Evidence supporting the use of: Cat's claw
For the health condition: Multiple Sclerosis

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 1

Cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa) is a vine native to the Amazon rainforest, traditionally used in South American herbal medicine for its purported anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating properties. Its use for conditions like arthritis, digestive issues, and various inflammatory disorders has a long history, but its application to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is primarily based on these general traditional uses rather than on direct historical documentation for MS specifically.

MS is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and demyelination in the central nervous system. Because cat's claw is believed in traditional medicine to "cleanse the blood," support immune function, and reduce inflammation, some alternative practitioners have extrapolated its use to support MS patients, aiming to modulate immune activity and reduce neuroinflammation. However, this application is not rooted in specific indigenous traditions for MS, as MS itself was not recognized in those cultures.

Scientifically, there is limited evidence to support cat's claw for MS. Most studies have examined its general anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. A handful of small animal and in vitro studies suggest that cat's claw extracts may influence cytokine production and decrease inflammatory markers. However, robust clinical trials in MS patients are lacking, and the existing human evidence is anecdotal or based on extrapolation from other autoimmune disorders. Thus, while its use is primarily justified by tradition, the evidence supporting cat's claw for MS is very weak, meriting a rating of 1 out of 5.

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