Latin Name: Harpagophytum procumbens
Family: Pedaliaceae (Sesame)
Liquid extract: 1:1 25% 2ml in water 1-2x daily. Dried root: 3g per 500ml, sipped throughout the day. Dried extract: 350-500mg 2x daily.
Part used: Rhizome.
Energetics: Bitter, cooling.
Iris: All types.
Interactions: Please check with your Healthcare Provider.
Safe alongside Herb
- Acetylsalicylic acid
- Glipizide
- Ibuprofen
- Meloxicam
- Metformin
- Paracetamol
CONTRA-INDICATIONS
- Pregnancy
- Duodenal and gastric ulcers
- Diabetes
- Excessive doses may interfere with blood pressure and cardiac therapy
- Sesame allergy.
ACTIONS
- Anti-rheumatic
- Anti-arthritic
- Sialagogue
- Digestive
- Analgesic
- Liver congestion
-
Bitter
- Aperitif
- Choleretic
- Hypocholesterolaemic
- Detoxifier
- Diuretic
- Cortisone-like action
- Lymphatic
- Sedative
- Tonic
- Uterine stimulant
- Anti–arrhythmic
- Anti-oedemic
- Anti-exudative
- Anti-inflammatory
- Anti-pyretic
-
Hypotensive
- Hypouricaemic
Main Constituents
- Iridoid glycosides
- Harpagoside
- 8-p-coumaroylharpagide
- 8-feruloylharpagide
- 8-cinnamoylmyoporoside
- Pagoside
- Acteoside
- Isoacteoside
- 6'-O-acetylacteoside
- 6-diacetylacteoside
- Cinnamic acid
- Caffeic acid
- Procumbide
- Procumboside
- Flavonoids
- Fatty acids
- Aromatic acids
- Harpagoquinone
- Stigmasterol
- Beta-sitosterol
- Triterpenes
- Sugars.
Main Uses
Rheumatism and Arthritis
Digestive System: Cholecystosis, Dyspepsia, Enteritis, Gastritis, Heartburn, Hepatitis
External Use: Aging
Skin: Boils, Bursitis, Cysts, Dermatitis, Diabetes, Oedema, Water Retention, Wounds
Circulatory: Arrhythmia, Atherosclerosis, Cardiomyopathy, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol,
Mental/Emotional: Anorexia, Nervousness
Nervous system: Headache, Migraine, Neuralgia
Musculo-Skeletal System: Arthritis, Cramp, Gout, Lumbago, Myalgia, Osteoarthritis, Pain, Rheumatism, Sores, Swellings, Tendonitis
Urinary System: Nephritis
Infections:
Bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus
Fungi: Candida
Protozoa: Plasmodium
Viruses: Herpes Simplex 1
More About Devil’s Claw
The root of Devil’s Claw has been used medicinally for thousands of years by the San and Khoi people of the Kalahari Desert. Ancient African healers would use this root to treat a wide spectrum of complaints, ranging from pain during childbirth, fevers, wounds and joint pain to its most common application for indigestion.
Devil’s Claw has been studied extensively for the pain relief it can provide to sufferers of arthritis and osteoarthritis and is effective in decreasing knee and hip osteoarthritis pain and helps back and neck problems too. It is also beneficial in decreasing the progression of osteoarthritis by preventing cartilage degradation.
Known as a powerful digestive tonic, it can provide considerable relief from heartburn as it soothes the inflammation caused by acid reflux. Devil's Claw can also help in relieving the symptoms of an upset stomach by suppressing inflammation of the stomach.
It has been shown that Devil's Claw can slow down or even stop the production of the "hunger hormone" ghrelin and therefore this herb may be useful for weight loss in suppressing hunger pangs if overeating is a problem, and could make it a promising treatment for "Binge Eating Disorder".
The anti-inflammatory effects of this herb coupled with the pain relief it provides are thought to be responsible for its traditional use as a skin healer.
Best results are experienced from drinking a tea or eating the powdered root. Traditionally it has also been used as a topical medicine for the skin.
References
Chronic inflammatory disease, harpagoside, arthritis, osteoporosis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, IBD, neurodegenerative diseases
Devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) and chronic inflammatory diseases: A concise overview on preclinical and clinical data.
In summary, devil's claw and its components, particularly harpagoside,show significant pharmacological properties, suggesting potential ther-apeutic effects in a wide spectrum of pathologies, such as arthritis,osteoporosis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel, and neu-rodegenerative disease.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31273865/
Chronic low back pain
Herbal medicine for low-back pain
Daily doses of Harpagophytum procumbens (devil's claw), standardized to 50 mg or 100 mg harpagoside, may be better than placebo for short-term improvements in pain and may reduce use of rescue medication.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25536022/
Chronic illnesses, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, anti-inflammatory,
Bioactive Compounds and Extracts from Traditional Herbs and Their Potential Anti-Inflammatory Health Effects.
Additionally, the intention is to expose the known pathways of action and the potential synergistic effects of the constituent compounds of the discussed extracts. It is noted that the here-studied extracts, which include black garlic rich in S-allylcystein, polyphenols from cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa), devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens). The combined use of all of these extracts can give rise to synergetic effects with greater biological relevance at lower doses.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30012980/
Osteoarthritis, pain reduction
Devil's Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) as a treatment for osteoarthritis: a review of efficacy and safety.
However, the data from the higher quality studies suggest that Devil's Claw appeared effective in the reduction of the main clinical symptom of pain.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17212570/
Musculoskeletal conditions, reduction of pain, improved mobility,
A review of the biological and potential therapeutic actions of Harpagophytum procumbens.
Clinical trials support Hp as a beneficial treatment for the alleviation of pain and improvement of mobility in a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. Analysis of the in vitro and ex vivo studies that currently exist, indicate that Hp has significant effects on numerous proinflammatory markers.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.2029