Cat's Claw

Cat's Claw

Other Names: Griffe du Chat, Liane du Pérou, Life-giving Vine of Peru, Samento, Uña de Gato, Uncaria guianensis, Uncaria tomentosa
Cat's claw is a plant. Two species of cat's claw, Uncaria tomentosa and Uncaria guianensis, are of primary interest for use as medicine. Uncaria tomentosa is most commonly used in the U.S., and Uncaria guianensis is typically used in Europe. Medicine is made from the root and bark.

Special Precautions of Cat's Claw

• Make sure your Cat's Claw plant source is uncaria tomentosa and not uncaria guianensis. The latter is easier to find and harvest, but uncaria tomentosa is the better source.
• Pregnant women are advised against using Cat's Claw. It can cause a miscarriage.
• Low blood pressure: There is some evidence that cat’s claw might lower blood pressure. If your blood pressure is already too low, this might be a problem.
• Leukemia: Cat's claw might worsen this condition. Don’t use it if you have leukemia.
• “Auto-immune diseases” such as multiple sclerosis (MS), lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, SLE), or other similar conditions: Cat’s claw might cause the immune system to become more active, and this could increase the symptoms of auto-immune diseases. If you have one of these conditions, it’s best to avoid using cat’s claw without consulting with your healthcare provider.
• Surgery: There is a concern that cat’s claw might make blood pressure control difficult during surgery. Stop taking cat’s claw at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
• There are contraindications with blood thinning drugs or drugs that are meant to suppress the immune system.
• Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) substrates) interacts with CAT'S CLAW
• Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs) interacts with CAT'S CLAW
• Medications that decrease the immune system (Immunosuppressants) interacts with CAT'S CLAW

The benefits of Cat's Claw are

• Cat's claw contains chemicals that might stimulate the immune system, kill cancer cells, and fight viruses.
• Contains an anti-inflammatory agent that aids in blocking the production of the hormone prostaglandin, which contributes to inflammation and pain within the body.
• Reducing pain from a kind of arthritis called osteoarthritis. Taking a specific freeze-dried cat's claw extract (Uncaria guianensis) by mouth appears to relieve knee pain related to physical activity within one week of treatment, but it does not decrease pain at rest or decrease knee swelling.
• Improving symptoms of a kind of arthritis called rheumatoid arthritis (RA) when used with regular rheumatoid arthritis medications. Taking a specific cat's claw extract (Uncaria tomentosa) that contains chemicals called pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids but is free of other chemicals called tetracyclic oxindole alkaloids appears to improve symptoms of RA somewhat. Taken by mouth in combination with sulfasalazine or hydroxychloroquine for 24 weeks, cat's claw seems to reduce the number of painful and swollen joints.
• Immunity booster : Cat's Claw's bark and roots provide most of its immune boosting qualities via oxindole alkaloids. These alkaloids enhance white blood cells' ability to engulf pathogens and destroy them. However, there are two forms of these alkaloids. Many consider pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids or POAs to be the more beneficial form. It's claimed that these POAs are hampered by the other type of alkaloids known as tetracyclic oxindole alkaloids or TOAs. Most herbalists and naturalists agree that Cat's Claw's benefits exceed all other known immune enhancing or modulating herbs, including Reishi, Echinacea, Siberian ginseng, and Astragalus. Nevertheless, many practitioners now tend to use or recommend TOA free Cat's Claw for the extreme issues of Lyme and Crohn's disease.
• It is an adaptogenic immune regulator. So it provides both immune boosting and dampening as necessary. Too much of an immune response does cause problems. For example, vaccinations often cause cytotoxic storms, an overreaction from the immune system that results in seizures or paralysis. Most allergies are essentially milder hyper immune system responses. If the immune system is weak, disease can invade undeterred. So Cat's Claw can adapt to either situation as needed. It is also anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial (viral and bacterial), anti-oxidant, and anti-fungal.
• Cancer : Cat's claw has been used in Peru and Europe as early as the 1990s as an adjunctive treatment for cancer, as well as for other diseases that target the immune system. It has several groups of plant chemicals that account for its action, the most studied group being oxidole alkaloids, which have been documented to have immune-stimulant and anti-leukemic properties. In addition to helping to minimize the effects from chemotherapy and radiation, this herb has been shown to reduce the size of cancerous tumors, particularly when skin cancer is involved. Cat's Claw has even shrunk cysts and tumors and it inhibits cancer metastasis. Italian researchers reported in a 2001 in vitro study that cat's claw directly inhibited the growth of a human breast cancer cell line by 90%. Swedish researchers documented that it inhibited the growth of lymphoma and leukemia cells in vitro in 1998.
• It is also used for various digestive system disorders including swelling and pain (inflammation) of the large intestine (diverticulitis), inflammation of the lower bowel (colitis), inflammation of the lining of the stomach (gastritis), stomach ulcers, hemorrhoids, and leaky bowel syndrome.
• Some people use cat’s claw for viral infections including shingles (caused by herpes zoster), cold sores (caused by herpes simplex), and AIDS (caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)).