cat's-claw

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• cat's-claw
• cat's claw

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Nauclea aculeata
• Nauclea guianensis
• Uncaria aculeata
• Ourouparia guianensis
• Uncaria spinosa
• Uruparia guianensis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Gentianaales, it is classified under the family Rubiaceae. Specifically, Uncaria guianensis is identified by the genus Uncaria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Uncaria guianensis, exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several regions in South America. It can be found growing throughout the northern parts of the continent, including Venezuela. Its range also extends through the Guianas, specifically in Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. Additionally, this species is located within the Caribbean region, specifically on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Together, these locations highlight its presence within the tropical landscapes of northern South America and its nearby islands.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Uncaria guianensis is characterized by its preference for specific tropical forest environments, where it thrives within riparian forests (Floresta Ciliar ou Galeria), perennial seasonal forests (Floresta Estacional Perenifólia), and semi-deciduous seasonal forests (Floresta Estacional Semidecidual). This species occupies a broad altitudinal gradient, establishing itself in diverse topographical settings ranging from lowlands at 20 m AMSL to higher elevations reaching up to a maximum of 750 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

750 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

20 m AMSL

Habitat :

Floresta Ciliar ou Galeria, Floresta Estacional Perenifólia, Floresta Estacional Semidecidual

Life history

The life history of Uncaria guianensis is characterized by its classification as a phanerophyte, specifically functioning as a climbing woody vine within its tropical ecosystem. As a phanerophyte, its perennating buds are located well above the ground, allowing it to ascend toward the forest canopy to access sunlight. Throughout its life cycle, the plant maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that it retains its foliage and photosynthetic capacity year-round without a seasonal period of leaf loss. This continuous vegetative presence, combined with its robust phanerophyte growth habit, enables the species to establish a stable and persistent presence within its natural habitat.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Morphology

The morphology of Uncaria guianensis is characterized by its growth as a woody liana, functioning as an obligatory climber that requires structural support to ascend. Although it exhibits a terrestrial habit rather than an aquatic or semiaquatic existence, its physical structure is defined by its robust, woody stems. It is an independent organism, lacking any parasitic relationship with host plants, and it maintains a terrestrial life cycle rather than acting as an epiphyte. While its growth form is categorized under the broader structural complexity of woody climbing plants, it does not follow the development patterns of a shrub, herb, or tree, but instead relies on its specialized climbing mechanisms to thrive within its ecosystem.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

liana

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Uncaria guianensis is characterized by its specialized growth patterns as a woody climber, utilizing structural support from host trees to optimize its access to light within tropical canopy layers. Its metabolic processes are centered on the biosynthesis of complex secondary metabolites, most notably oxindole alkaloids, which are produced through intricate biochemical pathways to serve as chemical defenses against herbivory. The plant's nutrient acquisition relies on a sophisticated root system capable of absorbing minerals and water from the soil, though it lacks the symbiotic mechanisms required for atmospheric nitrogen conversion; specifically, it is not a nitrogen fixer, as it does not possess the specialized nodules or bacterial associations necessary to convert nitrogen gas into usable forms. Instead, it depends on the availability of nitrates and ammonium in the substrate to fuel its vegetative growth and the high energy demands of alkaloid synthesis.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Uncaria guianensis has 2 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root.

Leaf

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

Root

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Uncaria guianensis has 31 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ISOMITRAPHYLLINE, Mitraphylline, ABE, ALE, ARE.

ISOMITRAPHYLLINE

1. Dr. Duke
2. PloS one

Mitraphylline

1. Dr. Duke
2. PloS one

ABE

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

ALE

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

ARE

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Angustine

1. Dr. Duke

Angustoline

1. Dr. Duke

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke

Dihydrocorynantheine

1. Dr. Duke

Epicatechin

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Uncaria guianensis has 210 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antiviral, (-)-Chronotropic, 11B-HSD-Inhibitor, 5-HT-Inhibitor.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Complementary therapies in clinical practice
3. Inflammation research : official journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [et al.]

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

(-)-Chronotropic

1. Dr. Duke

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-HT-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Adrenergic-Blocker

1. Dr. Duke

Aldehyde-Oxidase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelochemic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Uncaria guianensis has 9 reported investigations on conditions identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include inflammation, Dengue fever, arthritis, endometriosis, gastritis.

Inflammation

1. Complementary therapies in clinical practice
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Dengue fever

1. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

Arthritis

1. Complementary therapies in clinical practice

Endometriosis

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Gastritis

1. Complementary therapies in clinical practice

Osteoarthritis

1. Inflammation research : official journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [et al.]

Osteoarthritis of the knee

1. Inflammation research : official journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [et al.]

Peptic ulcer

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Rheumatism

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Preparations

Uncaria guianensis has 8 reported preparations identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Ug AIV, aqueous bark extract, aqueous leaf extract, aqueous roots extract, bark.

Ug aiv

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Aqueous bark extract

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Aqueous leaf extract

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Aqueous roots extract

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Bark

1. Phytochemistry

Hydro-alcoholic extracts from bark (ugb)

1. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

Hydro-alcoholic extracts from leaves (ugl)

1. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

Hydroethanolic extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology