• Used to help treat rheumatic and arthritic conditions, low back pain, gout, myalgia, fibrositis, osteoarthritis, tendonitis, and neuralgia
Indigenous to southern Africa, devil’s claw root arises from the rich tradition of herbal medicine in that continent and has been used to good effect in the West since the early 20th century.
Researchers Czygan and Hiller explain that it is used “as an antirheumatic and for supportive treatment of degenerative painful rheumatic disorders... Clinical reports of its analgesic, antiphlogistic, and anti-arthritic actions have been available since the 1950’s, which have been confirmed through modern studies. ... Good therapeutic results have been achieved using devil’s claw extracts in therapy of degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system and degenerative disorders of the locomotor system as well as in the treatment of severe low back pain in placebo-controlled double-blind clinical studies.”
Naturopathic physician William A. Mitchell Jr. notes that devil’s claw is employed in the treatment of arthritis and arthralgia and adds that the plant “has an intriguing chemical structure. It contains free and glycosylated phytosterols and flavonoids, both of which may account for some of the antirheumatic activity. In addition, it has a number of iridoids, chief among which is harpagoside. Harpagoside is an analgesic.”
The results of a recent South African study indicate that devil’s claw root “possesses analgesic, antiinflammatory and hypoglycaemic properties, and lend pharmacological support to the suggested folklore uses of [devil’s claw] root in the management and/or control of painful, arthritic and other inflammatory conditions.”
Administration:
25-40 drops (0.8-1.3ml), three to four times daily, in a mouthful of water, on an empty stomach.
Contraindications and Cautions:
Consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you are a diabetic, suffer from gallstones or heart disease or if you are taking antiarrhythmic medication or blood thinners. Consult a health care practitioner if symptoms persist after 6 months. Do not use if pregnant or breastfeeding. Do not use if you have gastric or duodenal ulcers. Reduce dosage or discontinue use if you experience gastrointestinal discomfort.
Available in bottle sizes of 50ml, 100ml, and 250ml.
A NOTE ON TINCTURES
Tinctures are more readily absorbed by the body and have a high degree of bio-availability. As well, they have a long shelf life.
Sometimes people ask us why tinctures are alcohol-based. There are very good reasons. Alcohol is critically important in the extraction of an herb's medicinal ingredients. It also helps to stabilize and preserve them. Alcohol is the ideal carrier substance, conveying the therapeutic goodness of the herb to the body. In itself, too, science has proven that alcohol enhances the immune system and its defences.
As for the amount of alcohol taken in an average dose of tincture, you'll be surprised to learn that it's about the same as what you'd find in an overly ripe banana!
Tinctures remain the most practical way to take advantage of the amazing, health-giving power of herbs.
Ingredients:
Certifed Organic
Devil's Claw
(Harpagophytum procumbens)
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