Cat's claw is a vine that grows in Peru. The plant is named for the pairs of large curved spines, that grow along the vine. Its scientific name is “Uncaria tomentosa”. Traditionally used the bark and root of the vine to make a tea.
Cat's claw is an Amazonian medicinal species, abundant in primary and secondary forests, which allows one hand operation in natural populations, and on the other hand, cultivation in secondary forest.
Prodiversitas.bioetica.org states that the aborigens of the Peruvian jungle, particularly the Ashaninka tribe, have used the cat's claw for centuries as a medicine. Not attracted the attention of researchers until the seventies
Cat's claw contains chemicals called alkaloids oxindoles. A researcher named Klaus Keplinger patented some of them based on evidence of its effect on immune function. Keplinger has used cat's claw to treat some people with herpes or HIV.
Other studies showed that cat's claw also contains several types of alkaloids that affect the central nervous system. These alkaloids might act against the alkaloids that affect the immune system. More research is needed.
Peruvian natives use cat's claw to treat inflammatory diseases like arthritis, to clean the digestive tract and to treat cancer. It has also been used to treat dysentery, recovery from childbirth, and hormone imbalances in women.
In laboratory studies, cat's claw normalizes some immune system functions. It also seems to help reduce blood clotting. We do not know whether these results from laboratory studies will occur in humans.
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The Main Properties of Cat’s Claw or Uncaria Tomentosa
Cat's claw has been widely studied in terms of its chemical composition from the 70's in several places in the world.
Studies have shown that Cat's Claw has activity:
Antioxidant
Antiinflammatory
Analgesic
Immunostimulant
Anticancer
Antimutagenic (cellular protector)
Antiviral
Gastroprotective
And anti depressant
Cat's Claw and World Health Organization
In the WHO sponsored the First International Conference on Cat's Claw in Geneva, Switzerland, there was unanimity on the fact that after the discovery of quinine, no other plant in the rainforest were apparently less interest than did the Cat's Claw . The interest was concentrated mainly in the alkaloids, as at least 6 of them were able to increase the level of immunity up to 50%. Five alkaloids have been clinically documented to have effects against leukemia, tumors, sores and infections and arthritis
Cat's claw has grown quite popular in the natural products industry and is mostly taken today to boost immune function, as an all over tonic and preventative to stay healthy, for arthritis and inflammation,
According Dr.Varro Tyler, Ph.D., until recently, the effectiveness of the products of a cat Americans is uncertain. Research in Austria has revealed the reason. There are two types of Uncaria tomentosa, this is, plants that appear to be identical but have different chemical properties. One of these contains pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids (POA's) which are vital for the activity of the plant, the other contains tetracyclic oxindole alkaloids (TOA's), which negate the beneficial properties of the POA's.
Many of the cat's claw products on the market in the United States without distinction are mixtures of two types. To be sure that the preparation is active, it is mandatory that this be certified as being free of TOA's, and its usefulness can only be ensured.
Luis Quiroz Ravines. is a Peruvian journalist, founder of the "World Movement of Direct Help to the Poor". He currently writes about natural health and he promotes "The Miracle of Sharing"
