Pedaliaceae Grapple plant Harpagophyti Radix Tuberous secondary roots Iridoids are the best known compounds from the genus and include harpagoside, often considered to be a key active constituent, harpagide and procumbide. Other compounds include phenolic glycosides such as acteoside and isoacteoside, harpagoquinones, flavonoids, phytosterols and carbohydrates (EMA 2009; Mncwangi et al. 2012). Different preparations vary widely in their composition and efficacy, so it is advisable to use a specific, standardised product which has been tested clinically (Ouitas and Heard 2010). Considerable clinical evidence for the use of devil’s claw as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic (commonly for lower back pain), and as an anti-rheumatic agent, has now accumulated. While many of the published trials do not conform to the highest methodological quality criteria, the data from good quality studies indicated that devil’s claw appeared effective in the reduction of the main clinical symptom of pain (Brien et al. 2006). Most importantly, pain reduction was also found in a Cochrane meta-analysis using an extract equivalent to 50 mg or 100 mg harpagoside per daily dose; a daily dose of 60 mg reduced pain about the same as a daily dose of 12.5 mg of Vioxx (Gagnier et al. 2006).
Devil’s Claw
Harpagophytum procumbens (Burch.) DC. ex Meissner, H. zeyheri Decne.
Family:
Other common names:
Drug name:
Botanical drug used:
Main chemical compounds:
Clinical evidence:
Anti-inflammatory activity:
Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel
Full access? Get Clinical Tree
