Cat’s claw, known as una de gato in Spanish, is a herb derived
from a vine-type plant which grows widely in the countries of
Central and South America, and is particularly common in the
Amazon rainforests and Peru. So vast and botanically rich are
the wilds of the Amazon rain forest that many herbal
practitioners still look to it as a potential source of
powerful, but as yet undiscovered, herbal remedies. Although
this hope might seem to some like wishful thinking, the example
of cat’s claw suggests that it may not be entirely fanciful;
because although the herb has only very recently become known in
the West, it has been used as health tonic and treatment by the
indigenous peoples of the region for many centuries.

But the claims made for the benefits of cat’s claw need to be
treated with some caution, because there are those who would
have you regard it as something akin to a miracle herb or
universal panacea; and orthodox medicine, as always, is rightly
sceptical of the wilder claims of the herbal or “natural” remedy
lobby.

Rendered into liquid form, however, extracts of cat’s claw have
been found to have potent adaptogenic, anti-inflammatory and
anti-oxidant properties, and these are therefore used by herbal
therapists to tackle a wide variety of common ailments. The
anti-inflammatory qualities of the herb indicate potential
benefits in the treatment of arthritis, rheumatism and bursitis;
as well as digestive problems and ulcers, whilst as an adaptogen
and anti-oxidant cat’s claw is believed to boost the immune
system, lower blood pressure and cholesterol and even help in
the fight against cancer.

Serious research into the benefits of cat’s claw has been
underway in Europe since the 1970s, and although, as noted
above, conventional medicine remains reluctant to confirm the
herb’s therapeutic value, the fact that cat’s claw is only
available on prescription in certain countries is a clear
indication of its biochemical potency.

Cat’s claw’s power as an immune system booster appears to be
related to unique properties in the alkaloids derived from it,
certain of which appear directly to enhance the ability of the
body’s white blood cells to destroy potentially harmful foreign
matter. These alkaloids also seem to stimulate the production of
the vital T4 lymphocyte and leucocyte immune system cells which
are crucial in fighting viral infections.

One particular such alkaloid, rynchophylline, is also believed
to be of great benefit to the cardio-vascular system in
preventing blood “stickiness”, or the potentially catastrophic
formation of clots in circulating blood in the heart and brain.
Like other anti-oxidants, cat’s claw may also help to prevent
the oxidation of low density lipids (LDL), or “bad cholesterol”,
and the consequent build up of deposits inside the arteries
leading to atherosclerosis. Recent research also suggests that
the anti-oxidant action of cat’s claw may also help to prevent
the deposit of the plaques within brain tissue which are
implicated in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

The many potential benefits of cat’s claw make it a hugely
exciting prospect for advocates of herbal remedies. But there is
an important caveat in that most of the research so far has been
conducted in the laboratory rather than on live human subjects.
Against that, however, must be set the many centuries of use of
the herb amongst older civilisations.

Orthodox medicine, moreover, is always keen to stress, quite
correctly, that the mere fact that a remedy is described as
“natural” or “herbal” does not mean it is necessarily free of
potential side effects. Herbal remedies, after all, often
provide the raw materials for the manufacture of conventional
drugs, and are highly active biochemical compounds in their own
right. They could not be of any benefit if they were not.
But in the case of cat’s claw the only contraindications for
its use appear to for pregnant women and those suffering from
disorders of the immune system. For all others, the herb appears
to be completely safe, although very rare cases of minor gastric
upsets and headaches have been reported.

The inner bark of the plant is the source of cat’s claw’s
active alkaloid compounds, but the bark itself is indigestible
and poorly absorbed, if at all, by the human digestive system.
Fortunately, however, cat’s claw is now readily available in the
form of easily absorbed teas, tinctures and capsules, but it’s
probably best to start with low doses to ensure freedom from any
possible side effects.

And as recommended therapeutic doses vary between 750 and 3,000
mg per day, it’s always worth talking things over with your
physician or a reputable herbal practitioner before beginning
any program of supplementation. But the potential benefits of
cat’s claw appear so promising that this is not a herb you
should ignore.

About The Author: Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter
specialising in direct marketing and with a particular interest
in health products. Find out more at
http://www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/Cat’sClaw.htm

Trackback Post

Related Posts