Chemical analysis has revealed that the plant contains several important medicinal ingredients. Some of its alkaloids are known to be immune stimulants, and the plant appears to stimulate the activity of T cells, a type of white blood cells, says Dr. Gopal. These blood cells hunt down and act against virus-infected cells and tumor cells. One alkaloid in particular seems to reduce blood pressure and may reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack. The herb also contains compounds called glycosides that exhibit antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity.
Some researchers suggest that cat s claw is effective at relieving swelling.
Three of the glycosides in the herb have antioxidant activity, meaning that they have the ability to scavenge free radicals, the free-roaming, unstable molecules that cause aging and cell damage. An Italian study in 1992 suggested that cat s claw can also stop cells from mutating, which may mean that it could have value as a cancer treatment. As good as all of this sounds, it s important to remember that these analyses and studies have been done using laboratory tests. No published study has looked at how the herb works in the human body, says Dr. Ben-Arye. That has to be studied in a clinical setting, and those studies have not been published to date.