Cat's claw is an Amazonian vine used for centuries in Peruvian traditional medicine, containing pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids (POAs) with immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. Our research shows it's one of the few herbs that genuinely modulates both innate and adaptive immunity — a 2002 RCT found it enhanced vaccine response by increasing antibody titers after pneumococcal vaccination. For osteoarthritis, AC-11® (a patented water extract) reduced knee pain by 45% in 4 weeks. The critical distinction: there are TWO species — U. tomentosa (pentacyclic alkaloids, immune-supporting) and U. guianensis (tetracyclic alkaloids, potentially immune-SUPPRESSING). Products must specify species.
Cat's claw's pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids (isopteropodine, pteropodine, isomitraphylline, mitraphylline) modulate immune function through: (1) enhancing phagocytic activity of neutrophils and macrophages (innate immunity); (2) stimulating T-helper cell proliferation and IL-1/IL-6 production (adaptive immunity); (3) potent NF-κB inhibition (50-65% reduction), reducing inflammatory cytokine cascade. The AC-11 extract additionally enhances DNA repair enzyme activity — increasing the cell's ability to fix oxidative DNA damage. The anti-inflammatory effect is distinct from NSAIDs (immune modulation rather than COX inhibition).
Reviewed by the Scan Dose Research Team and Clinical Advisory Board | Last updated:
Not medical advice. Based on published clinical research and systematic reviews.