Cat's Claw / Antiviral & Anti-inflammatory

Herb Of The Week / Cat's Claw / Antiviral & Anti-inflammatory



Cat's claw (Una de Gato) Actually refers to several different
varieties of a wood vine native to Peru and has been used by the
Peruvian Indians for years for the treatment of a wide range of health
problems. Cat's claw is said to boost the immune system, treat
infections (including ulcers which are now thought to be caused by
bacteria) and relieve inflammation such as arthritis pain. The inner
bark of the cat's claw plant has been used as far back as the days of
the ancient Incas, to build up the body's strength as well as the
defense and immune system.


Research in Peru and the German E. Commission (the German equivalent
of the FDA) validate the traditional usage of cat's claw and show that
this herb may be helpful with a variety of conditions, which have thus
far eluded conventional medicine practioners. It appears to stimulate
the immune system by making white blood cells more aggressive. As such
it has been studied for it's use in treating viral infections such as
HIV, AIDS, Herpes and HCV. There are some researchers that believe
cancer is linked to viruses. If that is true, an herb that builds and
boosts the immune booster is well worth investigating.

Some promising in-vitro cancer studies have shown cat's claw has
antimutagenic and antioxidant activities (a mutagen is something that
causes genes to mutate). One alkaloid in particular has been shown to
be effective against leukemic cells. In test tubes, cat's claw
alkaloids were shown to stimulate white blood cells to destroy
pathogens. Almost all the studies on cat's claw focus on the Saventaro
brand of extract. In a six-month clinical study, the Saventaro extract
was shown to produce significant improvements in 17 of 18 subjects
with rheumatoid arthritis. The presence of glycosides,
proanthocyanidins and beta sitosterol help provide anti-viral,
anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory support for the body.


Cat's Claw is also known to also create intestinal support by its
ability to cleanse the entire intestinal tract. This cleansing
property helps create support for people experiencing different
stomach & bowel disorders, including colitis, Crohn's disease,
irritable bowel syndrome, and leaky bowel syndrome.

Unfortunately, cat's claw has not been evaluated for its safe
consumption during pregnancy.