Cat’s claw is a medicinal herb that has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years.
In this article, we will discuss the health benefits of cat’s claw, as well as its safety and traditional uses.
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What is Cat’s Claw?
Cat’s claw is a large vine that is native to tropical regions, mainly growing in the Amazon rainforest, South America, and Central America.
The plant’s Latin name is Uncaria tomentosa, while its other common names are cat’s claw, una de gato, samento, and saventaro.
There are numerous constituents that makeup cat’s claw, including:
- Oxindole alkaloids
- Indole alkaloidal glucosides
- Glycosides
- Tannins
- Polyphenols
- Catechins
- Flavonoids
- Beta sitosterol
Cat’s claw is commonly used as a herb for Lyme disease. In addition, it has been used for arthritis, cancer, anti-microbial purposes, and cognitive health.
Health Benefits of Cat’s Claw:
Below are the top research-backed health benefits of cat’s claw.
1. May Treat Lyme Disease
Cat’s claw is thought to help treat individuals with Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Borrelia burgdorfer is a bacteria transmitted by ticks that cause Lyme disease.
An in vitro study evaluated several botanicals, including cat’s claw, Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese knotweed), Artemisia annua (Sweet wormwood), Cryptolepis sanguinolenta, Juglans nigra (Black walnut), Cistus incanus, and Scutellaria baicalensis (Chinese skullcap) on their effectiveness against Borrelia burgdorferi. It was shown that cat’s claw has a strong ability to halt the growth of Borrelia burgdorferi.
Lyme disease expert and author Stephen Buhner discussed a 6-month study involving individuals with Lyme disease. Cat’s claw was shown to alleviate the symptoms of Lyme disease. The ending results revealed that 85% of the patients tested negative for Lyme infection after treatment with cat’s claw.
Summary:
Research shows that cat’s claw may have the ability to benefit individuals with Lyme disease, although additional human clinical trials are needed.
2. May Support Immune Health
It’s thought that cat’s claw has immunomodulatory properties. It works as an antioxidant, stimulates innate and adaptive immunity, as well as phagocytosis, and has antimicrobial and antiviral effects.
Buhner notes that cat’s claw extract can improve CD4/CD8 ratios (blood test to monitor immunity) and NK cell activity (fight against tumors and infections).
A randomized, controlled study examined the effects of cat’s claw on the bacteria Enterococcus faeclis in participants who had infected root canal dentin. Cat’s claw showed to have an anti-bacterial effect on E. faeclis and also prevented bacterial regrowth up to seven days post-treatment.
A recent in vitro study revealed that the extract of cat’s claw has antiviral effects against the Covid-19 virus.
Summary:
Cat’s claw has been found to have several properties that make it an ideal herb for improving immune health. Further research is needed for verification.
3. May Help Improve Arthritis
The most common symptoms that occur in the later stages of Lyme disease include arthritis, joint pain, and swelling. The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Cat’s claw showed to be an effective treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee in a placebo-controlled study. Participants of the study reported reduced activity-related pain within the first week of treatment. This may be due to cat’s claw’s strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Another placebo-controlled study examined cat’s claw for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. After 28 weeks of treatment, those given the cat’s claw extract showed to have a reduction in painful and swollen joints.
Summary:
Several studies indicate that cat’s claw may decrease joint pain and arthritic symptoms.
4. Anti-Cancer Properties
A prospective phase II study of 51 participants assessed the effects of cat’s claw on patients with advanced tumors and a life expectancy of at least two months. Results revealed that cat’s claw can help improve the quality of life and reduce fatigue for those with terminal cancer.
Chemotherapy is a common treatment for cancer and may have adverse side effects such as neutropenia (low count of white blood cell neutrophils).
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