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The Herb known as Cat’s Claw is a vine that grows wild in the highlands of the Peruvian Amazon. The vine clings to trees in order to climb upwards to considerable heights. Cat’s Claw derives its name from the shape of its vine that resembles the claw of a cat. It is the roots and also the inner bark of the vine that are used in a therapeutic manner. Cat’s Claw is most well known for the potent manner in which it boosts the body’s immune system. The natives of the Peruvian rainforest have been using Cat’s Claw for hundreds of years to treat such serious afflictions as tumors, inflammations and various infections. Modern studies have shown that Cat’s Claw may be effective in the treatment of AIDs, allergies, arthritis, asthma, bursitis, cancer, chronic fatigue, diabetes, ulcers, herpes, intestinal disorders and skin disorders. Cat’s Claw first gained wide attention in the 1970’s when an Austrian researcher took it to the University of Innsbruck for analysis. Some of the elements of Cat’s Claw that the analysis discovered were a number of powerful alkaloids and also a number of glycosides that had never before been observed as occurring naturally in nature. Alkaloids are some of the most potent constituents of plants. Many commercial drugs are derived from alkaloids. Some well known alkaloids include atropine, morphine and nicotine. Glycosides are molecules with one part sugar and a non-sugar part that contains the active ingredient. That active ingredient may have any number of uses for or effects on the body. The sugar part of the molecule aids in the transport and digestion of the active ingredient thus rendering glycosides more effective for the body. Some glycosides, such as the heart activating glycosides from Digitalis, cannot be manufactured synthetically. Our only manner of obtaining them is through extraction from their plant source. Many of the alkaloids now known to be present in Cat’s Claw, such as the oxindale alkaloids, are known to strongly effect human physiology. Some of them are potent immuno-stimulants. Tests done on individuals that drank a tea made from the roots of Cat’s Claw showed an impressive increase in those individuals of a type of immune cell called active monocytes. In fact, increases in the active monocytes of up to 35% or 50% were reported. In those same individuals, the process of Phagocytosis was significantly enhanced. That is a process where foreign organisms in our body are destroyed by white blood cells. Amongst groups of people who have been tested for results after having taken a standard extract of Cat’s Claw it was found that their red blood cells were much less likely to break down. Some of the glycosides now isolated in Cat’s Claw, such as the quinovic acid glycosides, act as antioxidants and help to nullify the effect of free radicals; molecules that damage cells through harmful oxidation processes. Damage caused by free radicals has been linked to such serious ailments as heart disease and cancer. Free radicals are also thought to play a major role in the process of aging. In 1994, the World Health Organization recognized Cat’s Claw as a medicinal plant; thus validating the ancient wisdom of the natives of Peru. In Austria and Germany an extract of Cat’s Claw is now used in the treatment of such diseases as cancer and AIDs. Research performed in Europe has shown that the anti-tumor activity of Cat’s Claw is due to the strengthening effect that the herb has on the body’s immune system. Cat’s Claw has been tested as having a positive effect in the treatment of allergies and afflictions to the lungs. Patients with serious allergy induced asthma that took extracts of Cat’s Claw for a year became free of their symptoms and remained so for over three years! Due to the well-known anti-inflammatory properties of Cat’s Claw, it helps to alleviate both rheumatism and arthritis. And it is capable of doing so without inducing any negative side effects. The suggested dosage of this herb is three to six grams a day. For those suffering from severe afflictions that might be helped by Cat’s Claw, up to 20 grams a day have been recommended.
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