PC Samento 1 fl oz by Bio Pure

Samento (also known as Uncaria tomentosa, or Cat’s Claw) is derived from the bark of a tropical woody vine adorned with cat claw-like thorns. A sacred plant among the indigenous Amazonian tribes of Peru, it was believed to regulate both the physical and spiritual worlds, and was traditionally used for all sorts of ailments including digestive problems, infections, fevers, childbirth complications, pain and inflammation.

PC-Samento is BioPure’s trade name for a derivative of the bark of a particular woody vine commonly called “Cat’s Claw”. The Cat’s Claw liana is native to the rainforests of Central and South America, where it can be found using its sharp cat-claw-shaped thorns to climb the trunks of trees toward the sunlight of the forest canopy. There are more than a dozen species of Cat’s Claw, but it is a specific chemotype of Uncaria tomentosa that is used in PC-Samento because of its unique health benefits.

Historical records indicate Cat’s Claw, locally referred to as “Uña de Gato” or “Vilcacora”, has had religious, as well as medicinal significance for the indigenous people of Peru for at least 2000 years1. The Anashninka tribe in Central Peru believed that “good spirits” inhabiting the plant were responsible for its healing properties1. They have used Uña de Gato to treat all sorts of ailments, including digestive problems, infections, bone pain, inflammation, childbirth complications, and fevers1.

Cat’s Claw received official recognition by the rest of the world in May of 1994, when the World Health Organization sponsored the First International Conference on Cat’s Claw in Geneva, Switzerland. Since then, numerous studies have been carried out investigating its chemical components and indicating the immuno-modulating, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-viral properties of this unique plant.

Two compounds in Uncaria tomentosa that are of particular interest are tetracyclic oxindole alkaloids (TOAs) that act upon the central nervous system, and pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids (POAs) that act upon the immune system2. The major weapons of our immune system in fighting illness are various types of specialized white blood cells that detect and attack abnormal cells, engulf and digest bacteria and foreign microbes, and produce antibodies to disease. In the presence of POAs, white blood cells have shown increases in quantity, activity and effectiveness2,3,4,. There are some reports that Uncaria tomentosa extract can support the immune system in fighting Lyme disease5,6. Another study suggests that use of Uncaria tomentosa extract by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy may help prevent the white blood cell count from diminishing7.

Interestingly, it has also been discovered that the TOAs present in some Cat’s Claw will actually cancel out the beneficial effects of the POAs on the immune system2. Therefore, BioPure Healing Products sells only a specific chemotype of Cat’s Claw, that is guaranteed to be 100% free of TOAs, and contains a minimum of 0.5% POAs. It is the unhindered action of these POAs that give our PC-Samento its unique efficacy. In addition, our extraction process uses just water and organic corn alcohol, and does not damage important plant proteins, ensuring that you receive a full spectrum of the plant’s health benefits.

Uncaria tomentosa extract has also been found to have significant anti-inflammatory effects. Research has identified a number of different mechanisms that seem to be involved in this important health benefit, including inhibition of TNFalpha8,9 and NF-kappaB10. It also appears that the antioxidant/cell-protective properties of the extract contribute to anti-inflammatory reactions10. Proanthocyanidins have also been identified in Uncaria tomentosa. These flavonoid compounds are powerful antioxidants that scavenge potentially harmful free radicals throughout the body and support anti-inflammatory pathways11. Due to its anti-inflammatory reactions, Uncaria tomentosa extract has been effective in reducing pain and inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis9 and osteoarthritis8. Several quinovic acid glycolates have also been discovered within Samento that have antibacterial, antiviral12, and anti-inflammatory effects1,4.