I had the opportunity to spend some time with
Brent Davis, a chiropractic physician and professional herbalist, at his home in Tennessee. Dr. Davis was one of the first
people to introduce Cat’s Claw into the US market. He gave
me a copy of the article he wrote in 1992 on the benefits of
this plant. It was shortly after the Cat’s Claw boom came.
Cat’s claw, also known as Una De Gato, is native to the jungles
of Peru. It is used by native people for gastritis, ulcers, cancer,
arthritis, rheumatism, female problems, acne and even some
forms of depression. It is also applied topically as a treatment
for wounds, fungus, fistulas, and hemorrhoids.
Medical research on cats claw shows it contains a series
of alkaloids that have been demonstrated to have immune
stimulating properties. These alkaloids also enhance the tone
of the parasympathetic nervous system and inhibit striated
muscle contraction (which helps muscles relax). These properties contribute to a hypotensive (blood pressure lowering)
effect in the herb. Cat’s claw is also fever reducing, diuretic
and stimulating to the uterus.
Other researchers found
quinovic acid glycosides and
triterpenes in the plant that have antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity. A steroidal compound was also found to be
anti-inflammtator.
Other research showed that cat’s claw help
to prevent cellular mutation (thus having a protective effect
against developing cancer).
In practical clinical applications, cat’s claw has been observed
to have a beneficial effect in people suffering from
skin disorders, allergies rheumatic conditions, chronic inflammation,
and viral diseases such as herpes and cancer.
Another wonderful benefit of cat’s claw is its ability to help
restore intestinal
integrity in leaky gut syndrome, chronic parasite infections,
and imbalances in the intestinal micro flora.
Dr. Brent Davis wrote that in four years of clinical experience with about 150 patients, he saw cat’s claw resolve "
severe
intestinal derangements that no other available products can
touch."
He used cat’s claw as a single herb to achieve these results.
Dr. Davis believes that cat’s claw’s primary benefits are due to its effect on the
intestines. Most, if
not all, of the conditions cat’s claw
has been used to
treat have connections to intestinal
health.
One of the major
problems with the use of this plant is that it is being collected
on delicate forest ecosystems and is not being replanted.
A native elder in Peru told Dr. Davis "that even though cat’s
claw is powerful, it is nevertheless very sensitive, and that if
it is utilized with a lack of good motivation, it will lose much
of its wide healing ability and will become only a chemical
shadow of its real self."
This is a common teaching among native peoples. Plants
must be harvested with respect in order to obtain their full
healing benefits, especially to our mind and heart.
High quality
cat’s claw does have a very beneficial effect on the mental and
emotional state of individuals who have unresolved emotional
wounds that are causing neurological problems. It has been
shown to have a positive effect on serotonin and dopamine,
two important mood-enhancing neurotransinircers.
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