Resistant Intestinal Disorders May Respond To Cat's Claw

At this time, these reports remain anecdotal and there is as yet little formal research evidence to back them up. However, the volume of anecdotal evidence surrounding Cat's claw has grabbed the attention of many practitioners. Some have witnessed the herb's ability to help patients suffering from Crohn's disease and other inflammatory bowel conditions.One naturopath recently published an article describing his use of cat's claw to treat approximately 150 patients from 1988 until 1992. He states: "I have seen Uncaria tomentosa treat severe intestinal disorders that no other available products can touch, including the strong and very useful undecylenic acid (an antifungal drug). The right type of preparation of bioactive cat's claw has a profound ability to eliminate deep-seated infection in the bowel and perhaps even the mesentery. I have nicknamed cat's claw “The Opener of the Way.” It breaks through metabolic log jams and then allows the practitioner to make further progress with other therapies."This particular naturopath further suggests that cat's claw has applications in the treatment of a wide range of gastrointestinal disorders including Crohn's disease, ulcers, diverticulitis, recurring ileocecal valve problems, haemorrhoids, intestinal flora imbalance (dysbiosis), parasites and candidiasis.One of the first patients treated with cat's claw was a woman suffering from Crohn's disease. In an interview, her practitioner explained the woman had been taking sulfasalazine (a sulfa drug with numerous deleterious side effects) for a long time with little to no alleviation of symptoms. After only three weeks of taking cat's claw in capsule form, her bleeding stopped, digestion improved, energy returned and she was able to quit taking the sulfa drug.The publisher of Cat's Claw News, a bimonthly newsletter, has received more than 25 written and spoken testimonials from Crohn's diseaes sufferers, who report that cat's claw has alleviated many of their symptoms. However, there are no published clinical or scientific studies conducted with any of the available cat's claw products on patients with Crohn's disease or inflammatory bowel conditions.Based on anecdotal evidence, perhaps it is time for the scientific community to take a serious look at this herb and start conducting the necessary studies. Only then will we have the empirical evidence needed to advise more doctors and alternative practitioners about the efficacy of using cat's claw to treat inflammatory bowel disorders and other debilitating conditions.