Cat’s Claw Nutrients for Medical Treatments

Abstract

Uncaria tomentosa (Willd. ex Schult.) DC is commonly known as cat’s claw that is derived from the Spanish word Uña de Gato that identifies the small, curved-back thorns on the stem at the leaf junction. It is a tropical medicinal vine of the Rubiaceae family that is widely distributed in the Amazon rainforest and other areas of South and Central America. Cat's claw, which is scientifically known as Uncaria tomentosa, has been historically used to treat and prevent inflammatory disorders, particularly osteoarthritis. Traditionally, it has been used to treat chronic viral infections, bacterial infections, numerous inflammatory and immunological disorders, asthma, dysentery, cancers, arthritis, and as a birth control agent. Nutraceuticals, including food or products containing cat’s claw, can be used to prevent and modify symptoms in osteoarthritis patients. So, cat’s claw is possibly effective in reducing the pain in patient’s joints. U. tomentosa is a potent complimentary herb for treating most parasites. Various chemical constituents are reported from the extracts of U. tomentosa along with their biological activities. It is worth noting that more than 50 phytochemical molecules have been identified and isolated from U. tomentosa, some of them are considered new to that species. It also was used for the treatment of various ailments including abscesses, urinary tract infections, contraception, rheumatism, and weakness. Additionally, it was used as a treatment option for mental disorders (anxiety). The preclinical assessment revealed that the cat’s claw defends towards various oxidative stresses, involving peroxynitrite that has been included in arthritis and other chronic inflammatory diseases along with inhibiting acute or chronic gastritis caused by high doses of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). U. tomentosa aqueous extract was used to protect against oxidative stress in human erythrocytes and relieve chronic intestinal inflammation. Cat’s claw has antitumor and immunostimulatory effects because of its oxindole alkaloids content. Anti proliferative effect of U. tomentosa against several cancer cell lines, namely cervical carcinoma, osteosarcoma, and breast cancer were documented. U. tomentosa hot water extract prevents inflammatory responses as well as tumor cell proliferation by inhibiting the transcriptional regulator nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-B) activation without interfering with interleukin-2 (IL-2) production or IL-2 receptor signaling. Medical technologists documented the ant proliferative effect of cat’s claw extracts against several cell lines, including glioma, premyelocytic leukemia, MCF7 breast cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, and neuroblastoma.