Cat’s Claw (Uncaria tomentosa) is a woody vine that grows in the Amazon rainforest as well as around the tropical areas of South and Central America. It gets its name from the hook-like horns that grow on the plant. The bark and root of this plant has been used for ages for its medicinal values, starting from the Inca civilization.

Because of the immense medicinal values of the plant, the Cat’s Claw has been in great demand all over the world so much so the Peruvian government had to finally impose a curb on its unmonitored usage. It has also imposed restrictions on extracting the roots of these plants since they are now on the endangered list. Another variety of the plant, Uncaria guianensis, is known to be almost as effective, but it does not have all the properties of Uncaria tomentosa.

The different medical benefits of Cat’s Claw vary from giving a boost to the immune system to helping reduce inflammation for people suffering from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Besides being a natural anti-inflammatory agent, Cat’s Claw is also known to be anti-microbial and anti-viral and useful in combating tumors in the human body. There are other reported therapeutic uses of Cat’s Claw including treatment for urinary tract inflammation, hemorrhage, side effects of chemotherapy, skin impurities, fever, rheumatism, asthma, weakness, and for disease prevention.

The reason that Cat’s Claw is so popular is because it has Rynchophylline which is a highly sought after alkoid that is famous for its medicinal benefits. Rynchophylline is one of the main constituents of cat claw. It is a major alkoid present in the bark of the plant. This alkoid, along with glycosides, has been known to be an effective regulator of blood pressure in the human body. The main reasoning for this is that these compounds have a natural ability to inhibit platelet aggregation and thrombosis. Furthermore, they are known to lower the heart rate and blood cholesterol, and inhibit sympathetic nervous system activities. The results coherently mean that they are capable of working in a manner that can prevent strokes and reduce the risk of heart attacks by lowering the blood pressure and increase circulation. Additionally, they are also successful in inhibiting formation of plaque on the artery walls as well as reducing blood clots in the brain, heart and arteries.

Cat’s Claw should not be taken in combination with other antihypertensives or other herbs and should always be consumed under the guidelines of a healthcare practitioner. It can be consumed in order to reduce your blood pressure by taking a recommended dosage. Use caution while administering Cat’s Claw to yourself or to someone else. There are many different ways to consume cat claw, three of which are in the form of tea, tincture or as a capsule. As of now, Cat’s Claw consumption is recommended only for adults, and not for pregnant or nursing women and children below 16 years of age.