(1) Analgesic and tonifying Harpagophytum Devil's claw.

(2) Another of the plants, known as devil's claw, is grown in the arid grasslands of southwest Africa. It has anti-inflammatory properties and is used to treat arthritis.

(3) Devil's claw is nontoxic and safe, with virtually no side effects if taken at the recommended therapeutic dose for short periods of time.

(4) In addition, those who received devil's claw experienced fewer side effects and required fewer pain-reducing medications throughout the study.

(5) Scientific evidence supports the use of devil's claw root to help relieve pain and inflammation in people with arthritis and other painful disorders.

(6) Topical preparations of devil's claw are also applied to the surface of the skin to heal sores, ulcers, boils, and skin lesions.

(7) Safety of devil's claw for pregnant and breastfeeding women is not known.

(8) Another study found that devil's claw supplementation was effective in patients with rheumatic diseases (arthrosis and low back pain).

(9) Studies have found that taking devil's claw for several months substantially reduces pain and improves physical functioning in people with osteoarthritis.

(10) Devil's claw is available as dried or fresh root supplements and is found in capsules, tablets, liquid extracts, and topical ointments.

(11) Today, devil's claw is used for degenerative joint diseases such as arthritis, for low back pain, and as an appetite stimulant and digestive tonic.

(12) Although study results have been somewhat conflicting, evidence suggests that devil's claw may help relieve low back and neck pain.

(13) However, high doses can cause mild gastrointestinal problems in some individuals, and it is not clear whether devil's claw becomes toxic if taken for long periods of time.

(14) Individuals with stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers, or gallstones should not take devil's claw unless recommended by a health care provider.

(15) Harpagoside (one type of iridoid) is highly concentrated in devil's claw root and has been reported in some laboratory studies to have significant pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties.

(16) In addition to the treatment of these and other painful disorders, many professional herbalists consider devil's claw to be useful for upset stomach, loss of appetite, headaches, allergies(/devil's claw.html), and fever.

(17) For this reason, individuals taking warfarin or other blood-thinners should not use devil's claw without first talking to a health care provider.

(18) In a small study of 63 people with mild-to-moderate back, neck, or shoulder pain, 4 weeks of treatment with a standardized extract of devil's claw root provided moderate relief from muscle pain.

(19) There are no known scientific reports on the pediatric use of devil's claw.