After using cat’s claw in working with approximately 150 patients between 1988 and 1992, Dr. Brent Davis reports that "Uncaria tomentosa has the ability to break through severe intestinal derangements that no other available products can touch."  He refers to the herb as "the opener of the way" because of its remarkable ability to cleanse the entire intestinal tract and help patients suffering from many different stomach and bowel disorders including leaky bowel syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, hemorrhoids, fistulas, gastritis, ulcers, parasites and intestinal flora imbalance.(1,2,3)

By cleansing the intestinal walls, cat’s claw enables the body to better absorb nutrients, thus helping to correct nutritional imbalances created by digestive blockages.(2) Many doctors today believe that cat’s claw may have a "profound ability to get rid of deep-seated infection lodged in the bowel and perhaps even the mesentery, which can derange the uterus and associated anatomic parts: the prostate, liver, spleen, kidneys, thymus and thyroid, for starters."(5)  Davis calls cat’s claw "a world class herb which has the power to arrest and reverse deep-seated pathology, allowing a more rapid return to health..."(1,2)

The Ashanika Indians of Peru have long regarded uña de gato tea as a sacred beverage. It is used as a cleansing and tonic herb for the immune, intestinal and structural systems.

In traditional medicine of Peru, uña de gato is categorized as a "warm plant" or, more accurately, for warm conditions (inflammations) including arthritis, gastritis, asthma and dermal and genito urinary tract inflammations. It is also used to treat diabetes, cancer, tumors, viral infections, menstrual disorders convalescence and debility. A few tribes also use cat’s claw as a remedy for dysentery,(6) and at least one tribe uses the herb to treat gonorrhea.(7)

The anti-inflammatory effects of cat’s claw have proven beneficial in the treatment of arthritis, rheumatism, bursitis and gout. As an antioxidant, it also helps protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.

Its beneficial effects in treating arthritis pain may also be due, in part, to its ability to cleanse the digestive tract and aid in removing toxins from the body. Arthritis, joint pain and inflammation as well as chronic fatigue, allergies, immune deficiency and a host of other conditions have been associated with defects in intestinal permeability (leaky bowel syndrome) and toxin overload.(9,10)

Some of the glycosides present in the herb may also add protection from pain. This may explain, in part, how cat’s claw has been helpful in reducing pain associated with chemotherapy, radiation treatment and AZT use.(11)

A wealth of beneficial phytochemicals have been found in cat’s claw including quinovic acid glycosides, several oxindol alkaloids, proanthocyanidins, polyphenols, triterpines and the plant sterols beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol.(1,3) Researchers believe that the activity of the whole plant extract is greater than the sum of its parts.(3,5,7)

Unique alkaloids in uña de gato seem to enhance the immune system in a general way. These alkaloids have a pronounced effect on the ability of white blood cells to engulf and digest harmful micro-organisms and foreign matter.(3)

Austrian researcher Klaus Keplinger has obtained two U.S. patents for isolating some of the herb’s major components. According to these patents, six oxindol alkaloids have been isolated from cat’s claw and four of these have been proven "suitable for the unspecified stimulation of the immunologic system". Laboratory testing has shown these alkaloids to have a pronounced enhancement effect on phagocytosis (the ability of the white blood cells and macrophages to attack, engulf and digest harmful micro-organisms, foreign matter and debris). The most immunologically active alkaloid appears to be isoteropodine or isomer A.(1,2) Cat’s claw has also been shown to increase the production of leukocytes and specifically T4 lymphocytes, thus blocking the advance of many viral illnesses. Quinovic acid glycosides in cat’s claw back up the immune system and protect the body from viruses and virus caused cancers.(11)

Dr. Donna Schwontkowski, D.C., calls cat’s claw the most powerful immune-enhancer of all the herbs native to the Peruvian Amazon. Preliminary studies suggest that the herb has the ability to stop viral infections in the early stages, help patients who are chemically sensitive, fight opportunistic infections in AIDS patients and decrease the visible size of some skin tumors and cysts.(3,8)

According to Dr. Satya Ambrose, N.D., cat’s claw seems to enhance overall immunity while increasing stamina and energy in patients who suffer from physical and mental exhaustion due to an overactive or stressful lifestyle.(3)

Rynchophylline, a fifth alkaloid found in Uncaria tomentosa, has been studied at the Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In laboratory testing, rynchophylline displays an ability to inhibit platelet aggregation and thrombosis. This suggests that cat’s claw may be useful in preventing strokes and reducing the risk of heart attack by lowering blood pressure, increasing circulation, inhibiting formation of plaque on arterial walls and formation of blood clots in the brain, heart and arteries.(2)

WARNING:   This publication and the product contained herein have not been approved or evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This publication, and the product contained herein are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The product relates to nutritional support only.

1. Steinberg, Phillip N., C.N.C., Uncaria Tomentosa (Cat’s Claw) a Wondrous Herb from the Peruvian Rain Forest, Townsend Letter for Doctors, May, 1994.

2. Steinberg, Phillip N., C.N.C., Uncaria Tomentosa ("Cat’s Claw"): Wonder Herb from the Amazon, Herb Quarterly, Winter, 1995.

3. Steinberg, Phillip N., C.N.C., Cat’s Claw  Update (Uncaria Tomentosa) That Wondrous Herb from the Peruvian Rain Forest, Townsend Letter for Doctors, August/September, 1995.

4. Whitaker, Julian, M.D., Take Uña de Gato for All-Around Immunity, Health & Healing, May, 1995.

5. Sanchez, Don, D.C., Cat’s Claw, New Editions Health World, Dec., 1995, p.40-45.

6. Babal, Ken, C.N., Cat’s Claw: Healing Herb from the Amazon, Health Store News, Dec., 1995/Jan., 1996, p.6.

7. Blumenthal, Mark, Uña de Gato (Cat’s Claw) Rainforest herb gets scientific and industry attention, Whole Foods Magazine, October, 1995.

8. Schwontkowski, Donna, D.C., Herbal Treasures from the Amazon, Part 1, Healthy and Natural Journal, Oct., 1994 p.64-65.

9. DeVos, M., Articular Diseases and the Gut: Evidence for a Strong Relationship between Spondylarthropy and Inflammation of the Gut in Man, ACTA Clinica Belgica, 1990; 45(1):20-24.

10. Hazenberg, M.P., Intestinal Flora and Arthritis: Why the Joint?, Scand. Jrnl. of Rheum., 1995; 24(Suppl. 101):207-211.

11. New Quinovic Glycosides from Uncaria Tomentosa, Journal of Natural Products, Vol. 51, No. 2:257-61, Mar./Apr., 1988.

Product No. 725 Fill Size: 60 capsules

Each all-vegetable capsule contains:

Cat’s Claw (Uña de Gato) 500 mg.
(Uncaria Tomentosa Standardized 4:1 Extract)
Other ingredients: magnesium stearate. This concentrated herbal extract contains no sugar, yeast, corn, wheat, rice, soy, artificial color, flavor or preservatives. Contains no animal products.

Therapeutic Dosage: 2 capsules 3 times daily.
Maintenance Dosage: 1 - 3 capsules daily.

Cat’s Claw has been found to be virtually non-toxic, even in large doses. Some researchers recommend up to 20 grams daily for severe illnesses.

Generally, 1/2 the adult dose is recommended for children under 12.