Cat’s Claw (Uncaria tomentosa) is a woody vine found in the tropical jungles of South and Central America. The name is derived from its claw-shaped thorns that resembles a cat’s claw. Cat’s claw is used as herbal medicine to treat varieties of ailments. The herb cat’s claw is believed to have many therapeutic uses that it surpasses well knows herbs such as Echinacea, Golden Seal, Astragalus, Siberian Ginseng, as well as Reishi and Shaitake mushrooms

Cat’s claw is a climbing vine that can reach up to 30 meters in height. Cat’s claw is indigenous to Amazon rainforest and can also be found in other tropical areas in the South and Central America. Cat’s claw crawls and clings to other plants, trees and structures by means of its hook like thorns. Cat’s claw is considered as an invasive plant that is difficult to eradicate and can smolder other plants if grown in a garden. Cat’s claw leaves are elliptic in shape with smooth edges that grow in opposite whorl. Cat’s claw grows yellow tube like flowers and it has potato like tubers that grows underground. It produces pods of up to 12 inches in length that contains seeds.

The parts that are for medical use include the inner bark and root, taken in the form of capsules, tea and extract.