Cat's Claw bark (Uncaria tomentosa)

Premium Wildcrafted Apothecary Grade | Traditional Amazonian Vitality Material

"A deep, tonifying Amazonian outer bark, sustainably wild-harvested from the pristine highlands of Peru to deliver an uncompromised, clean cut of authentic Uña de Gato."

Sourced directly from its native habitats in the Peruvian rainforest, our Cat's Claw Bark represents the absolute peak of traditional South American ethnobotanical care. Known universally in Spanish as Uña de Gato due to the distinct cat-like thorns that scale the vine, Uncaria tomentosa is considered a sacred botanical material by the indigenous Asháninka people of Peru. This premium, wild-grown batch consists entirely of mature outer bark, carefully harvested during sustainable forestry cycles to protect the primary vine systems, slowly shade-dried, and cut into coarse pieces optimized for traditional apothecary decoctions and liquid extractions.

Versatile Apothecary & Compounding Applications

Because our Cat's Claw bark is completely free from industrial processing additives, colors, or chemical inputs, it provides maximum compounding versatility for practitioners and traditional makers:

• Traditional Immune Decoctions: Due to the highly dense, woody matrix of the inner and outer bark layers, a prolonged stovetop simmer is required to properly liberate its signature oxindole alkaloids into a rich, deep amber herbal liquor.
• Dispensary Macerations & Tinctures: An ideal raw material for creating high-potency, small-batch fluid extracts or traditional alcohol-based liquid tinctures within clinical settings.
• Synergistic Alterative Blends: In traditional Western and South American practices, Cat's Claw bark pairs exceptionally well with other deep grounding roots and barks, such as Pau d'Arco, Catuaba, or Dandelion Root, creating a highly robust systemic tonic profile.

Traditional Heritage & Indigenous Folklore

Revered for centuries as the "Life-Giving Vine of Peru," Uncaria tomentosa holds a foundational position in international ethnobotanical history:

• The Asháninka Tribe Connection: For generations, the Asháninka Indians have utilized Cat's Claw as a primary sacred botanical protector, relying on its deep tonifying properties to maintain systemic resilience, vitality, and physical endurance through demanding environmental seasons.
• The Bitter Botanical Character: Characterized by a distinct, pleasant bitterness, traditional herbalists value this sensory profile for its natural affinity with the digestive tract, mapping its folk use to supporting clear, balanced intestinal pathways.
• Systemic Defense Folklore: Traditional plant lore celebrates Uña de Gato for its unique capacity to balance environmental stressors, helping to soothe systemic heat and reinforce the body’s innate protective boundaries.

How to Prepare a Traditional Cat's Claw Decoction

Because wildcrafted barks are physically dense, a standard quick mug steep will not yield an active extraction. This material requires a proper practitioner stovetop simmer:

• Proportions: Place 1 to 2 teaspoons of the loose cut bark into a saucepan (avoid using pure aluminum cookware to preserve the chemical purity of the brew).
• The Decoction Process: Pour in 250ml of cold water. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then instantly reduce the heat, cover securely with a tight lid, and simmer gently on a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
• The Strain Step: Turn off the heat and allow the covered vessel to rest for 5 minutes. Straining Method: Because a small amount of fine botanical bark dust is naturally present in raw cuts, we highly recommend straining the liquid through a clean cotton cloth, unbleached muslin, or a paper coffee filter instead of a standard wire mesh sieve. This perfectly captures all fine sediment, leaving you with an exceptionally smooth, clear liquor. Enjoy plain as a traditional bitter tonic, or sweeten with raw honey.

Technical Specifications & Purity Standards

• Botanical Name: Uncaria tomentosa (Willd. ex Schult.) DC. (Synonyms: Uña de Gato, Life-Giving Vine of Peru, Samento).
• Part of Plant: 100% Mature Outer/Inner Bark (Clean cut and sifted pieces. Note: Due to the highly fibrous, brittle nature of wild-harvested bark, a small amount of fine botanical dust may naturally settle at the bottom of the bag during transit)..
• Color & Sensory Profile: Beautiful fibrous woody strips displaying an authentic deep golden-brown to reddish hue with a distinctly woody, bitter, and clean aroma.
• Grade & Quality: Premium Apothecary Quality / Food-Grade Practitioner Material.
• Origin: Peru.
• Status: 100% Sustainably Wild-Harvested (Wild Grown). Non-GMO. Non-Irradiated.
• Allergen Declaration: 100% pure botanical, absolutely nothing added. Free from artificial colours, artificial flavourings, and added sugars. Allergen advice: The primary processor handles cereals containing gluten, celery, mustard, sesame, peanuts, and various nuts. At Botanical Remedies, we handle only Celery Seeds on-site; all strict safety and isolation measures are rigorously in place to prevent cross-contamination.
• Dietary Suitability: Fully suitable for raw, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free lifestyles.
• Dispensary Packaging: Hand-packed in our eco-friendly, UV-protective, and resealable barrier paper pouches to ensure the raw bark remains perfectly dry, stable, and fresh from first opening to last.

In-House Dispensary Verification & Laboratory Testing

• Microbiological Safety: Products are subject to routine microbiological analysis. Limits verify the absolute absence of Salmonella in 25g.
• Contaminants Compliance: Tested in accordance with Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food, ensuring strict pesticide residue, heavy metal, and PAH clearances.
• Quality Assured: Primary manufacturer microbiological and chemical testing verified upon arrival. Final dispensary organoleptic assessment and batch verification are personally conducted by Master Herbalist Wojciech Bujak to guarantee absolute botanical authenticity.
• Documentation: Batch-specific Certificates of Conformance (CoC) are available upon request.

Clinical Safety, Drug Interactions & Practitioner Contraindications

Uncaria tomentosa is a highly active botanical material containing potent oxindole alkaloids. To ensure consumer safety, this material must be utilized with a clear understanding of its known pharmaceutical interactions:

Organ Transplants & Autoimmune Conditions: Standardised pentacyclic oxindole alkaloid (POA) preparations act as systemic immunostimulants. Consequently, Cat's Claw is strictly contraindicated for anyone who has undergone, or is scheduled to undergo, a bone marrow or organ transplantation, as well as individuals diagnosed with lymphocytosis. Use alongside immunosuppressive drugs or medications prescribed for autoimmune diseases must be rigorously assessed by a professional healthcare practitioner.

• Pregnancy & Lactation: Not recommended for use during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
• Blood Pressure & Cardiovascular Medications: Cat's Claw (and its constituent compound hirsutine) exerts a natural hypotensive (blood-pressure-lowering) effect. It should not be used in combination with prescribed blood pressure medications or any other hypotensive agents due to the risk of additive effects.
• Anticoagulants & Cholesterol Therapies: This botanical may interfere with the metabolic pathways and mechanisms of medicines used to manage blood clotting (anticoagulants/blood thinners) and cholesterol-lowering drugs.
• Diuretic & Electrolyte Considerations: Cat's Claw exerts a mild natural diuretic effect. It is contraindicated for concurrent use with prescribed pharmaceutical diuretics, as combining them may increase the risk of systemic electrolyte imbalances.
• Enzymatic CYP3A4 Pathway Warning: Cat's Claw actively inhibits microsomal CYP3A4 enzyme activity in the liver. This can artificially increase the serum levels (concentration) of drugs metabolized by this pathway, potentially amplifying their adverse side effects. This includes:

1. Non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) and antivirals.
2. Cyclosporine and specific immunosuppressants.
3. Certain benzodiazepines.
4. Antihistamines (such as fexofenadine).
5. Anti-cancer agents (such as paclitaxel).
6. Systemic antifungals (such as ketoconazole).
7. Oral contraceptives.

Professional UK Law & Practitioner Standards

At Botanical Remedies, we bring strict professional herbal testing standards to our dispensary. We only offer barks, roots, and loose herbs that have been thoroughly tested for authenticity, quality, and purity. Please do not confuse standard mass-market supplements with our practitioner-grade offerings.

Where can you find reliable, traditionally and scientifically grounded information about herbs, dosages, and safety?

• Herbal Reality — Web run by experienced Medical Herbalists
• Richard Whelan Medical Herbalist — Web run by Medical Herbalist
• Botanical Remedies Blog - Blog run by Master Herbalist and Naturopath

⚠️ Disclaimer: This product is a food supplement/botanical material and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your GP or Medical Herbalist before starting a new herbal regime, especially if you are taking prescription medication or undergoing medical supervision.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cat's Claw Bark

Q: Why does Cat's Claw Bark taste so bitter, and how can I balance it?

A: The distinct bitterness is actually a direct sign of a high-potency, authentic batch! Uncaria tomentosa naturally carries a heavy concentration of bitter plant tannins and quinovic acid glycosides, which traditional herbalists value for their digestive affinities. If you find the flavor too intense on its own, it pairs beautifully when simmered alongside naturally sweeter herbs like Licorice Root, Ginger, or cinnamon bark, or you can simply sweeten the strained brew with a high-quality raw honey.

Q: What is the difference between Uncaria tomentosa and Chinese Gou Teng?

A: While they share the same broad Uncaria genus, they are entirely different plants from separate parts of the world. Uncaria tomentosa is native to the Amazonian rainforests of Peru and is celebrated for its deep immune and systemic vitality folklore. Gou Teng (Uncaria rhynchophylla) is native to East Asia and is utilized in Chinese medicine for entirely different, liver-focused cooling protocols. Our inventory consists strictly of authentic Peruvian Uncaria tomentosa.

Q: Can I prepare this loose bark in a standard mesh tea ball or mug infuser?

A: We strongly advise using the stovetop decoction method instead. Wild-grown bark is structurally dense and highly resilient. Simply pouring boiling water over it in a mug will not generate enough prolonged thermal energy to break down the tough plant cells, leaving the most valuable compounds trapped inside the wood. A proper 10-to-15-minute gentle simmer on a stovetop is essential to experience the true character of this botanical.

Q: Is it normal to find some fine botanical dust or powder at the bottom of my bag?

A: Yes, absolutely. This is a natural characteristic of authentic, wildcrafted bark. When raw Uncaria tomentosa vines are dried and cut into small strips, the dense fibrous layers naturally rub together and shed a small amount of fine bark powder during shipping and handling. We intentionally do not over-sift or chemically treat the herb to prevent this, as the fine dust contains the exact same active compounds as the larger bark pieces. Simply use a fine mesh sieve or cloth filter when straining your stovetop brew for a perfectly smooth cup. Simply strain your stovetop brew through a tight cotton cloth or unbleached muslin filter to fully capture the sediment for a perfectly smooth cup.