Dosage

Intervention: 5 to 10 drops per day.
Treatment: 10-15 drops, 3 times per day max.

Directions for use

Shake before using. Take directly on the tongue or in a half glass of water or tea, 15 to 30 minutes
before meals. For long-term treatment, use 6 days out of 7.

Mode of Action

Cats Claw has many phytochemical elements that consist of oxidole alkaloids, quinovic acid glycosides, antioxidants, plant sterols and carboxyl alkyl esters. All of these are thought to have, in varying degrees, an action that can be attributed to the many benefits of Cats Claw. 

Phytonutrients: Ajmalicine, akuammigine, campesterol, catechin, carboxyl alkyl esters, chlorogenic acid, cinchonain, corynantheine, corynoxeine, daucosterol, epicatechin, harman, hirsuteine, hirsutine, iso-pteropodine, loganic acid, lyaloside, mitraphylline, oleanolic acid, palmitoleic acid, procyanidins, pteropodine, quinovic acid glycosides, rhynchophylline, rutin, sitosterols, speciophylline, stigmasterol, strictosidines, uncarine A thru F, and vaccenic acid.

Special notes

If you begin looking into cat’s claw for the treatment of Lyme infections, you will soon come across the product “TOA-free Cat’s Claw.” There is some amount of hysteria about this product. It is asserted that cat’s claw products containing TOAs are not effective. This is incorrect. A review of the literature shows that a single series of in vitro studies—that is, in the laboratory, in test tubes only—found that the TOAs in a uniquely prepared solution of isolated cat’s claw constituents, in some circumstances, had negative impacts on POA activity. This is a far cry from showing that TOAs inhibit the action of POAs in the human body.

The TOAs used in the study are incomplete to the plant. Only two were used—the plant contains at least five other TOAs.  Additionally, the amounts of the two TOAs used exceeds that found in the plants themselves. These were isolated constituents taken out of their plant matrix and purified. Within the whole plant, synergistic actions occur between the many plant chemicals. There is no evidence that in whole plant form these TOAs inactivate anything.

None of the many other researchers working with the plant the past 25 years in scores of studies found that the naturally occurring TOA alkaloids inactivated the naturally occurring POAs alkaloids. The majority of all the studies on the plant have been conducted using the whole herb or other proprietary formulations that contain both TOAs and POAs.

Some researchers make the point that there at least two (some say three) types of Uncaria tomentosa plants that grow in the Amazon and that natives distinguish between these types. This is true. The natives routinely harvest the type that contains the most POAs for making medicine. However, the plant they harvest and have been using for millennia, naturally contains both POAs and TOAs. This naturally occurring POA-TOA-containing herb has been successfully used for a very long time by these indigenous peoples to enhance immune activity. Additionally, the herb has been successfully used in clinical practice with thousands of people for over half a century in South America to enhance immune response. The herb itself, without any fiddling around, will work exceptionally well, especially for Lyme disease.

Helpful Associations

Cistus extract (available at Blissdorf)

Chaga extract (available at Blissdorf)

Cordyceps extract (available at Blissdorf)

Reishi extract (available at Blissdorf)

Ethnobotany

Uncaria tomentosa, also known as “Uňa de Gato” (in Spanish) or cat’s claw (in English) is a woody vine that grows slowly in the Amazon rain forest. The vine is referred to as “cat’s claw” because of its distinctive claw-like thorns which project from the base of its leaves. The vine can take 20 years to reach maturity and can grow over 100 feet in length as it attaches and wraps itself around the native trees. The cat’s claw bark is harvested for extraction purposes and sold in the Peruvian marketplace as bark bundles. It is found abundantly in the foothills in the Amazon rain forest at elevations of 2,000 to 8,000 feet. There are about 34 species of Uncaria, with Uncaria tomentosa being the most common species.

History

For the Asháninka Indians Cat's Claw is the totality of their culture. Traditionally every adult from the tribe carries the bark with them in a little woven pouch. It is not just the plant they harbour as sacred, they also honour what it has done for their ancestors. The Asháninka are an Amazonian tribe that live deep in the jungle, far from habitation and other tribes. It is thought that the Asháninka taught all other Amazonian Indians in the area about the qualities of this amazing plant.

The Polish missionary Father Edmund Szeliga observed that the Uncaria tomentosa vine was as holy to the Incan people as it is to the Asháninka today. The latter consider the plant a god incarnate called ‘kug – kukjagui’ - the father of all other forest gods. The Incan royal families considered Cats Claw only fit for those of royal blood. Not only are the roots, bark and leaf made into concoctions, but the bendy vine is also used to make baskets and rattan furniture.

The tribes of the Amazon have used this woody vine as a general tonic to promote good health for 1000’s of years – a tonic that can be used to bring anyone back to health. Its reputation as a “cure all” now seems to be validated by modern science, with numerous studies on the plethora of active compounds shedding new light on this ancient herb.

Contra-Indications

Cat’s Claw has chemicals that can reduce platelet aggregation and thin the blood, discontinue use one week to ten days prior to any major surgical procedure. Cat’s Claw has been clinically documented with immunostimulant effects and is contraindicated before or following any organ or bone marrow transplant or skin graft.

Interactions

Check with your doctor first if you are taking coumadin or other blood-thinning drugs.