Product Description
Cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa) is a woody vine native to the Amazon and Central American rainforests. Its name is derived from the hook-like thorns that resemble the claws of a cat. Cat’s claw bark and root have been used for centuries by South Americans as a remedy for arthritis and to treat digestive disorders such as gastritis, colitis, and stomach ulcers.
Arthritis
Cat's claw contains a compound known as pentacyclic oxindolic alkaloid(POA) that is believed to have anti-inflammatory effects. The compound, specific to cat's claw, is able to block the production of inflammatory substances such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). TNF-a helps regulate the immune response and, among other things, is responsible for inducing fever, inflammation, and apoptosis(programmed cell death) in old or damaged cells.
How do you make cat's claw tea?
The indigenous people of Peru boil traditionally boil 20 to 30 grams of the inner bark or root in a liter of water for 30 to 60 minutes.
For home use, you can steep one tablespoon (2 grams) of dried cat's claw powder in one cup of hot water for five to 10 minutes. The flavor of the tea, unsurprisingly, is bitter and woody. Some people like to mix it with rooibos tea, honey, and lemon to make it more palatable.
