Devils claw
I really don’t know much about this..but I did read an article ina newspaper about how Devils’Claw was much more effective thanallopurinol at lowerring uric acid levels. At the time I was doing a lot of research on gout..and found noevidence of this. However it has come up now and again.
2 hrs ago I was actually in the pharmacy.. a huge one.. getting myallopurinol..I almost bumped into a guy in the aisle where all theherbal medicine etc.was.He asked me if there was anything he couldhelp me with.Coincidentally I asked him if he knew about DevilsClaw.He then introduced himself as the rep. for a very large herbalmedicine company.And sort of very politely said yes he did know aboutDevils Claw and what would I like to know..how could he help me.
I asked about Devils Claw for gout.He said that Devils Claw was anexcellent anti-inflammatory!..with very few side effects..andexcellent for gout attacks..had I tried it?I should.BUT he added..itdoes not cure gout.It does almost nothing for the real problem withgout..the individuals already too high uric acid level.He said thatonly 1 drug to his knowledge dealt with that..I said I know I takeit..allopurinol. I said I remembered reading an article on how Devils Claw wasmore effective at reducing uric acid levels than allopurinol. He said that a lot of companies..even individuals make theseclaims and these claims need to be examined VERY carefully.he saidthat sure..you can drink a gallon of water with your big steak..andkeep drinking..this will help somewhat..in lowerring your uric acidlevels..as you digest the steak.And so will a lot of other things youcan take/eat..but this reduction in the uric acid levels from thepurine breakdown of food going in was pretty small compared to thebodies own production of uric acid.He said that his companyhasn’t/wouldn’t make claims about lowerring uric acid levels.BUTpromoted the anti-inflammatory aspect! He said the actual ingredient(active) of Devils Claw..varied frombrand to brand/source to source..BUT the component that you arelooking for is actually in the plant itself,(the component active inthe anti-inflammatory aspect)It is called harpagoside..and should bepresent around 3% to 5%..in the brand. He said that alfalfa,bilberry,and juniper all are said to be goodfor gout..and did add that some say that they too reduce uric acidlevels..BUT he said if they did..it would only be on the purines youactually eat.
Anyway..thought I’ld pass this along..