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Cat's claw

Cat's Claw, is also known as Una De Gato, Life Giving Vine of Peru, Samento. Its scientific name is Unacaria Tomentosa or Uncaria Guianensis. The scientific name for the family is Rubiaceae. Cats Claw is used orally for wound healing and as an anti-inflammatory agent. The applicable part of Cats Claw is the root and bark. It has the ability to dilate peripheral blood vessels. Cat's Claw has traditionaly been used as an anti-inflammatory agent and immune stimulant to treat a wide range of ailments and diseases, including asthma, wound healing, menstrual problems, digestive upset, urinary tract infections, arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. Cat's Claw's immune-stimulant effects allow it to fight sinusitis and Lyme disease, speed the rate at which the immune system gets rid of cold viruses and act against helicobacter pylori, a bacterium associated with both gastritis and peptic ulcers. Cat's Claw can effectively detoxify the intestinal tract and replenish friendly bacteria. As an antioxidant, Cat's Claw may support the bodu during chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Cat's Claw is a rich source of sterols. The constituents of Cat's Claw include uncarine F, pteropodine, isopteropodine, iosrhynchophylline, quinovic acid glycosides, oleanolic acid, catechins, rutin, quercetin, and tannins. Cat's Claw has several alkaloids including pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids (POA) (isomitraphylline, isopteropodine, mitraphylline, pteropodine, speciophylline, uncarine F), tetracyclic oxindole alkaloids (TOA) (isorynchophylline, rynchophylline), glycosides (triterpenic quinovic acid glycosides), hirsutine, tannins, catechins, phytosterols (beta-sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol), triterpenes, polyphenols, flavanols and oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC). It is an immune-stimulant, an anti-inflammatory, vasodilator, and antioxidant.

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