Home Ingredients Cactinea® (Prickly Pear / Opuntia ficus-indica — Nexira)
Antioxidant

Cactinea® (Prickly Pear / Opuntia ficus-indica — Nexira)

Opuntia ficus-indica
Evidence Level
Preliminary
1 Clinical Trial
3 Documented Benefits
1/5 Evidence Score

Cactinea® is a dried water extract of organic prickly pear fruit (Opuntia ficus-indica) on an acacia gum carrier, sold by the French ingredient supplier Nexira, which sources the fruit through a partnership with Tunisian farmers. It was studied in rats under the earlier name Cacti-Nea. Nexira markets it for water elimination, body shape and lighter-feeling legs, citing its own 2009 placebo-controlled trial in 47 women taking 2 g a day for 28 days. That trial has never been published, so its results cannot be checked. In a published rat study, the extract raised urine output. The human evidence on this page concerns other prickly pear preparations: in a small placebo-controlled trial, prickly pear juice lowered a blood marker of oxidative stress around hard exercise, and pooled trials of various Opuntia products found no significant effect on body weight.

Studied Dose 2 g a day for 28 days in Nexira's unpublished trial in women. The published rat study used 240 mg/kg a day for 7 days. No published human trial has tested Cactinea itself; the placebo-controlled juice trial used 50 ml of concentrated prickly pear juice a day for 5 days.
Active Compound Dried water extract of organic prickly pear fruit (Opuntia ficus-indica), which contains betalain pigments and vitamin C, on an acacia gum carrier.

Benefits

Oxidative stress markers in a placebo-controlled prickly pear juice trial

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial in 8 physically active women, 50 ml of concentrated prickly pear fruit juice a day for 5 days gave lower plasma hydroperoxides and higher antioxidant capacity than placebo around a maximal exercise test. The placebo lacked the juice's vitamin C and indicaxanthin. This is component evidence for the fruit, not a test of Cactinea.

Supported by Trial 1

Urine volume in rats and leg comfort in an unpublished maker trial

In rats, the extract at 240 mg/kg a day for 7 days raised urine volume compared with control rats, without changing urinary sodium, potassium or uric acid concentrations. Nexira reports an unpublished placebo-controlled trial in 47 women given 2 g a day for 28 days and says water elimination, body shape and heavy, swollen legs improved, but has released no data. Not a treatment for diagnosed edema.

Supported by Trial 1

Blood pressure and cholesterol in pooled trials of various Opuntia preparations

A meta-analysis of five randomized trials of various Opuntia ficus-indica preparations found lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, body mass index and percentage body fat than in controls, but no significant difference in body weight. The trials varied in design and reporting quality, and none of them tested Cactinea.

Supported by Trial 1

Mechanism of action

1

Betalain pigments

Prickly pear fruit contains vitamin C and betalain pigments, which scavenge free radicals in laboratory tests. In 8 healthy volunteers, the betalains indicaxanthin and betanin appeared in red blood cells 3 hours after a fruit meal, and those cells resisted induced oxidative damage for longer in the test tube. In a crossover study without placebo, fresh fruit pulp lowered oxidative stress markers from baseline while vitamin C alone did not, so the authors suggested other fruit components are involved.

2

Higher urine output in rats

Given at 240 mg/kg a day for 7 days, the extract increased urine volume in rats compared with control rats given only the vehicle, without changing urinary sodium, potassium or uric acid concentrations, and it raised blood glutathione peroxidase. This has not been measured in a published human study.

3

Inflammation markers

In a crossover controlled feeding study in 28 healthy adults, 200 g of prickly pear pulp twice a day for 2 weeks lowered C-reactive protein, TNF-alpha and other inflammatory markers compared with an equivalent diet using other fresh fruit. In a placebo-controlled crossover trial of a different Opuntia ficus-indica extract taken before drinking alcohol, C-reactive protein was 40% higher after placebo.

4

Acacia gum carrier

Nexira uses acacia gum as the carrier for the dried fruit extract.

Clinical trials

1
Nexira trial of Cactinea in women (unpublished, maker-run)
PubMed

Listed by Nexira, which sells the extract, as an unpublished 2009 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group trial of 2 g a day of the extract (then called CactiNea) for 28 days. It has never been published in a journal, Nexira does not name the investigators, and protocol, dropouts and statistics have not been released. (Nexira 2009, Nexira website)

47 women (company description; ages and inclusion criteria not published).

Not peer reviewed. Nexira states that the extract showed water elimination and improved body shape and sensations of heavy, swollen legs. It publishes no data, comparison with placebo, effect sizes or statistics, and no published replication was found in PubMed.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

No published human safety study of Cactinea itself was found. In a meta-analysis of five trials of various Opuntia ficus-indica preparations, reported adverse events included gastric intolerance and flu symptoms.
Low blood sugar: a published case report describes probable hypoglycemia in a man with type 2 diabetes who ate prickly pear cactus pads daily while taking glipizide and metformin.
Allergic reactions are possible: a systemic allergic reaction to prickly pear (cactus) fruit has been published as a case report.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: no published safety data for this extract were found, so ask a healthcare provider before use.

Important Drug interactions

Diabetes medicines: prickly pear pads were linked to probable low blood sugar in one patient taking glipizide and metformin, so monitor blood glucose and tell your prescriber.
Diuretics: the extract raised urine output in rats, so effects could add up; ask your doctor before combining.
Blood pressure medicines: pooled Opuntia trials found lower blood pressure, so effects could add up.

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Frequently asked questions about Cactinea® (Prickly Pear / Opuntia ficus-indica — Nexira)

Has Cactinea itself been tested in published human trials?

No published human trial of Cactinea was found. Nexira describes a 2009 placebo-controlled trial in 47 women taking 2 g a day for 28 days, but it has not released the data, so the results cannot be checked. The one published study of the extract was in rats, where it raised urine output. The human studies on this page tested fresh prickly pear fruit, its juice or other Opuntia products.

Does prickly pear help with weight loss?

A meta-analysis of five randomized trials of various Opuntia ficus-indica preparations found no significant difference in body weight compared with controls, although body mass index and percentage body fat were lower. The trials varied in design and reporting quality, and none tested Cactinea. Nexira's body shape claims come from its unpublished trial.

How is Cactinea different from eating fresh prickly pear fruit?

Cactinea is a dried water extract of the fruit on an acacia gum carrier, taken at 2 g a day in Nexira's unpublished trial. Most human studies on this page used fresh fruit or juice, such as 250 g of fresh pulp twice a day or 50 ml of concentrated juice a day; one open-label study used 1500 mg a day of a different prickly pear powder. Nexira's page does not say how much fresh fruit a 2 g dose matches, so results from the fruit may not apply to the extract.

What is Cactinea?

Cactinea® is a dried water extract of organic prickly pear fruit (Opuntia ficus-indica) on an acacia gum carrier, sold by the French ingredient supplier Nexira, which sources the fruit through a partnership with Tunisian farmers. It was studied in rats under the earlier name Cacti-Nea.

What is Cactinea used for?

Cactinea is researched primarily for Antioxidant. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial in 8 physically active women, 50 ml of concentrated prickly pear fruit juice a day for 5 days gave lower plasma hydroperoxides and higher antioxidant capacity than placebo ar…

What is the recommended dosage of Cactinea?

The clinically studied dose is 2 g a day for 28 days in Nexira's unpublished trial in women. The published rat study used 240 mg/kg a day for 7 days. No published human trial has tested Cactinea itself; the placebo-controlled juice trial used 50 ml of concentrated prickly pear juice a day f… Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is Cactinea safe, and does it have side effects?

Side effects and cautions reported for Cactinea include: No published human safety study of Cactinea itself was found. In a meta-analysis of five trials of various Opuntia ficus-indica preparations, reported adverse events included gastric intolerance and flu symptoms. It may also interact with some medications. Cactinea is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does Cactinea interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Diabetes medicines: prickly pear pads were linked to probable low blood sugar in one patient taking glipizide and metformin, so monitor blood glucose and tell your prescriber. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for Cactinea?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Cactinea as Preliminary (1 out of 5). It is backed by 1 study summary and 12 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(12 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Wiese J, McPherson S, Odden MC, Shlipak MG. Effect of Opuntia ficus indica on symptoms of the alcohol hangover. Arch Intern Med. 2004;164(12):1334-40. doi: 10.1001/archinte.164.12.1334.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial: 64 healthy young adults were randomized and 55 completed both arms, taking an Opuntia ficus-indica extract (1600 IU) or placebo 5 hours before drinking alcohol. Nausea, dry mouth and loss of appetite were significantly reduced, the overall symptom index fell by 2.7 points (not statistically significant, P = .07) and the risk of a severe hangover halved. C-reactive protein was 40% higher after placebo than after the extract, and the authors credited the effect to reduced inflammation. It did not measure urine output, swelling or body weight, and it tested a different extract, not Cactinea.
  2. Tesoriere L, Butera D, Pintaudi AM, Allegra M, Livrea MA. Supplementation with cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) fruit decreases oxidative stress in healthy humans: a comparative study with vitamin C. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;80(2):391-5. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/80.2.391.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized crossover study in 18 healthy adults comparing 250 g of fresh prickly pear pulp with 75 mg of vitamin C, each twice a day for 2 weeks with a 6 week washout. There was no placebo: changes were compared with baseline. After the fruit, 8-epi-prostaglandin F2-alpha fell by about 30%, malondialdehyde by about 75% and LDL hydroperoxides by almost half, and the glutathione ratio improved; vitamin C did not significantly change any oxidative stress marker. Tested whole fruit, not Cactinea.
  3. Onakpoya IJ, O'Sullivan J, Heneghan CJ. The effect of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) on body weight and cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Nutrition. 2015;31(5):640-6. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2014.11.015.PubMedUsed to support: Systematic review and meta-analysis of five randomized trials of Opuntia ficus-indica. Body weight did not differ significantly from control (mean difference -0.83 kg, 95% CI -2.49 to 0.83). Significant reductions were seen in body mass index, percentage body fat, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and total cholesterol. Trials varied in design and reporting quality, and adverse events included gastric intolerance and flu symptoms. None tested Cactinea.
  4. Bisson JF, Daubié S, Hidalgo S, Guillemet D, Linarés E. Diuretic and antioxidant effects of Cacti-Nea, a dehydrated water extract from prickly pear fruit, in rats. Phytother Res. 2010;24(4):587-94. doi: 10.1002/ptr.2996.PubMedUsed to support: Animal study, not a human study. Rats given Cacti-Nea (the earlier name of Cactinea) at 240 mg/kg a day for 7 days excreted more urine than control rats, with no change in urinary sodium, potassium or uric acid concentrations, and had higher blood glutathione peroxidase. Supports the urine output mechanism in rats only.
  5. Sobieraj DM, Freyer CW. Probable hypoglycemic adverse drug reaction associated with prickly pear cactus, glipizide, and metformin in a patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Ann Pharmacother. 2010;44(7-8):1334-7. doi: 10.1345/aph.1P148.PubMedUsed to support: Case report of a 58-year-old man with type 2 diabetes on metformin and extended-release glipizide who had four low blood sugar readings (49 to 68 mg/dL) after eating crude prickly pear cactus pads daily for 2 months. The Naranjo scale rated the reaction probable. Supports the blood sugar caution with diabetes medicines.
  6. Nexira. Cactinea: organic prickly pear (product page). Nexira website. 2026;Accessed 2026-10-22..SourceUsed to support: Manufacturer page, not PubMed-indexed and not peer reviewed. Describes the Tunisian sourcing, the acacia gum carrier and an organic grade, calls the extract a weight management ingredient, and claims water elimination, improved body shape and less heavy, swollen legs. For those claims it lists an unpublished 2009 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group trial in 47 women given 2 g of CactiNea a day for 28 days, without publishing its data; for its antioxidant and inflammation claims it cites published studies of fresh fruit or juice, not of Cactinea.
  7. Bellafiore M, Pintaudi AM, Thomas E, Tesoriere L, Bianco A, Cataldo A, Cerasola D, Traina M, Livrea MA, Palma A. Redox and autonomic responses to acute exercise-post recovery following Opuntia ficus-indica juice intake in physically active women. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18(1):43. doi: 10.1186/s12970-021-00444-2.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial: 10 physically active women enrolled and 8 completed it. They drank 50 ml of concentrated juice from peeled Sicilian prickly pear fruit diluted to 170 ml, or a placebo drink without its vitamin C and indicaxanthin, daily for 3 days before and 2 days after a maximal cycling test, with a 15 day washout. Plasma hydroperoxides were lower than with placebo before, right after and 48 hours after the test, and plasma antioxidant capacity was higher before and at 48 hours; skin carotenoid score did not differ. The authors name the small number of participants and the short supplementation as the main limitations. No external funding. Tested the fruit juice, not Cactinea.
  8. Attanzio A, Tesoriere L, Vasto S, Pintaudi AM, Livrea MA, Allegra M. Short-term cactus pear [Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill] fruit supplementation ameliorates the inflammatory profile and is associated with improved antioxidant status among healthy humans. Food Nutr Res. 2018;62. doi: 10.29219/fnr.v62.1262.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, two-period crossover controlled feeding study in 28 healthy adults: a diet with 200 g of prickly pear pulp twice a day for 2 weeks was compared with an equivalent diet using other fresh fruit. Compared with the control diet, the prickly pear diet lowered TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, interferon gamma, IL-8, C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, raised IL-10 and raised skin carotenoid score. Tested whole fruit, not Cactinea.
  9. Khouloud A, Abedelmalek S, Chtourou H, Souissi N. The effect of Opuntia ficus-indica juice supplementation on oxidative stress, cardiovascular parameters, and biochemical markers following yo-yo Intermittent recovery test. Food Sci Nutr. 2018;6(2):259-268. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.529.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized controlled study in 22 healthy male athletes: 11 drank 50 ml of fresh prickly pear juice three times a day for 2 weeks and 11 took no supplement; there was no placebo. After the juice, malondialdehyde, total and LDL cholesterol, creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase were lower than before supplementation, measured before and right after an intermittent running test, while HDL, glucose and blood pressure did not change significantly. Tested fresh juice, not Cactinea.
  10. Zaman R, Tan ESS, Bustami NA, Amini F, Seghayat MS, Ho YB, Tan CK. Assessment of Opuntia ficus-indica supplementation on enhancing antioxidant levels. Sci Rep. 2025;15(1):3507. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-87680-7.PubMedUsed to support: Open-label, single-arm study without a placebo group in 50 healthy adults taking 1500 mg a day of an Opuntia ficus-indica fruit powder from sachets (LifeGreen, LifeTree Asia) for 3 months. Salivary total antioxidant capacity rose 48.1% and malondialdehyde, nitrotyrosine and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine fell compared with baseline; the authors list the missing placebo group and open-label design as significant limitations. Funded by government and university grants, with the supplements sponsored by LifeTree Asia. Tested a different product, not Cactinea.
  11. Tesoriere L, Butera D, Allegra M, Fazzari M, Livrea MA. Distribution of betalain pigments in red blood cells after consumption of cactus pear fruits and increased resistance of the cells to ex vivo induced oxidative hemolysis in humans. J Agric Food Chem. 2005;53(4):1266-70. doi: 10.1021/jf048134+.PubMedUsed to support: In 8 healthy volunteers, indicaxanthin peaked in red blood cells 3 hours after a cactus pear fruit meal and betanin was found only at 3 hours. Red cells taken at 3 and 5 hours resisted induced oxidative hemolysis in the test tube for longer than cells taken before the meal, while their vitamins C and E and glutathione did not change. Supports the betalain mechanism.
  12. García-Menaya JM, Cordobés-Durán C, Bobadilla P, Ledesma A, Pérez-Rangel I. Hypersensitivity systemic reaction to cactus fruit (Opuntia ficus-indica). Allergy. 2009;64(11):1689-90. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2009.02109.x.PubMedUsed to support: Case report letter of a systemic immediate hypersensitivity reaction to cactus fruit (Opuntia ficus-indica) in an adult woman, with IgE testing. It has no PubMed abstract; only the title and PubMed indexing were read. Supports the allergy caution only.