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Devil's Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens)
has been used as an herbal tea ingredient in Europe, a folk
remedy in Africa, and recently has entered the health food
marketplace in the United States. The British Herbal Pharmacopoea
recognizes Devil's claw as possessing analgesic, sedative and
diuretic properties.
Devil's claw consists of the secondary storage
roots of Arpagophyum procumbens DC., a South African plant
belonging to the family Pedaliaceae. The common name is
derived from the plant's peculiar fruits which seem to be covered
with miniature grappling hooks. Devil's claw is the name commonly
used in the United States, though other names for this plant
include wood spider and grapple plant.
Africans have used the herb for centuries to
treat skin cancer, fever, malaria and indigestion. In Europe, the
tea is recommended for arthritis, diabetes, allergies, senility
and is widely utilized as an appetite stimulant and a digestive
aid.
In the west, Devil's claw has been recommended
for treating a wide variety of conditions including diseases of
the liver, kidneys, and bladder, as well as allergies,
arteriosclerosis, lumbago, gastrointestinal disturbances,
menstrual difficulties, neuralgia, headache, climacteric (change
of life) problems, heartburn, nicotine poisoning, and above
all, rheumatism and arthritis.
There are few clinical studies to refute, or
verify, the many claims made for Devil's claw, but extracts of
the plant do appear to have anti-inflammatory activity in
experimental animals. A clinical study carried out in Germany in
1976 reported that Devil's claw exhibited anti-inflammatory
activity, comparable in many respects to the well-known
anti-arthritic drug, phenylbutazone. Analgesic effects were also
observed along with reductions in abnormally high cholesterol and
uric-acid blood levels.
The main active ingredients in Devil's claw are
Harpogoside and Beta sitosterol, which possess anti-inflammatory
properties and create support for joint, ligament and tendon
problems. Devil's claw is reported to help with joint pain while
improving vitality in the joints.
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