Cat's Claw / Reishi Mushroom

Cat's Claw is also known by the names Una de Gato, Samento, Chacruk, Jipotatsa, Rangayo, and Garabato Amarillo. It's also called "Opener of the Way" because of its well-known cleansing properties. Native to South America, Cat's Claw has claw-like spines on its stems, hence the name. It is a giant woody vine that can grow over 100 feet. The root and bark of Cat's Claw is used by the indigenous peoples of the Rainforest for birth control, arthritic conditions, asthma, cancer, fevers, ulcers, menstrual regulation, general weakness, wounds, detoxification, and rejuvenation. In most areas, only the inner bark of the plant is harvested, so that the root can be left to regenerate for future harvesting. The inner bark provides all of the beneficial alkaloids found in this medicinal plant. Cat's Claw is ranked highly with other important immune-building herbs, including Echinacea, Goldenseal, Pau D'Arco, Garlic, and Siberian Ginseng. Cat's Claw contains powerful antioxidants, such as proanthocyanidins, which help fight against free radical damage, strengthen the cardiovascular and immune systems, protect collagen, and reduce swelling and inflammation. Cat's Claw is considered beneficial not only for the immune system, but for the digestive and structural systems as well. Cats Claw helps to activate macrophages, lymphocytes and leukocytes. It also inhibits blood platelet aggregation. Research on this plant is very recent, but more needs to be done. The common name Cat's Claw also includes the species Uncaria guianensis, which is used interchangeably with Uncaria tomentosa.

Reishi Mushroom is also known by the name Lucky Fungus. Reishi Mushrooms grow wild on decaying logs and tree stumps in the coastal provinces of China. The fruiting body of the mushroom is employed medicinally. Reishi occurs in six different colors, but the red variety is most commonly used and commercially cultivated in North America, China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea. In Japan, 99% of Reishi growing in the wild are found on old plum trees, and wild Reishi Mushrooms are rare. Reishi has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 4,000 years to treat liver disorders, hypertension, arthritis, and other ailments. One of the oldest recorded botanical monograph has claimed that Reishi Mushroom made the body "lighter", which may refer to its ability to reduce cholesterol and blood lipid levels. Reishi also has immune potentiating properties. Fungi, such as Reishi, spend most of their life cycles in the mycelial stage. The mushroom mycelia excretes digestive enzymes to digest nutrients and fend off competition and other pathogens in their environment. At the peak of the growth cycle, the mycelial biomass contains a fully myceliated brown rice substrate, mushroom primordia, and various metabolites. The mycelial biomass is harvested and carefully dried under low temperature and then made into powder. Reishi mycelium is rich in carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins. Active compounds from Reishi include glycoproteins, enzymes, polysaccharides and other metabolites which can stimulate immune response in a host. Some compounds in Reishi Mushrooms are classified as immuno-potentiators.