Home Ingredients CyaniMax® (Cyanidin-3-O-Glucoside Anthocyanin — BGG World)

CyaniMax® (Cyanidin-3-O-Glucoside Anthocyanin — BGG World)

Evidence Level
Preliminary
0 Clinical Trials
9 Documented Benefits
1/5 Evidence Score

CyaniMax® is BGG World's cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) ingredient. C3G is an anthocyanin, one of the red to purple pigments of berries and dark beans. BGG's product page lists two origins, blackberry and black soybean (Glycine max) hull grown in Northeastern China, standards of 30% and 40% C3G by HPLC, and a dose of 50 to 200 mg a day. No study of CyaniMax has been published in a journal. BGG's own US patent describes two 8 week placebo-controlled tests of 300 mg a day of a black soybean hull extract, one on eye comfort and distance vision in 60 young people and one in 62 adults with metabolic syndrome, and reports better results than placebo on several measures. Blinding is not stated, neither test was peer reviewed, and the patent does not say the extract is the CyaniMax sold today. Trials of other black soybean extracts and of berry anthocyanin capsules are labeled as other products, and most C3G research is in cells and animals.

Studied Dose 300 mg a day (100 mg three times a day) of black soybean hull extract for 8 weeks in BGG's two unpublished patent tests. BGG's product page gives 50 to 200 mg a day for adults.
Active Compound Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G), an anthocyanin. BGG lists blackberry and black soybean (Glycine max) hull as origins and standards of 30% and 40% C3G by HPLC. The black soybean hull extract in BGG's patent is described as 10% to 45% cyanidin, 10% to 25% catechin and 40% to 80% oligomeric proanthocyanidins.

Benefits

Eye comfort and distance vision in BGG's patent test

BGG's US patent describes 60 people aged 7 to 28 with weakened distance vision who took 300 mg a day of a black soybean hull extract or placebo for 8 weeks. Eye dryness, blurring, tiredness and distance vision improved more with the extract. Blinding is not stated, and the test was never published in a journal.

Cholesterol and after-meal blood sugar in BGG's patent test

In the same patent, 62 adults aged 32 to 81 with metabolic syndrome took 300 mg a day or placebo for 8 weeks on top of usual treatment. Total cholesterol, after-meal blood sugar and the share with normal blood pressure favored the extract; triglycerides and fasting blood sugar did not differ. Not peer reviewed.

Waist size and blood lipids with another black soybean seed coat extract

In an 8 week double-blind trial of a different product, 63 overweight Korean adults took 2.5 g a day of a black soybean seed coat extract or a starch placebo. Waist size, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol fell in the extract group, and cholesterol ratios improved with the extract but not with placebo. This was not CyaniMax.

Blood vessel function and sleep with Fujicco's black soybean extract

Two placebo-controlled trials of another black soybean seed coat extract were run by its maker, Fujicco. 100 mg a day for 2 weeks improved a fingertip measure of vascular function in 24 healthy adults, and a 12 week trial in 64 adults with poor sleep quality found better scores for sleepiness on rising. Neither tested CyaniMax.

Cholesterol and platelet markers with other purified anthocyanins

In placebo-controlled trials of purified berry anthocyanin capsules (in one, mainly delphinidin and cyanidin glucosides), 320 mg a day raised HDL and lowered LDL cholesterol over 12 weeks in 120 adults with dyslipidemia, and lowered blood markers of platelet activation over 24 weeks in 150 adults with high cholesterol. These were not CyaniMax.

How the body absorbs and breaks down C3G

In a tracer study, 8 men swallowed 500 mg of labeled C3G. About 12% was absorbed by this measure, and labeled breakdown products, identified as phenolic, hippuric and related acids, peaked in blood after about 10 hours and lingered for up to 48 hours. Effects of C3G in the body may depend largely on these metabolites.

Retinal cell findings in the laboratory

In human retinal pigment cells, C3G reduced cell death and inflammasome activity after exposure to a lipid oxidation product, and in cells stressed by blue light it improved barrier function and lowered stress signaling. These are cell results; no study has shown that CyaniMax changes the retina in people.

Diet-induced changes in rats given C3G

In rats on a high fat, high carbohydrate diet, about 8 mg/kg a day of C3G for 8 weeks reversed changes in abdominal fat, glucose tolerance, blood pressure, heart structure and liver fat. Intact C3G was not found in their blood. This is animal research and was not done with CyaniMax.

Test tube antioxidant scores (ORAC)

BGG says ORAC testing ranks C3G as the strongest of 14 main anthocyanins. ORAC is a test tube measure, and the USDA withdrew its ORAC database in 2012, saying such values have no relevance to effects on human health. No study has measured antioxidant status in people taking CyaniMax.

Mechanism of action

1

Breakdown into phenolic acid metabolites

After a single oral dose of labeled C3G, labeled metabolites peaked in blood about 10 hours later and stayed in circulation for up to 48 hours; they were identified as degradation products and phenolic, hippuric, phenylacetic and phenylpropenoic acids. Any effect in people may depend largely on these metabolites.

2

NLRP3 inflammasome signals in retinal cells

In cultured human retinal pigment epithelial cells, C3G lowered caspase-1 activity, IL-1 beta and IL-18 release and NLRP3 gene expression triggered by a lipid oxidation product, and reduced JNK and AP-1 activation. This has been shown only in cells.

3

Endoplasmic reticulum stress and Nrf2 in retinal cells

In retinal pigment epithelial cells exposed to blue light, C3G damped the PERK/eIF2 alpha/ATF4/CHOP stress pathway, kept tight junction proteins higher and activated the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway. These are cell findings at micromolar concentrations.

4

Cholesterol transfer protein (CETP)

In a trial of berry anthocyanin capsules, lower CETP mass and activity tracked with the rise in HDL and fall in LDL cholesterol, and C3G lowered CETP activity in cultured liver cells. Whether CyaniMax acts this way in people has not been tested.

5

Platelet granule secretion

In test tubes, C3G and delphinidin-3-glucoside reduced the release of platelet granule contents by inhibiting PI3K/Akt signaling, which fits the lower platelet activation markers seen with purified anthocyanins in a 24 week trial.

Clinical trials

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

BGG's patent does not mention side effects or adverse events for its two 8 week tests of 300 mg a day, which were not peer reviewed. In the patent's mouse tests the maximum tolerated oral dose was above 8 g/kg.
No adverse events were reported in a 12 week placebo-controlled trial of a different black soybean seed coat extract in 64 adults.
Soy: BGG lists black soybean hull as one of CyaniMax's two origins (the other is blackberry). People with a soy allergy should ask the supplier which source a product uses.
Use beyond 8 weeks, in pregnancy or breastfeeding, and in children has not been studied in published research on CyaniMax; ask a doctor first in these cases.

Important Drug interactions

Anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs (for example warfarin or clopidogrel): in a 24 week trial, 320 mg a day of other purified anthocyanins lowered blood markers of platelet activation compared with placebo. Effects of CyaniMax on bleeding are unknown, so ask your doctor before combining.
Cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure medicines: BGG's patent reports lower total cholesterol, lower after-meal blood sugar and more people with normal blood pressure when 300 mg a day was added to usual treatment. If you take these medicines, tell your doctor and keep monitoring as advised.

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Frequently asked questions about CyaniMax® (Cyanidin-3-O-Glucoside Anthocyanin — BGG World)

What is CyaniMax used for?

CyaniMax is BGG World's cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) ingredient, made from blackberry and black soybean hull and standardized to 30% or 40% C3G. BGG markets it for eye, brain, liver and weight support at 50 to 200 mg a day. No published human study of CyaniMax backs these uses; the only human tests are described in BGG's own patent.

Has CyaniMax been tested in people?

Not in a journal. BGG's US patent describes two 8 week placebo-controlled tests of 300 mg a day of a black soybean hull extract, one on eye comfort and distance vision in 60 young people and one in 62 adults with metabolic syndrome, and reports better results than placebo on several measures but not all. Blinding is not stated and the data were never peer reviewed.

Is CyaniMax safe, and does it have side effects?

Safety data are thin. BGG's patent does not mention side effects in its 8 week tests and reports a high tolerated dose in mice, and a 12 week trial of another black soybean seed coat extract reported no adverse events. CyaniMax can come from soy, and purified anthocyanins lowered platelet activation markers, so check with a doctor if you have a soy allergy or take blood thinners.

How much C3G does the body absorb?

In a tracer study in 8 men given 500 mg of labeled C3G, about 12% was absorbed by the study's measure. Labeled breakdown products such as phenolic and hippuric acids peaked in blood after about 10 hours and stayed in circulation for up to 48 hours.

What is CyaniMax?

CyaniMax® is BGG World's cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) ingredient. C3G is an anthocyanin, one of the red to purple pigments of berries and dark beans. BGG's product page lists two origins, blackberry and black soybean (Glycine max) hull grown in Northeastern China, standards of 30% and 40% C3G by HPLC, and a dose of 50…

What is the recommended dosage of CyaniMax?

The clinically studied dose is 300 mg a day (100 mg three times a day) of black soybean hull extract for 8 weeks in BGG's two unpublished patent tests. BGG's product page gives 50 to 200 mg a day for adults. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Does CyaniMax interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs (for example warfarin or clopidogrel): in a 24 week trial, 320 mg a day of other purified anthocyanins lowered blood markers of platelet activation compared with placebo. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for CyaniMax?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for CyaniMax as Preliminary (1 out of 5). It is backed by 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. Li Y, Zhou F, Dou X. Black soybean hull extract, method for obtaining, and use thereof US Patent US8257756B2, assigned to Beijing Gingko Group Biological Technology Co Ltd. 2012;Granted 2012-09-04; application US 11/830,442 filed 2007-07-30..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed; BGG's own patent, read on Google Patents. Describes an enzyme-assisted water extract of black soybean hulls containing 10% to 45% cyanidin, 10% to 25% catechin and 40% to 80% oligomeric proanthocyanidins; it does not say this extract is the CyaniMax product. Example 9 randomized 60 people aged 7 to 28 with weakened distance vision to 300 mg a day of the extract or placebo for 8 weeks: improvement rates for eye dryness, blurred vision and eye tiredness were 60%, 56% and 63% in the extract group (each P<0.05 versus control), and the response rate was 63% versus 3% (P<0.01), counted per eye (38 of 60 versus 2 of 60). The vision table reports a change of 0.60 versus 0.03, although its before and after means for the extract group (4.55 and 4.66) differ by only 0.11. Example 10 randomized 62 adults aged 32 to 81 with metabolic syndrome to 300 mg a day or placebo for 8 weeks in addition to normal treatment: total cholesterol fell from 7.0 to 4.2 versus 6.8 to 5.8 mmol/L (P<0.01 between groups), the share with normal blood pressure was 70.9% versus 61.3% (reported P<0.05) and 2 hour after-meal blood sugar fell more (P<0.01); triglycerides and fasting blood sugar did not differ between groups, and body weight fell from baseline only with the extract. Blinding is not stated, side effects are not mentioned, and neither test was published in a journal. Mouse toxicology tests gave a maximum tolerated oral dose above 8 g/kg.
  2. BGG World (accessed 2026). CyaniMax® Cyanidin 3 Glucoside BGG World product page. 2026;Manufacturer product page, accessed October 2026..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed; the maker's product page, not evidence of effect. Lists two origins, blackberry and black soybean (Glycine max) hull grown in Northeastern China, standards of 30% and 40% cyanidin-3-O-glucoside powder by HPLC, up to 80% anthocyanins, and a dose of 50 to 200 mg a day for adults. Calls C3G the strongest antioxidant of 14 main anthocyanins and lists vision, memory, weight and other benefits without describing a human study of CyaniMax; the studies it describes are in rats, mice and cells.
  3. Daniells S. ORAC has 'ongoing value', says expert, as USDA removes online database NutraIngredients. 2012;Published 13 June 2012..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed; trade press report. Reports that the USDA removed its online ORAC database in 2012, stating that antioxidant capacity values have no relevance to the effects of specific bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, on human health, and that ORAC values were routinely misused by food and supplement companies to promote their products.
  4. Lee M, Sorn SR, Park Y, Park HK. Anthocyanin Rich-Black Soybean Testa Improved Visceral Fat and Plasma Lipid Profiles in Overweight/Obese Korean Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Food. 2016;19(11):995-1003. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2016.3762.PubMedUsed to support: Another product, not CyaniMax: an extract of the seed coat of a Korean black soybean variety (Chongja No. 3) at 2.5 g a day. In an 8 week double-blind trial, 63 overweight or obese Korean adults took the extract or a starch placebo. Waist and hip circumference, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol fell in the extract group, and the total cholesterol to HDL and LDL to HDL ratios fell with the extract but did not change with placebo.
  5. Akagi R, Nanba F, Saito S, Maruo T, Toda T, Yamashita Y, Ashida H, Suzuki T. Black Soybean Seed Coat Extract Improves Endothelial Function and Upregulates Oxidative Stress Marker Expression in Healthy Volunteers by Stimulating Nitric Oxide Production in Endothelial Cells. J Med Food. 2024;27(2):134-144. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2023.K.0149.PubMedUsed to support: Another product, not CyaniMax: a black soybean seed coat extract studied by researchers at Fujicco, its maker. In cultured bovine blood vessel cells the extract reduced markers of high glucose aging. In 24 healthy volunteers, 100 mg a day for 2 weeks improved a fingertip pulse wave measure of vascular function, nitric oxide metabolites and oxidative stress markers compared with placebo.
  6. Akagi R, Maruo T, Takara T, Maruyama K. Effects of Consumption of Black Soybean Seed Coat Extract on Sleep Quality in Healthy Japanese: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group Comparison Study. Food Sci Nutr. 2025;13(6):e70156. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.70156.PubMedUsed to support: Another product, not CyaniMax: a black soybean seed coat extract capsule from Fujicco, whose employees wrote the paper. In a 12 week double-blind trial in 64 healthy Japanese adults with poor sleep quality, the primary outcome, the sleepiness on rising score of a sleep questionnaire, was better with the extract than with placebo, and sleep onset latency and dry mouth decreased in the extract group. No adverse events were reported.
  7. Qin Y, Xia M, Ma J, Hao Y, Liu J, Mou H, Cao L, Ling W. Anthocyanin supplementation improves serum LDL- and HDL-cholesterol concentrations associated with the inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein in dyslipidemic subjects. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;90(3):485-92. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.27814.PubMedUsed to support: Another product, not CyaniMax: berry-derived anthocyanin capsules. In a 12 week double-blind trial, 120 adults aged 40 to 65 with dyslipidemia took 160 mg of anthocyanins twice a day or placebo. HDL cholesterol rose 13.7% versus 2.8% and LDL cholesterol fell 13.6% versus a 0.6% rise with placebo (P<0.001), and the cholesterol transfer protein CETP fell. In liver cells, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside lowered CETP activity.
  8. Song F, Zhu Y, Shi Z, Tian J, Deng X, Ren J, Andrews MC, Ni H, Ling W, Yang Y. Plant food anthocyanins inhibit platelet granule secretion in hypercholesterolaemia: Involving the signalling pathway of PI3K-Akt. Thromb Haemost. 2014;112(5):981-91. doi: 10.1160/TH13-12-1002.PubMedUsed to support: Another product, not CyaniMax: purified anthocyanins whose two main components were delphinidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-glucoside. In a 24 week double-blind trial in 150 adults with high cholesterol, 320 mg a day lowered blood markers of platelet activation (beta-thromboglobulin, soluble P-selectin and RANTES) compared with placebo. In test tubes both glucosides reduced platelet granule secretion through the PI3K/Akt pathway.
  9. Czank C, Cassidy A, Zhang Q, Morrison DJ, Preston T, Kroon PA, Botting NP, Kay CD. Human metabolism and elimination of the anthocyanin, cyanidin-3-glucoside: a (13)C-tracer study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013;97(5):995-1003. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.049247.PubMedUsed to support: Eight men swallowed 500 mg of carbon 13 labeled cyanidin-3-glucoside. Relative bioavailability was about 12%, based on label recovered in urine and breath. Labeled metabolites peaked in blood about 10 hours after the dose and stayed in circulation for up to 48 hours; they were identified as degradation products and phenolic, hippuric, phenylacetic and phenylpropenoic acids.
  10. Peng W, Wu Y, Peng Z, Qi W, Liu T, Yang B, He D, Liu Y, Wang Y. Cyanidin-3-glucoside improves the barrier function of retinal pigment epithelium cells by attenuating endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis. Food Res Int. 2022;157:111313. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111313.PubMedUsed to support: Cell study of the compound, not CyaniMax. In retinal pigment epithelial cells loaded with A2E and exposed to blue light, C3G at 10 and 25 micromolar improved cell survival, reduced cell death, raised tight junction proteins and barrier function, damped the PERK/eIF2 alpha/ATF4/CHOP stress pathway and activated Nrf2.
  11. Jin X, Wang C, Wu W, Liu T, Ji B, Zhou F. Cyanidin-3-glucoside Alleviates 4-Hydroxyhexenal-Induced NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation via JNK-c-Jun/AP-1 Pathway in Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells. J Immunol Res. 2018;2018:5604610. doi: 10.1155/2018/5604610.PubMedUsed to support: Cell study of the compound, not CyaniMax. In human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19) exposed to the lipid oxidation product 4-hydroxyhexenal, pretreatment with C3G reduced cell death, caspase-1 activity, IL-1 beta and IL-18 release and NLRP3 inflammasome gene expression, and delayed and reduced JNK activation and AP-1 activity.
  12. Bhaswant M, Fanning K, Netzel M, Mathai ML, Panchal SK, Brown L. Cyanidin 3-glucoside improves diet-induced metabolic syndrome in rats. Pharmacol Res. 2015;102:208-17. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2015.10.006.PubMedUsed to support: Rat study of the compound, not CyaniMax. In rats fed a high carbohydrate, high fat diet for 16 weeks, about 8 mg/kg a day of cyanidin 3-glucoside or Queen Garnet plum juice from week 8 reversed the diet's effects on abdominal fat, glucose tolerance, blood pressure, heart structure and liver fat and enzymes. No intact anthocyanins or their usual metabolites were detected in blood.