed the growth of HeLa, HepG2 and MCF-7 cancer cells to differing degrees ^{19Reference 19Mannino G et al. · 2023In vitroBiological activity and metabolomics of Griffonia simplicifolia seeds extracted with different methodologies — in vitroView study →}. There is no animal tumour study.

Mechanisms

5-HTP is the step between tryptophan and serotonin. Taken by mouth it bypasses tryptophan hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme in serotonin synthesis; about 70% of an oral dose reaches the bloodstream, and it crosses into the brain without a carrier ^{16Reference 16Birdsall TC · 1998ReviewBirdsall TC. (1998). 5-Hydroxytryptophan: a clinically-effective serotonin precursor — review. Alternative Medicine Review. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9727088/View study →}.

Serotonin is also the precursor of melatonin ^{16Reference 16Birdsall TC · 1998ReviewBirdsall TC. (1998). 5-Hydroxytryptophan: a clinically-effective serotonin precursor — review. Alternative Medicine Review. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9727088/View study →}. The phenolic compounds in seed extracts have been studied separately, for antioxidant activity in the test tube ^{19Reference 19Mannino G et al. · 2023In vitroBiological activity and metabolomics of Griffonia simplicifolia seeds extracted with different methodologies — in vitroView study →}.

Clinical Trials

Registered trials almost all test purified 5-HTP, across mood, body composition, sleep and neurological conditions. The one registered trial of griffonia seed extract (NCT06893822, pain modulation in healthy volunteers) has published with no benefit ^{29Reference 29Schlemmer AJ et al. · 2026RCTThe effect of Griffonia simplicifolia on pain intensity, central and peripheral sensitization, and pain modulation in healthy volunteers — randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trialView study →}. One open-label study of a griffonia/magnesium complex for motion sickness in children has also been published ^{28Reference 28Esposito M et al. · 2015A medical-food formulation of Griffonia simplicifolia/magnesium for childhood periodic syndrome therapy: an open-label study on motion sickness — open-label studyView study →}.

Last checked: July 2026.

Dosage

Griffonia is dosed by 5-HTP content, commonly 50–300 mg of 5-HTP a day in divided doses. 5-HTP is absorbed well with meals ^{16Reference 16Birdsall TC · 1998ReviewBirdsall TC. (1998). 5-Hydroxytryptophan: a clinically-effective serotonin precursor — review. Alternative Medicine Review. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9727088/View study →}, and starting low and taking it with food is a common way to reduce nausea.

Research Doses

These are the doses used in trials of purified 5-HTP, except the last row, which tested griffonia seed extract.

Some 5-HTP formulations add carbidopa, which blocks the conversion of 5-HTP to serotonin outside the brain ^{15Reference 15Turner EH et al. · 2006ReviewSerotonin a la carte: supplementation with the serotonin precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan — reviewView study →}. Over-the-counter griffonia extracts do not contain it.

Traditional Dosage

Safety & Pregnancy

Griffonia’s safety profile is essentially that of 5-HTP: it is generally well tolerated, and nausea is the usual complaint. Its main risk is serotonin syndrome when it is combined with serotonergic drugs.

Full Safety & Interactions Detail

Side effects. Nausea and stomach upset are the most common complaints with 5-HTP. In the 2026 trial of griffonia extract, two of 18 participants had mild, short-lived side effects ^{29Reference 29Schlemmer AJ et al. · 2026RCTThe effect of Griffonia simplicifolia on pain intensity, central and peripheral sensitization, and pain modulation in healthy volunteers — randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trialView study →}.

Serotonergic drugs. Griffonia should not be combined with SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, triptans, tramadol or other serotonergic agents (including dextromethorphan, linezolid and St John’s wort) without medical supervision, because of the risk of serotonin syndrome ^{15Reference 15Turner EH et al. · 2006ReviewSerotonin a la carte: supplementation with the serotonin precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan — reviewView study →}.

Contaminants. In 1989 contaminated L-tryptophan caused an outbreak of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) ^{22Reference 22Das YT et al. · 2004ReviewSafety of 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan — reviewView study →}. A family of trace contaminants called “Peak X” was found in 5-HTP from an EMS case and in commercial 5-HTP samples, and one member was identified as 4,5-tryptophan-dione ^{23,24Reference 23Klarskov K et al. · 1999Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome case-associated contaminants in commercially available 5-hydroxytryptophanView study →Reference 24Klarskov K et al. · 2003Structural characterization of a case-implicated contaminant, “Peak X,” in commercial 5-hydroxytryptophanView study →}. A 2004 safety review found no definitive case of harm from 5-HTP and judged Peak X a trace-level chromatographic artefact ^{22Reference 22Das YT et al. · 2004ReviewSafety of 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan — reviewView study →}. Choosing a tested, pharmaceutical-grade product avoids the question.

Carbidopa. Some formulations add carbidopa to reduce the conversion of 5-HTP outside the brain ^{15Reference 15Turner EH et al. · 2006ReviewSerotonin a la carte: supplementation with the serotonin precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan — reviewView study →}. This raises the amount reaching the brain and brings its own interactions.

Surgery. Stop griffonia before scheduled surgery.

No study has looked at griffonia extract and liver enzymes (CYP450), so the interaction concern is about serotonin.

References

1. Shaw K, Turner J, Del Mar C. (2001). Tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan for depression — systematic review. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11687048/
2. Shaw K, Turner J, Del Mar C. (2002). Are tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan effective treatments for depression? A meta-analysis. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12169147/
3. Jangid P, Malik P, Singh P, et al. (2013). Comparative study of efficacy of l-5-hydroxytryptophan and fluoxetine in first depressive episode — randomised double-blind trial. Asian Journal of Psychiatry. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23380314/
4. Pöldinger W, Calanchini B, Schwarz W. (1991). A functional-dimensional approach to depression: 5-hydroxytryptophan versus fluvoxamine — randomised multicentre trial. Psychopathology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1909444/
5. Meloni M, Puligheddu M, Carta M, et al. (2020). Efficacy and safety of 5-hydroxytryptophan on depression and apathy in Parkinson’s disease — randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. European Journal of Neurology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32067288/
6. Caruso I, Sarzi Puttini P, Cazzola M, Azzolini V. (1990). Double-blind study of 5-hydroxytryptophan versus placebo in the treatment of primary fibromyalgia syndrome — randomised controlled trial. Journal of International Medical Research. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2193835/
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