Devil's Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens): no evidence for anti-inflammatory activity in the treatment of arthritic disease. 1983

L W Whitehouse, and M Znamirowska, and C J Paul

Devil's Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens), an herbal product being marketed in Canada as a home remedy for the relief of arthritic disease, was screened for efficacy with standard preclinical screening methods. At doses 100 times or greater than the recommended daily dose for humans, Devil's Claw was completely ineffective in reducing edema of the rat hind foot induced by either lambda-carrageenan or Mycobacterium butyricum. At concentrations of up to 1 x 10(5) microgram/ml, Devil's Claw was also ineffective as an in-vitro inhibitor of prostaglandin synthetase. These results indicate that Devil's Claw lacks the anti-inflammatory properties possessed by all antiarthritic drugs of the nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory analgesic type.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D010936 Plant Extracts Concentrated pharmaceutical preparations of plants obtained by removing active constituents with a suitable solvent, which is evaporated away, and adjusting the residue to a prescribed standard. Herbal Medicines,Plant Extract,Extract, Plant,Extracts, Plant,Medicines, Herbal
D004353 Drug Evaluation, Preclinical Preclinical testing of drugs in experimental animals or in vitro for their biological and toxic effects and potential clinical applications. Drug Screening,Evaluation Studies, Drug, Pre-Clinical,Drug Evaluation Studies, Preclinical,Drug Evaluations, Preclinical,Evaluation Studies, Drug, Preclinical,Evaluation, Preclinical Drug,Evaluations, Preclinical Drug,Medicinal Plants Testing, Preclinical,Preclinical Drug Evaluation,Preclinical Drug Evaluations,Drug Screenings,Screening, Drug,Screenings, Drug
D004487 Edema Abnormal fluid accumulation in TISSUES or body cavities. Most cases of edema are present under the SKIN in SUBCUTANEOUS TISSUE. Dropsy,Hydrops,Anasarca
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000893 Anti-Inflammatory Agents Substances that reduce or suppress INFLAMMATION. Anti-Inflammatory Agent,Antiinflammatory Agent,Agents, Anti-Inflammatory,Agents, Antiinflammatory,Anti-Inflammatories,Antiinflammatories,Antiinflammatory Agents,Agent, Anti-Inflammatory,Agent, Antiinflammatory,Agents, Anti Inflammatory,Anti Inflammatories,Anti Inflammatory Agent,Anti Inflammatory Agents
D001168 Arthritis Acute or chronic inflammation of JOINTS. Oligoarthritis,Polyarthritis,Arthritides,Oligoarthritides,Polyarthritides
D001169 Arthritis, Experimental ARTHRITIS that is induced in experimental animals. Immunological methods and infectious agents can be used to develop experimental arthritis models. These methods include injections of stimulators of the immune response, such as an adjuvant (ADJUVANTS, IMMUNOLOGIC) or COLLAGEN. Adjuvant Arthritis,Arthritis, Adjuvant-Induced,Arthritis, Collagen-Induced,Arthritis, Adjuvant,Collagen Arthritis,Arthritides, Collagen,Arthritis, Collagen,Collagen Arthritides,Collagen-Induced Arthritides,Collagen-Induced Arthritis
D016861 Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors Compounds or agents that combine with cyclooxygenase (PROSTAGLANDIN-ENDOPEROXIDE SYNTHASES) and thereby prevent its substrate-enzyme combination with arachidonic acid and the formation of eicosanoids, prostaglandins, and thromboxanes. Cyclo-Oxygenase Inhibitor,Cyclooxygenase Inhibitor,Prostaglandin Endoperoxide Synthase Inhibitor,Prostaglandin Endoperoxide Synthase Inhibitors,Prostaglandin Synthase Inhibitor,Prostaglandin Synthase Inhibitors,Prostaglandin Synthesis Antagonist,Prostaglandin Synthesis Antagonists,Cyclo-Oxygenase Inhibitors,Inhibitors, Cyclo-Oxygenase,Inhibitors, Cyclooxygenase,Inhibitors, Prostaglandin Synthase,Inhibitors, Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthase,Antagonist, Prostaglandin Synthesis,Antagonists, Prostaglandin Synthesis,Cyclo Oxygenase Inhibitor,Cyclo Oxygenase Inhibitors,Inhibitor, Cyclo-Oxygenase,Inhibitor, Cyclooxygenase,Inhibitor, Prostaglandin Synthase,Inhibitors, Cyclo Oxygenase,Inhibitors, Prostaglandin Endoperoxide Synthase,Synthase Inhibitor, Prostaglandin,Synthesis Antagonist, Prostaglandin
D051381 Rats The common name for the genus Rattus. Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus

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