- Antimicrobial (especially viral and lyme)*
- Anti inflammatory*
- Cardiac Health*
- Insulin resistance*
Cat’s claw, also known as Uncaria Tomentosa, is a woody vine that is native to Central and South America particularly in the Amazonian Rainforest. It has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries dating back to the Inca Civilization. Indigenous shamans say it is a bridge and balancer between the physical and spiritual worlds and is considered the most sacred herb. Traditional uses include but are not limited to arthritis, cardiac issues, Alzheimer’s, cancer, diverticulitis, ulcers, colitis, gastritis, leaky gut, hemorrhoids, and a variety of infections (viral, fungal, bacteria, parasitic and spirochetes).*
It is often used by doctors to help those with lyme disease as well as with viral issues. It has also been shown to help against high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and inflammation. It is a well rounded herb that people use for a plethora of issues.
Cat’s claw, also known as Uncaria Tomentosa, is a woody vine that is native to Central and South America particularly in the Amazonian Rainforest. It has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries dating back to the Inca Civilization. Indigenous shamans say it is a bridge and balancer between the physical and spiritual worlds and is considered the most sacred herb. The herb is rich in alkaloids, terpenoids and flavonoids, which contributes to its historical use to help a wide range of symptoms and conditions. These conditions traditionally include but are not limited to arthritis, cardiac issues, Alzheimer’s, cancer, diverticulitis, ulcers, colitis, gastritis, leaky gut, hemorrhoids, and a variety of infections (viral, fungal, bacteria, parasitic and spirochetes).
The following are the most common modern uses of Cat’s claw:
1. Cat’s claw is one of the most potent antimicrobials in nature. It has demonstrated its strong effects against Lyme (1) and co-infections (babesia, bartonella), viruses (especially EBV and the herpes family) (2)(3), bacteria (Staph, Strep, Enterobacteria.) (4), fungus (chronic Candida infections) (5), and parasites. It is for this reason that we view it as a broad spectrum antimicrobial. This is one of the properties that gives it its reputation as an immune stimulant along with it increasing WBCs and NK cells. One of the NK cells that it increases is known as CD 57, which is known to be deficient in Lyme Disease. Due to the herbs antibacterial properties, PANDAS is a condition that many functional medicine doctors have been using cat’s claw for along with tooth infections and UTIs. A recent study from 2021 also showed that cat’s claw inhibited the release of SARS-COV-2 infectious particles and reduced the cytopathic effect caused by the virus (6).