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Article: Harpagophytum procumbens (devil's claw).(Monograph)(Drug overview)
- Article from:
- Alternative Medicine Review
- Article date:
- September 1, 2008
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Thorne Research Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Introduction
Historically, Harpagopbytum procumbens (devil's claw) has been used as an analgesic, a remedy for fevers and allergies, and as a bitter by San bushmen in Africa to stimulate gastric enzymes and digestion. The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia recommends devil's claw as a diuretic and sedative, (1) and the German Commission E, the German counterpart to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, approves devil's claw for dyspepsia, appetite stimulation, and degenerative disorders of the musculoskeletal system. (2) Devil's claw has also been used for liver and kidney disorders, as a purgative, an oxytocic, and as a topical agent to treat wounds and skin rashes. ...