Cat’s Claw Bark 100 g, 50 g, 25 g

Cat’s Claw 100 g ($17.99), 50 g ($11.99), 25 g ($7.99)

Benefits:
Used by native peoples in South America as a contraceptive, cat’s claw is an anti-inflammatory agent and immune stimulant. It is also good for all forms of arthritis. It has also been shown to have anticancer, antioxidant, antiviral, and cardiovascular effects. In folk medicine, it has been used for diarrhea and gastritis.

Arthritis. Cat’s claw is a rich source of sterols, which have anti-inflammatory activity. Animal studies have found that the herb reduces swelling by approximately 50%.

Bowel disorders. In animal studies, cat’s claw was shown to protect the intestine from damage from indomethacin, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).

Cancer. Austrian researchers have confirmed that cat’s claw supports a body affected by cancer by stimulating the immune system. It also inhibits the proliferation of human tumor cells such as for leukemia. Cat’s claw also has been shown to directly kill cancer cells in cell line studies. The additional immune-system boost may allow some people to take the full course of chemotherapy needed to prevent recurrence of the disease. As an antioxidant, cat’s claw supports the body during chemotherapy and radiation treatments and removes toxic metabolites. In one study two people—one a smoker and the other a nonsmoker—were given cat’s claw. The cat’s claw had no effect on the nonsmoker, but the smoker experienced a decrease in the genetic mutation activity that could lead to cancer, specifically lung cancer. The effect continued eight days after the treatment was withdrawn.

Colds. The immune-stimulant effects of cat’s claw allow it to support immune function to possibly fight off cold viruses.

HIV/AIDS. The advantage of cat’s claw for treating AIDS is that it helps the body produce T cells and other white blood cells in normal numbers. This can prevent excessive immune stimulation that can provoke herpes outbreaks or give HIV opportunities to become drug-resistant. In a study of thirteen HIV-positive patients who took 20 milligrams daily of cat’s claw containing 12 milligrams per gram total of pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids for up to five months, the patients showed an increase in absolute lymphocyte count (part of the white blood cells). However, a marker of HIV infection—the T4/T8 ratio—did not change.

Recommended Uses
Cat’s claw is available in capsule and tincture forms. The daily dosage is 250 to 1,000 milligrams, and the total alkaloid equivalent is 10 to 30 milligrams. People with limited kidney function should consult their physician, as there is evidence that cat’s claw may be associated with renal failure. It should not be used by pregnant women or nursing mothers. Patients with autoimmune diseases or who are on immunosuppressants to prevent rejection of implanted organs, including bone marrow, should not use cat’s claw. This herb may increase the risk of bleeding if you are taking anticlotting medications, so the two should not be used together.

The healing alkaloids in cat’s claw tinctures are released from tannins by the action of acid in the stomach. If they are absorbed through the tongue, they lose their effect. For this reason, you should always take cat’s claw tincture with at least 6 ounces (¾ cup) of water to avoid absorption through the tongue. You can add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or 1 teaspoon of vinegar to the water to increase the acidity of the solution. This releases even more alkaloids from tannin. Some brands of cat’s claw tincture are made with vinegar. If you use one of these brands, you do not need to add lemon juice or vinegar to the water you use to wash down the tincture. If you do not use one of these types of tincture, or if you use pills or tablets, be sure to add lemon juice or vinegar to the water you drink while taking the herb to assure its bioavailability.

Botanical Name: Uncaria tomentosa
English: Cat’s Claw
Also, known as: uña de gato, paraguayo, garabato, garbato casha, samento, toroñ, tambor huasca, una huasca, uña de gavilan, hawk’s claw, saventaro, Vilcacora
Origin: Peru
Harvested: Cultivated
Parts Used: Tree bark

General Information:
Cat’s claw (U. tomentosa) is a large, woody vine that derives its name from hook-like thorns that grow along the vine and resemble the claws of a cat. Two closely related species of Uncaria are used almost interchangeably in the rainforests: U. tomentosa and U. guianensis. Both species can reach over 30 m high into the canopy. U. tomentosa has small, yellowish-white flowers, whereas U. guianensis has reddish-orange flowers and thorns that are more curved. Cat’s claw is indigenous to the Amazon rainforest and other tropical areas of South and Central America. Cat’s Claw Bark has been used in Peru & Europe since the last 2000 years and Indian tribe in central Peru has the longest recorded history of use of the plant. They are also the largest commercial source of Cat’s claw from Peru today. There are other species of plants with a common name of cat’s claw (or uña de gato) in Mexico and Latin America; however, they are entirely different plants. Several of the Mexican uña de gato (Cat’s Claw) varieties have toxic properties.

How to use:
We make these suggestions to help you get the best benefit from the herbs that you’re choosing to improve your health. Also we make these ideas and recommendations so that consuming them easier and better fit into your lifestyle by adding them to the food that you already eat.
For the full health benefit, it is best to consume (or use the whole herb in poultices) the whole herb. All of the compounds in the herb act best together, as nature intends. Extracts draw out the most prominent beneficial compounds and may concentrate them. What is not extracted can be helpful in ways that we do not yet understand.

Cut Pieces or Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use cut pieces or powdered herb.
Food Preparation: You can add powdered or pieces of herb (if the pieces you buy are bigger than you like, a coffee or herb grinder will quickly reduce) to any yogurt, smoothie, apple or other sauces, spreads, salads or other foods more familiar to you that don’t use heat. Heat can be damaging to the beneficial compounds in the herb. Other options like oatmeal, scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, soup, cookies and anything else that fits your lifestyle, but minimizing (by adding near the end of cooking) the heat is helpful.
Also, for children, you can mix powdered herb with honey or glycerin to make paste. The thicker the paste, the more potent and herbal in taste. The sweet taste of honey and glycerin will help medicine go down. The resulting liquid is called an electuary.
For seeds in general, but especially small seeds, it’s best to grind these to break the protective hulls a short time before consumption. This makes all the benefits available, rather than some remaining locked inside the hulls that are unbroken by insufficient chewing.
To make adding herbs even easier, you could add a week’s worth of your chosen herb(s) to an amount of, for example, yogurt that you would eat in a week. Mix thoroughly and eat this each day of the week. So you make once /week and just eat each other day.
Hot Infusion: The basic method for dried herbs and flower is, take 2-3 tablespoons of dried herb in a cup or teapot. Pour hot water over it and cover it with lid for 10-30 minutes. The heat from making tea can degrade some of the beneficial compounds in the herb. This method minimizes this effect. For the full health benefit, it is recommended to consume what is left over after making tea.
Decoctions: Decoctions are suitable for roots, barks, large seeds & berries, and other dense material. The simple way to make decoction is, in a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of dried herbs to 1 cup of water, Bring the water to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes with the pot covered. Squeeze out as much as liquid as possible. Best practice is to drink the liquid and also consume the solid material that remains. Herb pieces can also be used.
Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use powdered herb.
Capsules: HerbsCrafters makes capsules guaranteed to be filled with the pure herb with no filler or any other products. You can also use powdered herb to make your own capsules at home. These capsules are best taken with liquid to aid in digestion and absorption and to ensure it doesn’t stick in your throat.
Poultice: Poultice can be made with an herbal powder and liquid (mostly water) to form a paste which is then applied to the skin. This method is very helpful for skin conditions.
Herbal shot: Powdered herb can be mixed with water, fruit juice or other liquid to make herbal shot.

Tips:
You can sweeten your herbal decoctions with bit of honey, natural fruit juice, stevia leaves powder or licorice root powder.

Precautions:
You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
All information on this website is for educational purpose ONLY.
This information has not been evaluated by Health Canada.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.