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Article: Cat's Claw
- Article from:
- Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 The Gale Group, 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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Cat's claw
Description
Cat's claw is a large woody vine indigenous to the Amazon rain forest of South America. The herb earns its name from the curved thorns on the vine that resemble the claws of a cat. Also known by its Spanish equivalent
u
ñ
a de gato
, cat's claw has a long history of use as a folk medicine by native peoples to treat intestinal complaints,
asthma, wounds, cancer
, tumors, arthritis, inflammations, diabetes, irregularities of the menstrual cycle, fevers, ulcers, dysentery, and rheumatism. They have also utilized the herb as a kidney cleanser, blood cleanser, and contraceptive.
Two species of cat's claw are found in the rain forest:
Uncaria tomentosa
and
Uncaria ...