Cat's Claw (Una de Gato) A Wondrous Herb From The Amazon Rain Forest

By Phillip N. Steinberg

Copyright 1994 by The Herb Quarterly. All rights reserved.

In July 1993, while working for a contract vitamin manufacturer in central Wisconsin, I received a very interesting phone call. A gentleman by the name of Timothy Eaton called to inquire if I had any knowledge of a medicinal herb from Peru known as Uncaria tomentosa, commonly called Uña de Gato in Spanish and "Cat's Claw" in English. When I replied that I had never heard of the herb in question, he proceeded to tell me about a laboratory in Austria that had created a pharmaceutical from an extract of this mystery plant. This drug, he said, was being used successfully in Austria and Germany to treat AIDS and cancer. He told me that as a missionary pilot he had many an occasion to fly in and out of the Peruvian Amazon. Because of these travels he became aware of Uncaria tomentosa's long history of use as a traditional medicine by the native Ashanica Indians.

Because of my 20-plus years experience working within the natural products and alternative health industry, I became immediately interested and intrigued by what Mr. Eaton had to say. I told him I would do some investigating and find out if the herb was being imported into the United States. To my surprise, not one of the bulk herb suppliers I contacted in the United States had ever heard of Uncaria tomentosa. Even more surprising was the fact that none of them could find any mention of the herb in any of their reference books.

Finally, one company that sold packaged herbs referred me to Dr. Brent Davis, whom they thought might be familiar with Cat's Claw. Bingo! He not only knew about Uncaria tomentosa, but had been working with it since 1988, and had written an excellent article describing his experiences. In his article titled "A New World Class Herb for A.K. [Applied Kinesiology] Practice," Dr. Davis refers to Uncaria tomentosa as "the opener of the way" because of its remarkable ability to cleanse the entire intestinal tract. The herb helps patients suffering from many different stomach and bowel disorders including Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, leaky bowel syndrome, colitis, hemorrhoids, fistulas, gastritis, ulcers, parasites, and intestinal flora imbalance.

After reading Dr. Davis's article, I became even more determined to learn everything I could about this remarkable plant. I Spent several days at the University of Wisconsin on their Med-line data base searching for any information I could find. With Mr. Eaton's help I was able to come up with more than 20 different references and articles about Uncaria tomentosa and another Uncaria species known as Uncaria guianensis.

My research revealed that Uncaria tomentosa is a woody vine that grows to more than 100 feet in length as it attaches itself to and winds its way up through the trees in the highlands of the Peruvian rain forests. For hundreds of years the native Indian tribes have used the bark and root to prepare a medicinal tea in the form of a decoction. According to the Indian folklore, the tea has been successfully used to cure tumors and other serious diseases.

In 1972, a 78-year-old Peruvian plantation owner named Don Luis was sent home by his doctor to die after being diagnosed with lung cancer. In desperation, one of his sons went to an old Indian medicine woman for help. She told him to give his father tea made from Uncaria tomentosa. After drinking the tea several times daily for a six month period, Don Luis went back to visit his doctor. To his doctor's amazement, Don Luis was not only very much alive, but as new tests revealed, the cancer in his lungs had completely disappeared.

Don Luis continued to live a relatively healthy life until the age of 90, when he died of old age. Upon his death, an autopsy was performed and there was still no trace cancer anywhere in his body.

Since that time, Uncaria tomentosa has been sold throughout South America both in tea and capsule form. Labels written in Spanish suggest how to use both forms for the treatment of cancer, arthritis, gastritis, and female hormone imbalances.

Beginning in the 1970s and continuing through today, studies conducted at research facilities in Peru, Austria, Germany, England, Hungary, and Italy suggest that Uncaria tomentosa may be beneficial in the treatment of cancer, arthritis, bursitis, rheumatism, genital herpes and herpes zoster, allergies, ulcers, systematic candidiasis, diabetes, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, PMS, and irregularities of the female cycle, environmental toxic poisoning, numerous bowel and intestinal disorders, organic depression, and those infected with the HIV virus.

In its healing ability and benefit to the immune system, Uncaria tomentosa appears to have so many therapeutic applications that it far surpasses such well- known herbs as pau d'arco, echinacea, golden seal, astragalus, and Siberian Ginseng, as well as maitake, shitake and reishi mushrooms and other natural products such as citrus seed extract, caprylic acid and shark cartilage.

In his 1992 article, Dr. Davis states that Uncaria tomentosa has the ability to break through severe intestinal derangements that no other available products can touch.

In July 1989, U.S. Patent No. 4,844,901 was issued to an Austrian scientist named Dr. Klause Keplinger, and a second patent, No. 4,940,725, was issued to him in July 1990. These patents explain how Dr. Keplinger isolated six oxindole alkaloids from the root of Uncaria tomentosa and that four of these alkaloids have been proven to be "suitable for the unspecific stimulation of the immunologic system." According to Keplinger's research, these four alkaloids have been shown to have a pronounced enhancement effect on phagocytosis (the ability of the white blood cells and macrophage to attack, engulf and digest harmful micro-organisms, foreign matter, and debris).

According to both patents, the most immunologically active alkaloid is isopteropodine or isomer A. Besides isomer A. and the other three immuno-stimulating alkaloids, there exists another alkaloid known as rynchophylline. This alkaloid has been studied at the Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. According to these findings, rynchophylline has demonstrated an ability to inhibit platelet aggregation and Thrombosis, which suggests that rynchophylline may be useful in preventing strokes and reducing the risk of heart attack by lowering blood pressure, increasing circulation, and inhibiting both the formation of plaque on the arterial walls and the formation of blood clots in the brain, heart, and arteries.

On November 28, 1988, and June 17, 1993, articles about Immodel, the laboratory in Austria Mr. Eaton first mentioned to me, appeared in El Comercio, the major metropolitan newspaper in Lima, Peru. According to these articles, Dr. Keplinger, the director of Immodel, has developed a pharmaceutical called "Krallendorn" from an extract of the root of Uncaria tomentosa. The articles then speak of Dr. Keplinger's success in treating allergies, neurobronchitis, genital herpes, and herpes zoster with the extract. More exiting however, is his reported success in treating AIDS and cancer. It seems that Dr. Keplinger has been able to reverse the progression of both AIDS and cancer in the majority of his patients by using Krallendorn alone or in combination with AZT. He has also determined that Krallendorn has been effective in reducing the unpleasant side effects of both AZT and radiation therapy when used in the treatment of cancer.

Besides the oxindole alkaloids isolated by Dr. Keplinger and his colleagues, Italian and Peruvian researchers have isolated other beneficial constituents including several polyphenols and tritepines, and the plant sterols betasitosterol, stigmasterol, and campesterol. The presence of these additional compounds might further explain the antioxidant, antiviral, antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties attributed to this herb.

According to Cat's Claw Quarterly, published in the summer of 1989, Dr. Richard Gerber, MD, author of the best selling book Vibrational Medicine, has stated that Cat's Claw is a unique herbal remedy that has been used for many years by native healers of Peru." He further states that "the herb shows great promise for the treatment of arthritis when taken internally, either by making a tea or taking capsules of the herb." Dr. Gerber also explains that European studies have determines that cat's claw has very low toxicity even if taken in large amounts and that it may be beneficial for those individuals who suffer from painful joints and cannot take conventional medicines because of unpleasant side effects. Finally, he suggests that cat's claw might be helpful in reducing the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy associated with cancer treatments.

In the words of Dr. Brent Davis, "Uncaria tomentosa is a world class herb which has the power to arrest and reverse deep-seated pathology, allowing a more rapid return to health in the context on concomitant A.K. therapies."

In addition to the scientific data I've been able to uncover, I've also had personal experience with Uncaria tomentosa potency. For approximately the last 20 years I have been plagued by a chronic urinary tract problem involving an unspecified inflammatory condition of the urethra and other symptoms commonly associated with an enlarged prostrate gland. Throughout these years I visited a number of different doctors, both allopathic and holistic. I tried conventional medicines, numerous vitamin and mineral regimens, herbal remedy combinations, and an array of other natural products with minimal results.

In September 1993, Peruvian Imports Unlimited, a major supplier in North Palm Beach, Florida, gave me several ounces of cat's claw. I began experimenting with the herb by brewing it as a tea and drinking three cups per day. About halfway into my third day of this regimen, I began to notice the chronic urinary symptoms starting to diminish. About halfway into the second week, the symptoms were virtually eliminated.

Since that time, I, along with some of my friends and associates, have been using the tea and herb in capsule form. We have found them both to be equally effective in knocking out the flu, clearing up sinus and ear infections, canker sores, one infection associated with TMJ (temporomandibular joint syndrome), and eliminating the tired sore muscles associated with heavy physical work and exercise. I was even able to clear up a case of athlete's foot by putting the powdered herb between the infected toes, and my daughter's conjunctivitis by putting drops of the tea in her eyes several times over the course of two days. Even more amazing is the fact that all of the above were accomplished within 48 hours after beginning use of Uncaria tomentosa.

According to my experience and the available research, three to six grams daily is considered therapeutic if using capsules or three to four strong cups per day if using tea. However, as much as 20 grams per day might be used in very advanced stages of pathology.

In children under 12, one capsule three times daily seems to be effective on minor ailments, and the same dose is good for adults as a preventative measure.

Given the research conducted on this remarkable plant, coupled with my personal observations, I have come to the conclusion that cat's claw, Uncaria tomentosa, has tremendous potential as a preventative and as a treatment for many of today's serious problems.

Phillip N. Steinberg is a graduate of The Nutritionist Institute of America and has been an owner/operator of several health and natural product stores. At present, Mr. Steinberg is working as a writer dealing with topics pertaining to nutrition and holistic health.

This Article originally appeared in The Herb Quarterly as well as articles on Essiac , the Hoxsey Clinic, Milk Thistle seed and others. To subscribe call or write: The Herb Quarterly, P.O. Box 689 San Anselmo, CA 94979-0689 or call 1-800-371-HERB (4372)

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