What is Cat's Claw

     Cat’s Claw comes from the plant Uncaria tomentosa.  This vine can be found in the tropical climates of Central and South America, like in the Amazon rainforest and can grow up to 100 feet in height.  This vine come in two chemically distinct entities that affect its chemical make-up and thus affecting its effects as an herbal supplement.  It is the root of one of the chemotypes of U. tomentosa that provides the beneficial effects from the plant according to some research.  Other names include una de gato, life-giving vine of Peru, and samento.  It gets its name from the rounded thorns on the vine looking like a cat’s claw.  Most commercial preparations come from the rainforest areas in Peru.