Amazon Forest is packed with natural healing herbs that still remain a mystery to the world. One of those mystery herbs that has been kept secret for years is cat’s claw. Native to Central and South America, cat’s claw has been used for hundreds of years in traditional folk medicine to treat a variety of health complaints. The reputed health benefits of this indigenous herb have led scientists in the United States and other countries to closely examine its effects in the body. Their findings suggest that this little-known botanical agent exerts powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that support DNA repair, joint health, immune function, and normal cell division.
Cat’s claw was first popularized by the German natural scientist Arturo Brell, who in 1926 migrated from Munich to Pozuzo, a small town founded by German colonists in the Peruvian rainforest. Dr. Brell used cat’s claw to treat his rheumatic pain. He later treated another German colonist, Luis Schuler, who had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. After other therapies had failed, Mr. Schuler began consuming cat’s claw root tea three times a day. He improved remarkably, and one year later was apparently free of cancer.
The two known species of cat’s claw are Uncaria guianensis, used traditionally for wound healing, and Uncaria tomentosa, which has numerous medicinal uses and is most commonly found in supplements. Cat’s claw is a rich source of phytochemicals: its more than 30 known constituents include at least 17 alkaloids, along with glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, sterol fractions, and other compounds. Scientists previously attributed the efficacy of cat’s claw to compounds called oxindole alkaloids; more recently, however, water-soluble cat’s claw extracts that do not contain significant amounts of alkaloids were found to possess strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This finding led researchers to conclude that quinic acid esters are the active constituents of water-soluble cat’s claw extract.
(Cat’s Claw in iFLEX365)
A Potent Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory
Cat’s claw extracts demonstrate powerful antioxidant effects in quenching the dangerous peroxyl and superoxide radicals. Laboratory analysis indicates that the antioxidant power of cat’s claw exceeds that of many extracts of fruits, vegetables, cereals, and medicinal plants.
Chronic inflammation underlies many diseases that plague aging adults, and cat’s claw is a potent anti-inflammatory agent. Cat’s claw extract inhibits the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, an inflammatory messenger that sets the stage for both acute and chronic inflammation. Cat’s claw likewise inhibits the activation of nuclear factor-kappa beta, an inflammatory “switch” that is associated with cancer and other deadly diseases.Cat’s claw also decreased the experimentally induced release of prostaglandin E2, an inflammatory mediator associated with conditions such as arthritis.
Cat’s Claw Relieves Arthritis Discomfort
Arthritis can be one of the most physically disabling conditions associated with aging. Cat’s claw extract suppresses inflammation to promote healthy joint structure and function, as well as relieve the pain and discomfort of arthritis.
Scientists recently discovered that cat’s claw may protect cartilage, the tissue that functions like a shock absorber at joint surfaces where bones meet. Loss of cartilage, which is a defining characteristic of osteoarthritis, occurs when the breakdown of cartilage outpaces its regeneration. When human cartilage cells were exposed to joint-destroying interleukin-1 beta, cat’s claw helped restore levels of joint-protective insulin-like growth factor-1. By suppressing inflammatory agents that can degrade cartilage, while activating a cartilage-protective biochemical, cat’s claw may help to preserve healthy cartilage in aging joints.
In a clinical trial, scientists found that cat’s claw offered relief for adults suffering from osteoarthritis. Forty-five patients with osteoarthritis of the knee participated in this randomized, placebo-controlled, four-week trial. Those who received a cat’s claw preparation saw significant reductions in pain associated with physical activity. Within just one week of starting the cat’s claw therapy, both physicians and patients recorded significant improvement in subjective assessments of osteoarthritis pain. The scientists attributed the arthritis-relieving effects of cat’s claw to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Cat’s claw may similarly benefit people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, a painful condition marked by severe joint inflammation and stiffness. In a 12-month clinical trial of 41 subjects who were undergoing pharmaceutical treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, supplementing with cat’s claw extract led to improvement in painful and swollen joints. This improvement in joint pain may help people suffering from disabling rheumatoid arthritis to regain the functional ability to perform activities of daily living.
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