CATS CLAW UNCARIA TOMENTOSA

CATS CLAW (Uncaria tomentosa (Willd. ex Schult.) DC.) ++

Synonym :
- Nauclea tomentosa Willd. ex Schult.

Activities (Cats Claw) :
- Antiaggregant (1; PH2); Antibacterial (1; APA); Antiedemic (1; APA; HH3; PH2); Anti-HIV (1; APA); Antiinflammatory (1; APA; PH2; SKY); Antileukemic (1; PH2); Antimelanomic (1; APA; 60P); Antimutagenic (1; APA; HH3; 60P); Antioxidant (f; 60P); Anticyretic (1; HH3); Antiradicular (f; 60P); Antirhinoviral (1; HH3); Antisarcomic (1; HH3; 60P); Antistomatitic (1; HH3); Antithrombic (1; PH2); Antitumor (1; APA; HH3); Antiviral (1; APA; HH3; 60P); Apoptotic (1; PH2); Calcium Antagonist (1; PH2); Contraceptive (1; HH3; PH2; 60P); Cytostat (1; 60P); Dopaminergic (1; FNF); Hypotensive (1; PH2); Immunostimulant (1; APA; HH3; SKY); Interleukinogenic (1; PH2); Phagocytotic (1; APA; HH3; 60P).

Indications (Cats Claw) :
- Allergy (1; APA; HH3); Arthrosis (1; APA; HH3; 60P); Ascites (1; HH3); Asthma (f; APA; PH2); Bacteria (1; APA); Cancer (1; APA; HH3; PH2; 60P); Candida (f; APA); Dermatosis (f; HH3); Diabetes (f; 60P); Dysmenorrhea (f; PH2); Dyspepsia (f; APA); Edema (1; APA; HH3; SKY); Enterosis (f; APA); Fever (1; HH3); Gastrosis (f; APA; HH3); Gout (1; JAD); Hemorrhoid (1; APA); Herpes (1; HH3); High Blood Pressure (1; PH2); HIV (1; APA); Immunodepression (1; APA; HH3; SKY); Immune Dysfunction (1; APA; SKY); Infection (1; HH3); Inflammation (1; APA; PH2; SKY); Leukemia (1; PH2); Melanoma (1; APA; 60P); Neurodermatosis (f; HH3); Prostatosis (1; APA); Rhinovirus (1; HH3); Stomatosis (1; HH3); Swelling (1; APA; HH3; PH2); Thrombosis (1; PH2); Tumor (1; APA; HH3); Ulcer (f; APA); Virus (1; APA; HH3; 60P); Wound (f; HH3); Yeast (f; APA).

Dosages (Cats Claw) :
- 1 g root/cup tea 3 ×/day (SKY); 20 g root bark/liter water (HH3); 30 g powdered root/800 ml water simmered to 500 ml (PH2); 1 - 2 (500 mg) bark capsules 3 ×/day (APA); 1 - 2 (500 mg) capsules 3 ×/day (NH); 2 (505 mg) StX capsules/day (NH); 20 - 60 mg StX; 1 tbsp decoction (SF); 1 - 2 ml tincture 1 - 2 ×/day (SKY). Fernando Cabieses seems to believe the folk contraceptive dosage, boiling 11 - 13 pounds root until it is reduced to 1 cup (pretty tricky).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Cats Claw) :
- Class 4 (AHP). 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, cats claw should be avoided in such immune disorders as HIV, multiple sclerosis, and tuberculosis. Not shown
safe in children and lactating or pregnant women (SF). Yet APA reports the folklore of European reports suggesting that cats claw, taken with AZT, can be beneficial in patients with AIDS (APA). 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 (AHP). Not for children under 3 years (AHP). 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.

Extracts (Cats Claw) :
- Oxyindole alkaloids stimulate the immune system (SKY). Isopteropodine stimulates phagocytosis EC13.6 = 1 µg/l; EC55.3 = 10 mg/l; isomitraphylline, isorhynchophylline, and peropodine only half as effective at 1 µg/l (HH3). Alkaloids and glycosides may account for antiinflammatory and antioxidant activities (SKY). Sterols antiinflammatory (PH2). Hirsutine blocks ganglia and induces dopamine release. Tanniniferous extracts contraceptive(6.25 - 25 mg/kg mouse) (HH3). Quinovic-acid-glycosides, antiviral, antirhinoviral with MIC ca 20-30 µg, but toxic at around 80 µg/ml (TD50 = 80 µg/ml) (HH3). LD50 (acidic extract) = >300 iprl mouse (HH3), LD50 (acidic extract) = >16,000 orl mouse (HH3).