Cat's Claw (Uncaria) for Digestive Health

Research suggests that Cat's Claw, primarily Uncaria tomentosa but also related species, may offer several mechanisms relevant to digestive health, including gastroprotective effects against ulcers, anti-inflammatory activity in the gut lining, and antioxidant protection of intestinal epithelial cells from oxidative stress. Studies indicate that these effects appear to operate through multiple pathways, notably inhibition of NF-κB signaling, reduction of inflammatory enzyme expression, and direct protection of gastric cells from programmed cell death, with laboratory work further identifying proanthocyanidins and quinic acid esters as likely contributors to biological activity. The available body of evidence consists almost entirely of animal models, cell culture experiments, and narrative reviews, with no randomized controlled trials in humans specifically targeting digestive outcomes, and one animal study examined Cat's Claw only as part of a multi-herb combination, making it impossible to isolate its individual contribution. A 2025 review acknowledged the encouraging nature of existing findings while calling for more rigorous clinical research, and the overall evidence, while mechanistically plausible and directionally consistent, remains preliminary and cannot be taken as confirmation of therapeutic benefit in humans.