Botanical atlas
Cat's Claw
Uncaria guianensis
For generations, healers among the Ashaninka and other peoples of the Peruvian Amazon have turned to the woody bark of cat's claw for joint pain, digestive troubles, and as a general tonic to help the body recover after sickness or injury. It was steeped in daily life as much as in medicine, a vine so trusted that some communities called it the life-giving vine. Uncaria guianensis is one of two Amazonian species sold as cat's claw, the other being its close cousin Uncaria tomentosa, and traditional healers have long gathered both under the same name and the same hard-won respect. Its reputation traveled slowly out of the rainforest and into wider herbal use only in the last few decades, but its roots in Amazonian healing run far deeper.
In tradition.
For generations, healers among the Ashaninka and other peoples of the Peruvian Amazon have turned to the woody bark of cat's claw for joint pain, digestive troubles, and as a general tonic to help the body recover after sickness or injury. It was steeped in daily life as much as in medicine, a vine so trusted that some communities called it the life-giving vine. Uncaria guianensis is one of two Amazonian species sold as cat's claw, the other being its close cousin Uncaria tomentosa, and traditional healers have long gathered both under the same name and the same hard-won respect. Its reputation traveled slowly out of the rainforest and into wider herbal use only in the last few decades, but its roots in Amazonian healing run far deeper.
Traditional preparations.
A simple simmered preparation in the old Amazonian style, used as a gentle daily tonic.
Traditionally, a decoction is made by simmering 1 teaspoon of shredded dried cat's claw bark in 2 cups (500 ml) of water for 10 to 15 minutes, then straining and sipping, often once a day.
Safety.
Cat's claw is traditionally avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as it was thought to affect the womb. It may interact with immunosuppressant, blood-thinning, and blood pressure medications, and is generally avoided by people with autoimmune conditions like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
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Ask about Cat's ClawHerbSense shares traditional herbal knowledge for education, not diagnosis or treatment. Herbs can interact with medicines and conditions. Speak with your doctor before acting on anything here, and seek care promptly for anything severe, sudden, or worsening.