Dorothy FarrarAfrican Devil’s Claw
The African devil’s claw is a medicinal plant that comes from south-west Africa. It has, among other things, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Definition and Occurrence
African devil’s claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) is a member of the sesame family (Pedaliaceae). It is also known as devil’s claw or trampling chain. The shoots of the African devil’s claw on the ground can reach a length of up to 1.5 meters.
The large flowers of the exotic medicinal plant are light pink or crimson. The name Devil’s Claw comes from the woody fruit and its outgrowths, which resemble arms and are equipped with anchor-like hooks. With the help of the hooks, the fruits of the African devil’s claw hang on animals that pass by, which spreads the medicinal herb.
In the extensive main bulb of the devil’s claw there are some root suckers. Tubular secondary roots develop on these, which contain numerous valuable ingredients that can be used medicinally. The African devil’s claw is native to Namibia and South Africa. There it prefers to thrive on sandy soil under hot climatic conditions. However, the plant is considered difficult to cultivate, which is particularly true in other climate zones.
Ingredients, effect and dosage
The African devil’s claw contains various valuable ingredients that are suitable for therapeutic purposes. These include iridoid glycosides such as procumbid, procumboside, harpagid and harpagoside, phenylethanoid glycosides such as isoacteoside and verbascoid, and carbohydrates such as glucose, sucrose and stachyose. Other ingredients include plant acids, triterpenes and flavonoids. The harpagosides in particular are considered valuable for health. They have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects and have a regulating effect on blood pressure and heart rhythm.The African devil’s claw can be administered in the form of ready-made preparations, as a tincture or as a tea. In most cases, the medicinal plant is taken as a capsule. This can be attributed to the extremely bitter taste of devil’s claw tea. In addition, ready-made preparations of African devil’s claw are not only available in pharmacies, but also in supermarkets. For the medicinal herb to work optimally, it is important that the preparation contains at least 50 milligrams of harpagoside. It usually takes some time before the positive effect occurs.
To prepare a tea of African devil’s claw, one to two teaspoons of the plant are poured over a cup of hot, boiled water. The tea then steeps for five hours. After straining, it can be added in small sips. After six weeks of use, it is advisable to temporarily interrupt the administration. In this way, undesirable long-term effects can be prevented. In addition, the positive effect of the medicinal plant is retained.
Another form of administration of the African devil’s claw is the tincture. You can also produce it yourself. For this purpose, the plant roots are placed in a screw-top jar and then doused with alcohol or double grain. After an infusion period of two to six weeks, the user pours the contents of the glass into a dark bottle after straining. From 10 to 50 drops of the finished tincture can be taken one to three times a day. The African devil’s claw is also suitable for external use. This includes baths, ablutions, compresses and use as an ointment that can be administered to relieve eczema and psoriasis.
What does the African devil’s claw help against?
- arteriosclerosis
importance to health
In its homeland, the African devil’s claw has been used for centuries to treat various ailments and diseases. At the beginning of the 20th century, the healing properties of the African plant were discovered by a German soldier and thus reached Europe. Pharmaceutical research into devil’s claw began in Germany in 1930. After their positive therapeutic effects were established, there was a greater demand for devil’s claw preparations.
The African devil’s claw exerts various positive effects on human health. It has anti-inflammatory and mild analgesic properties. It also stimulates both appetite and digestion. The African devil’s claw is used for loss of appetite, flatulence, constipation or diarrhea. Since the bitter substances in the plant also lower the pH value within the stomach , this has a stimulating effect on the bile .
African devil’s claw is also useful for people suffering from hardening of the arteries because of its blood-thinning properties. However, if you have stomach ulcers, you should avoid using the plant. In folk medicine, the African devil’s claw is administered against various ailments. These are lumbago, joint pain, back pain, headaches, neuralgia, wounds, boils and ulcers.Other indications are tendinitis, polyarthritis, soft tissue rheumatism and pain during childbirth. The African devil’s claw is also used in homeopathy . There it is used to treat disc problems, arthrosis, shingles, gout and Bechterew’s disease.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.