Cat’s Claw Extract Supplement: Natural Treatments

Because there are so many kinds of cat’s claw supplements, such as: cat’s claw leaves, cat’s claw bark, and cat’s claw twigs, cat’s claw is one of the most confusing nutritional supplements currently available in health food stores. Although all cat’s claw supplements claim to help the immune system, only the root of Uncaria tomentosa gives the true health benefits by possessing the healing power to treat and prevent diseases such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcers, degenerative diseases, and also providing anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-microbial benefits.

However, only those Uncaria tomentosa roots that contain “good spirits,” seen by Ashaninka healers of the Ashaninka tribe contain healing properties. If these good spirits are mixed with any root that does not contain good spirits, the healing power is lost. With the use of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), scientists can now see the “good spirits” too. These good spirits are actually medicinal compounds called pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids (POAs).

Current studies show it may have positive effects on, and can boost the body’s immune system. With recent fear of HIV, studies on cat’s claw have started to move quickly.

POAs also help increase the number of white blood cells that make antibodies that kill germs, or B cells. Most importantly, POAs increase the number of T cells, including: Helper T cells, Suppressor T cells, and Killer T cells, which destroy cancer cells. This increased number of T cells is also very important in a disease such as AIDS.

The many potential benefits of cat’s claw make it a hugely exciting prospect for advocates of herbal remedies. But there is an important caveat in that most of the research so far has been conducted in the laboratory rather than on live human subjects. Against that, however, must be set the many centuries of use of the herb amongst older civilisations.

Individual plants are never completely harvested. Only one third of their roots are collected at any time and then no more root is harvested from that plant for the next ten years, allowing re-growth in the remaining root. Because the Ashaninka are a generous people, they see no benefit in hoarding the cat’s claw for themselves. As their homelands continue to be destroyed by deforestation, they want to make sure that the plant’s healing properties continue on.

But in the case of cat’s claw the only contraindications for its use appear to for pregnant women and those suffering from disorders of the immune system. For all others, the herb appears to be completely safe, although very rare cases of minor gastric upsets and headaches have been reported.

In return for harvesting, the Ashaninka are directly paid by the distributors. This arrangement provides the Ashaninka with the ability to make their own decisions as to how to spend this income, allowing them to make improvements in the tribe’s water supply and in their living areas. This arrangement also protects the rain forest, which gives us its many nuts, fruits, oil producing, and medicinal plants. Because of all its products, the rain forest hold more economic value than if it was cut down and used for timber or grazing land for cattle. Cats claw can be purchased at any health food store make sure you check the label to ensure you are receiving the Uncaria tomentosa official Cats Claw.

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