Uncaria tomentosa - Cat's Claw

Abstract: Recently Uncaria tomentosa (WILLD.) DC. has become known as a healing plant with ethnomedicinal background. There have been several reports on its constituents, in particular the oxindole alkaloids. It was found that two chemical types of Uncaria tomentosa occur in nature which differ by their alkaloid pattern. In one type the roots contain pentacyclic oxindoles while the other contains tetracyclic oxindoles. This has to be considered when the plant is to be used for medicinal applications. Tetracyclic oxindole alkaloids act on the central nervous system, pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids affect the cellular immunological system. Recent results show that the tetracyclic alkaloids exert antagonistic effects on the action of the pentacyclic alkaloids. Mixtures of these two types of drugs are therefore unsuitable for specific uses.

Keyword(s): Uncaria tomentosa

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