NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Cat's Claw

Uncaria tomentosa (also known as Cat's Claw or Uña de Gato) is a woody vine found in the tropical jungles of South and Central America, which derrives its name from its claw-shaped thorns. It is used as an alternative medicine in the treatment of a variety of ailments. It has been suggested that Complementary and Alternative Medicine be merged into this article or section. ...

Biology

Uncaria tomentosa (popularly known in English as Cat's Claw or in Spanish as Uña de Gato) is a liana deriving its name from hook-like thorns that resemble the claws of a cat. U. tomentosa can grow up to 30m tall, climbing by means of these thorns. The leaves are elliptic with a smooth edge, and grow in opposite whorls of two. Cat's claw is indigenous to the Amazon rainforest, with its habitat being restricted primarily to the tropical areas of South and Central America. There are two species of Cat's Claw, Uncaria tomentosa and Uncaria guianensis, each having different properites and uses. The two are frequently confused but U. tomentosa is the more heavily researched for medicinal use^[1] and immune modulation, while U. guianensis may be more useful for osteoarthritis.^[2] U. tomentosa is further divided into two chemotypes with different properties and active compounds, a fact ignored by most manufacturers^[3] that can have significant implications on both its use as an alternative medicine and in clinical trials to prove or disprove its efficacy.^[4] The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A liana is woody climber. ... The leaves of a Beech tree A leaf with laminar structure and pinnate venation In botany, a leaf is an above-ground plant organ specialized for photosynthesis. ... Look up whorl in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... River in the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest. ... The tropics are the geographic region of the Earth centered on the equator and limited in latitude by the two tropics: the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. ... Chemotype - effect of chemical variaity of plants or microorganisms species. ...

Medicinal uses

The parts used medicinally include the inner bark and root, taken in the form of capsules, tea and extract.

U. tomentosa is used in nootropic drugs, as well as in treatment of cancer and HIV infection. It contains several alkaloids that are responsible for its overall medical effects, as well as tannins and various phytochemicals.^[5] The chemotype of the plant determines the dominant type of alkaloid it produces, and thus its properties in vivo. One chemotype has roots which produce mostly the pentacyclic alkaloids that are responsible for the immune-strengthening effects desired by most consumers. The second chemotype produces tetracyclic oxindole alkaloids known as rhynchophylline and isorhynchophylline which counteract the immune-strengthening actions of the pentacyclic alkaloids, reduces the speed and force of the heart's contraction, and in high doses produce ataxia, lack of coordiation and sedative effects.^[4] Since U. tomentosa comes in at least these two different chemotypes, without chemical testing it is impossible to know which chemical compounds will predominate in a plant collected randomly from a natural setting. Nootropics, popularly referred to as smart drugs, are substances which boost human cognitive abilities (the functions and capacities of the brain). ... Human immunodeficiency virus or HIV is a retrovirus that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections. ... Diagram of Ephedrine An alkaloid, strictly speaking, is a naturally-occurring amine produced by a plant,[1] but amines produced by animals and fungi are also called alkaloids. ... In vivo (Latin for (with)in the living). ... Indole is an aromatic heterocyclic organic compound. ... Bradycardia, as applied in adult medicine, is defined as a heart rate of under 60 beats per minute, though it is seldom symptomatic until the rate drops below 50 beat/min [1]. It is also less commonly known as brachycardia. ... A sphygmomanometer, a device used for measuring blood pressure. ... The heart and lungs, from an older edition of Grays Anatomy. ... Ataxia (from Greek ataxiÄ, meaning failure to put in order) is unsteady and clumsy motion of the limbs or torso due to a failure of the gross coordination of muscle movements. ... Sedation is a medical procedure involving administration of sedative drugs, generally to facilitate a medical procedure, such as endoscopy, vasectomy, or minor surgery with local anaesthesia. ...

Some ingredients appear to act as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer agents.^[5] As a homeopathic treatment, Cat's Claw is used to treat intestinal ailments such as Crohn's disease, gastric ulcers and tumors, parasites, colitis, gastritis, diverticulitis and leaky bowel syndrome, while manufacturers claim that U. tomentosa can also be used in the treatment of AIDS in combination with AZT, the treatment and prevention of arthritis and rheumatism, diabetes, PMS, chronic fatigue syndrome, prostate conditions,^[6] immune modulation,^[7] Lyme disease^[8] and systemic lupus erythematosus.^[9] A 2005 review of the scholarly literature on Cat's Claw indicates there is supporting evidence toward its use in treating cancer, inflammation, viral infection and vascular conditions, and for its use as an immunostimulant, antioxidant, antibacterial and CNS-related agent.^[5] Lyme disease or Lyme borreliosis is the most common tick-borne disease in North America and Europe, and the fastest-growing infectious disease in the United States. ...

Indigenous use

The indigenous peoples of South and Central America have used U. tomentosa for medicinal purposes for two thousand years or more. Researchers have investigated the use of the plant by the Asháninka tribe of Peru, who use the plant as a general health tonic, contraceptive, anti-inflammatory agent for the gastrointestinal tract, and as a treatment for diarrhea, rheumatic disorders, acne, diabetes, cancer and diseases of the urinary tract.^[10] Anti-inflammatory refers to the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation. ... Types 5-7 on the Bristol Stool Chart are often associated with diarrhea Diarrhea (in American English) or diarrhoea (in British English) is a generally unpleasant condition in which the sufferer has frequent watery, loose bowel movements (from the ancient Greek word Î´Î¹Î±ÏÏÎ¿Î® = leakage; literally meaning to run through). Acute infectious... Rheumatism or Rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the heart, bones, joints, kidney, skin and lung. ... For the disease characterized by excretion of large amounts of severely diluted urine, see diabetes insipidus. ... It has been suggested that Cancerous tumor be merged into this article or section. ... The urinary system is the organ system that produces, stores, and carries urine. ...

Allergies

Individuals allergic to plants in the Rubiaceae family and different species of Uncaria may be more likely to have allergic reactions to Cat's Claw.^[11] Reactions can include itching, rash and allergic inflammation of the kidneys. In one documented case, kidney failure occurred in a patient with Lupus erythematosus^[12] but it is not known if this was due to an allergic reaction or another cause. This article needs cleanup. ... Type Genus Rubia L. Genera See text For a full list, see: List of Rubiaceae genera Egyptian Starcluster Pentas lanceolata White luculia gratissima Rubiaceae Juss. ... Species = Harpagophytum procumbens Ref: ARS-GRIN 2002-06-01 Uncaria is a genus of plants known colloquially as Gambier, Cats Claw or Uña de Gato, which are found in Asia, Africa, and South America. ... An itch (Latin: pruritus) is a sensation felt on an area of skin that makes a person or animal want to scratch it. ... A typical rash A rash is a change in the skin which affects its appearance or texture. ... Inflammation is the first response of the immune system to infection or irritation and may be referred to as the innate cascade. ... Kidneys viewed from behind with spine removed The kidneys are bean-shaped excretory organs in vertebrates. ...

Footnotes

^ Gattuso, M., Di Sapio, O., Gattuso, S. & Li Pereyra, E. (2004). Morphoanatomical studies of Uncaria tomentosa and Uncaria guianensis bark and leaves. Phytomedicine, 11, 213–223.
^ Piscoya J, Rodriguez Z, Bustamante SA, et al. Efficacy and safety of freeze-dried cat's claw in osteoarthritis of the knee: mechanisms of action of the species Uncaria guianensis. Inflamm Res. 2001;50:442–448.
^ Keplinger, K., Laus, G., Wurm, M., Dierich, M.P. & Teppner, Herwig. (1999). Uncaria tomentosa (Willd.) DC.—Ethnomedicinal use and new pharmacological, toxicological and botanical results. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 64, 23–34. Available on-line as a PDF
^ ^a ^b Nutrition Forum article by Varro E. Tyler on Cat's Claw (Warning: pop-ups)
^ ^a ^b ^c Heitzman, M.E., Neto, C.C., Winiarz, E., Vaisberg, A.J. & Hammon, G.B. (2005). Ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Uncaria (Rubiaceae). Phytochemistry, 66(1), 5-29. PMID 15649507
^ NutraSanus article on Cat's Claw
^ Information on Cat's Claw
^ Treatment of Lyme disease with Cat's Claw
^ Cat's claw used to treat Lupus erythematosus
^ The Longwood Herbal Task Force article on Cat's Claw
^ Intelihealth article discussing uses and dangers of Cat's Claw
^ Hilepo JN, Bellucci AG, Mossey RT. (1977). Acute renal failure caused by 'cat's claw' herbal remedy in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus. Nephron, 77(3) pg. 361.

Contents

Biology

Medicinal uses

Indigenous use

Allergies

Footnotes

References

Contents

Biology GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Medicinal uses

Indigenous use

Allergies

Footnotes

References

Biology