Botanical Index No. 219

Cat’s Claw

uncaria tomentosa

Medicinal Actions

Antiaggregant, Antibacterial, Antiedemic, Anti-HIV, Antiinflammatory, Antileukemic, Antimelanomic, Antimutagenic, Antioxidant, Antipyretic, Antiradicular, Antirhinoviral, Antisarcomic, Antistomatitic, Antithrombic, Antitumor, Antiviral, Apoptotic, Contraceptive, Dopaminergic, Hypotensive, Immunostimulant, Interleukinogenic, Phagocytotic

Primary Conditions Treated

Allergy Arthrosis Ascites Asthma Bacteria Cancer Candida Calcium Antagonist Cytostat Dermatosis Diabetes Dysmenorrhea Dyspepsia Edema Enterosis Fever Gastrosis Gout Hemorrhoid Herpes High Blood Pressure HIV Immunodepression Immune Dysfunction Infection Inflammation Leukemia Melanoma Neurodermatosis Prostatosis Rhinovirus Stomatosis Swelling Thrombosis Tumor Ulcer Virus Wound Yeast

General Dosage

1 g root/cup tea 3 ×/day; 20 g root bark/liter water; 30 g powdered root/800 ml water simmered to 500 ml; 1–2 bark capsules 3 ×/day; 1–2 capsules 3 ×/day; 2 StX capsules/day; 20–60 mg StX; 1 tbsp decoction; 1–2 ml tincture 1–2 ×/day. Fernando Cabieses seems to believe the folk contraceptive dosage, boiling 11–13 pounds root until it is reduced to 1 cup.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 4. Too new to have much toxicity data, I think it is as innocuous as coffee. But only time will tell. Foster cautions that, like other immunostimulants, including his favorite, echinacea, cat’s claw should be avoided in such immune disorders as HIV, multiple sclerosis, and tuberculosis. Not shown safe in children and lactating or pregnant women. Yet APA reports the folklore of European reports suggesting that cat’s claw, taken with AZT, can be beneficial in patients with AIDS. AHP cites Ken Jones, who contraindicates for patients receiving organ transplants or skin grafts, hemophiliacs prescribed fresh blood plasma; simultaneous administration of certain vaccines, hormone therapies, insulin, and thymus extracts. Not for children under 3 years. PH2 warns of precipitous drops in estradiol and progesterone serum levels following 8 weeks use. Extracts prevent estrogen from binding to estrogen receptors on breast cancer cells.

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