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Cat's Claw Bark Pieces

Cats Claw (Tea Cut)

(Uña de Gato)

8 ounces

From the Peruvian Amazon

What Is Cat’s Claw?

Cat’s Claw (Uncaria tomentosa) is a tropical vine which can grow up to 100 feet (30 meters) tall. Its name comes from its hooked thorns, which resemble the claws of a cat. Cat’s Claw is an aggressive invasive species — which speaks to its health-giving vigor.

It is found mainly in the Amazonian rainforest and in other tropical areas of South and Central America including the Caribbean. Our Cat’s Claw comes to you raw from the Peruvian Amazon with almost no processing.

The bark of this woody vine has been used for centuries in South America as a traditional medicine for maintaining health and for numerous conditions being one of the main Superherbs of the region. 

Since its use escaped to metropolitan regions, plus its use expanded worldwide and its popularity amongst healing systems closer to Western countries such as the Rastafarian use of Cat’s Claw tea in Jamaica, this extraordinary woody vine today is typically recommended for regular tonic use to remain healthy plus for the following specific conditions: inflammation, influenzas, herpes (all types), Lyme’s, cancer, many types of arthritis, dysentery, digestive complaints, infections and parasites. Cat’s Claw is considered by herbalists to be a potent anti-viral and anti-inflammatory.

How to Use Our Tea-Cut Cat’s Claw

  1. Take 2-3 chunks of our Cat’s Claw and simmer in water for at least 20 minutes.
  2. Cat’s Claw is a concentrated natural bark material and is therefore strong enough to make a dozen or more teas from just 2-3 chunks.
  3. Traditionally, other Amazonian superherbs were added to Cat’s Claw such as anti-fungal Pau D’Arco, anti-fungal Jatoba and/or strengthening Chuchuhuasi.

Cat’s Claw is traditionally recommended for those over the age of 12.

Cats Claw is not recommended for consumption during pregnancy or breastfeeding. 

What are the Active Nutrients and Compounds in Cats Claw?

 Cat's claw contains many types of plant compounds that help reduce inflammation, such as tannins, flavonoids, phenolic acids and sterols, as well as quinovic acid glycosides and quinic acid.

Contraindications

Cat's claw appears to have few side effects, however, be cautious, this is a real vigorous wild superherb and those who are new to its strength and power have reported mild dizziness, nausea and even diarrhea when taking cat's claw. These symptoms tend go away with continued use of this superherb.

People with skin grafts, tuberculosis, or those receiving organ transplants should not use cat's claw unless specifically directed by their physician because of its possible effects on the immune system.

Cat’s Claw should not be used with medications that suppress the immune system. Those include cyclosporine or other medications prescribed following an organ transplant, or to treat an autoimmune disease.

Cat’s claw may interact with some HIV drugs called protease inhibitors. If you take this medication, talk with your health care provider before using cat’s claw.

Cat’s claw may lower blood pressure and slow blood clotting especially if you also take blood thinners such as aspirin, warfarin (Coumadin), or clopidogrel (Plavix).

People with leukemia or low blood pressure should not take cat's claw. Cat's claw may lower blood pressure. If you take medication for high blood pressure, taking cat's claw may cause your blood pressure to become too low.

People with kidney or liver disease should not use cat's claw without first asking their doctor.

Cat's claw may act as a diuretic, helping the body eliminate excess fluid. If you also take diuretics, which do the same thing, you could be at risk of developing an electrolyte imbalance.

Cat’s Claw

Common Names: cat’s claw, uña de gato

Latin Names: Uncaria tomentosaUncaria guianensis

Our 8 ounces of tea-cut cat's claw isU. tomentosaand is wildcrafted from Peru.

 

Supporting Cat’s Claw Research

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17210508/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12065162/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11515716/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10687868/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11515716/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11603848/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17974032/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12120814/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15619581/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1276811/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17210508/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11603848/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22850529/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17210508/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11950006/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24607820/

Aquino R, De Feo V, De Simone F, et al. New compounds and anti-inflammatory activity of Uncaria tomentosaJ Nat Prod. 1991;54:453-459.

de Fatima Fernandes Vattimo M, da Silva NO. Uncaria tomentosa and acute ischemic kidney injury in rats. Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2011;45(1):194-8.

Gonzales GF, Valerio LG. Medicinal plants from Peru: a review of plants as potential agents against cancer. Anticancer Agents Med Chem. 2006;6(5):429-44.

Hardin SR. Cat's claw: an Amazonian vine decreases inflammation in osteoarthritis. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2007 Feb;13(1):25-8.

Jalloh MA, Gregory PJ, Hein D, et al. Dietary supplement interactions with antiretrovirals: a systematic review. International Journal of STD & AIDS. 2017;28(1):4-15.

Kaiser S, Dietrich F, de Resende PE, et al. Cat's claw oxindole alkaloid isomerization induced by cell incubation and cytotoxic activity against T24 and RT4 human bladder cancer cell lines. Planta Med. 2013;79(15):1413-20.

Keplinger K, Laus G, Wurm M, et al. Uncaria tomentosa (Willd.) Dethnomedicinal use and new pharmacological, toxicological and botanical results. J Ethnopharmacol. 1999;64:23-34.

Miller MJ, Mehta K, Kunte S, Raut V, Gala J, et al. Early relief of osteoarthritis symptoms with a natural mineral supplement and a herbomineral combination: a randomized controlled trial [ISRCTN38432711]. J Inflamm (Lond). 2005 Oct 21;2:11.

Mur E, Hartig F, Eibl G, et al. Randomized double blind trial of an extract from the pentacyclic alkaloid-chemotype of uncaria tomentosa for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. J Rheumatol. 2002 Apr;29(4):678-81.

Nogueira N, Coelho TM, Aguiar GC, et al. Experimental endometriosis reduction in rats treated with Uncaria tomentosa (cat's claw) extract. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2011;154(2):205-8.

Pilarski R, Zielinski H, Ciesiolka D, et al. Antioxidant activity of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Uncaria tomentosa (Willd.) DC. J Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Mar 8;104(1-2):18-23.

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 guianensisInflamm Res. 2001;50(9):442-448.

Quilez AM, Saenz MT, Garcia MD. Uncaria tomentosa (Willd. ex. Roem. & Schult.) DC. and Eucalyptus globulus Labill. interactions when administered with diazepam. Phytother Res. 2012;26(3):458-61.

Rizzi R, Re F, Bianchi A, et al. Mutagenic and antimutagenic activities of Uncaria tomentosa and its extracts. J Ethnopharmacol. 1993;38(1):63-77.

Rosenbaum CC, O'Mathúna DP, Chavez M, Shields K. Antioxidants and antiinflammatory dietary supplements for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Altern Ther Health Med. 2010 Mar-Apr;16(2):32-40. Review.

Sandoval M, Charbonnet RM, Okuhama NN, et al. Cat's claw inhibits TNFalpha production and scavenges free radicals: role in cytoprotection. Free Radic Biol Med. 2000;29(1):71-78.

Setty AR, Sigal LH. Herbal medications commonly used in the practice of rheumatology: mechanisms of action, efficacy, and side effects. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2005 Jun;34(6):773-84. Review.

Sheng Y, et al. Induction of apoptosis and inhibition of proliferation in human tumor cells treated with extracts of Uncaria tomentosaAnticancer Res. 1998;18:3,363-3,368.

Sheng Y, Pero RW, Wagner H. Treatment of chemotherapy-induced leukopenia in a rat model with aqueous extract from Uncaria tomentosa. Phytomedicine. 2000;7(2):137-143.

Spelman K, Burns J, Nichols D, et al. Modulation of cytokine expression by traditional medicines: a review of herbal immunomodulators. Altern Med Rev. 2006 Jun;11(2):128-50. Review.

Steinberg PN. Cat's claw: medicinal properties of this Amazon vine. Nutrition Science News. 1995.

Weiss J. Herb-drug interaction potential of anti-borreliae effective extracts from Uncaria tomentosa (Samento) and Otoba parvifolia (Banderol) assessed in vitro. Molecules. 2018;24(1):137.

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