Uncaria tomentosa | Cat's claw | Uña de Gato | Organic Amazonian Ecuadorian Wild Crafted

Description

Uncaria tomentosa | Cat’s claw | Uña de Gato | Organic Amazonian Wild Crafted

Uncaria tomentosa Wild-crafted from primary Amazon jungle in Ecuador by Quechua tribe friends in the Rio Napo province.

Uncaria tomentosa (popularly known in English as cat’s claw, although that name is also used for other plants; in Spanish as uña de gato or as Indian name vilcacora) is a woody vine found in the tropical jungles of South and Central America, which derives its name from its claw-shaped thorns. It is used as an alternative medicine in the treatment of a variety of ailments. Other common names include: hawk’s claw, pot hook, and sparrowhawk nail.

Cat’s claw (Uncaria tomentosa) is a large, woody vine that derives its name from hook-like thorns that grow along the vine and resemble the claws of a cat. Two closely related species of Uncaria are used almost interchangeably in the rainforests: U. tomentosa and U. guianensis. Both species can reach over 30 m high into the canopy. Uncaria tomentosa has small, yellowish-white flowers, whereas U. guianensis has reddish-orange flowers and thorns that are more curved. Cat’s claw is indigenous to the Amazon rainforest and other tropical areas of South and Central America, including Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Trinidad, Venezuela, Suriname, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama.

Both South American Uncaria species are used by the indigenous peoples of the Amazon rainforest in very similar ways and have long histories of use. Cat’s claw (U. tomentosa) has been used by the Aguaruna, Asháninka, Cashibo, Conibo, and Shipibo tribes of Peru for at least 2,000 years. There are other species of plants with a common name of cat’s claw (or uña de gato) in Mexico and Latin America; however, they are entirely different plants, not belonging to the Uncaria genus, or even the Rubiaceae family. Several of the Mexican uña de gato varieties have toxic properties.

TRIBAL AND HERBAL USES

Cat’s claw has been used in Peru and Europe since the early 1990s as an adjunctive treatment for cancer and AIDS as well as for other diseases that target the immune system. In herbal medicine today, cat’s claw is employed around the world for many different conditions, including immune disorders, gastritis, ulcers, cancer, arthritis, rheumatism, rheumatic disorders, neuralgias, chronic inflammation of all kinds, and such viral diseases as herpes zoster (shingles). Dr. Brent Davis, D.C. has written several articles on cat’s claw and refers to it as the “opener of the way” for its ability to cleanse the entire intestinal tract and its effectiveness in treating stomach and bowel disorders (such as Crohn’s disease, leaky bowel syndrome, ulcers, gastritis, diverticulitis, and other inflammatory conditions of the bowel, stomach, and intestines). Dr. Julian Whitaker, M.D. reports using cat’s claw for its immune-stimulating effects, for cancer, to help prevent strokes and heart attacks, to reduce blood clots, and for diverticulitis and irritable bowel syndrome.