Natural Therapy: Cat's Claw Treats Arthritis, Cancer and AIDS

The Cat's Claw Vine (Uncaria sp.), also called Una de Gato is a thorny vine native to the tropical and mountainous rainforests of Central and South America. The inner bark and root of this vine has been in use for over 2000 years by the native peoples of the rainforests for various inflammatory conditions and infections. It's name is derived from large claw shaped thorns present on the vine.

In the1970's, Austrian researchers began investigating the positive immunostimulant properties of the Cat's Claw Vine. This was followed by independent studies done in Spain, France, Japan, Germany and Canada. In the 1990's, researchers in Sweden and Italy began conducting research for treatment of cancer. The herb has also been in use in Europe to adjunctively treat AIDs. ₍₁₎

Cat's Claw is currently in use all over the world for the treatment of many conditions including arthritis, bowel disorders, colds, Lyme disease, peptic ulcer, cancer, HIV/AIDS and related conditions.

Arthritis

Cat's Claw has been shown to be a source of sterols, plant compounds that form the building blocks for anti-inflammatory steroids. Animal studies have shown that supplements may reduce swelling by as much as 50%.

HIV/AIDS and Secondary Infections

Cat's Claw can help the body regulate T-Cell formation to a normal level which is important in HIV/AIDs. This prevents overstimulation of the immune system which can provoke a Herpes outbreak and prevent recurrence of infections of thrush and other Candida infections. It is documented to have caused remission of Kaposi's sarcoma which is a common cancer in AIDS and appears to aid in prevention of HIV becoming drug resistant.

Cancer

Cat's Claw appears to act by decreasing the total number of white blood cell if counts are high and increasing the number of white blood cells if low. Particularly important when focused on cancer treatment is that it does not stimulate body to overproduce white blood cells which can damage noncancerous tissues.

Bowel Disorders

Cat's Claw appears to be of some benefit in gastrointestinal disorders such as Crohn's disease, chemo-induced gastritis, diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome by aiding in detoxification of the GI tract and regulation of the immune system. It may also help to encourage healthy bacteria

Other disorders caused by infectious agents

The immune stimulant effects of Cat's Claw have proven to be effective in fighting Lyme disease which has been shown to be caused by a bacterium. Patients with stomach ulcers caused by H. Pylori and sinusitis caused by cold viruses have also shown improvement after taking Cat's Claw.

Heart and Blood Pressure Conditions

Cat's Claw has been shown to have hypotensive and vasodilating properties along with anticoagulant effects. This may prove to benefit patients with heart conditions such as high blood pressure or congestive heart failure. Patients who are in danger of forming a clot either in the heart or other areas of the body such as lungs or legs (deep vein thrombosis) may also benefit.

Cat's Claw is readily available in oral capsules, tablets and liquid extract form at your local health food store and may be available at drugstores, grocery stores and large discount stores where a large herbal section is present. The dosage generally recommended is 500mg to 1 gram of vine powder daily though some practitioners may recommend lower or much higher dosages. Cat's Claw should be taken with a full glass of water. Adding lemon juice of vinegar to the water may increase its effectiveness as acid is required to release the effective compounds from the plant product.

Though the natives of South America reportedly Cat's Claw to treat diabetes, it has not been well studied in modern times. It is generally recommended that Insulin dependent diabetics should not use Cat's Claw and that it should also be avoided by pregnant and nursing mothers. Cat's Claw should also not be used if patient is on immunosuppressant medication as this herb is an immunostimulant. ₍₂₎

Sources

(1) Sage Press, Technical Data Report for Cat's Claw

(2) Balch, Phyllis A, Prescription for Herbal Healing