Uncaria tomentosa (root)

Nomenclature

Uncaria tomentosa (Willd.) DC.   Rubiaceae  
Standardized common name (English): cat's claw

Botanical Voucher Specimen

Source: MOBOT, Tropicos.org	Source: MOBOT, Tropicos.org

Macroscopic Characteristics

Source: PlantaPhile	Source: PlantaPhile

Microscopic Characteristics

Group of parallel heavily lignified fibers observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution. Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories

High Performance Thin Layer Chromatographic Identification

Uncaria tomentosa HPTLC ID - Natural Product Reagent + PEG-> UV 365 nm Cat’s Claw (bark) (Uncaria tomentosa) Lane Assignments Lanes, from left to right (Track, Volume, Sample): 3 μL Uncarine C~0.1% in CH3OH 3 μL Uncaria tomentosa-1 (bark) 3 μL Uncaria tomentosa-2 (bark) 3 μL Uncaria tomentosa-3 (bark) 3 μL Uncaria tomentosa-3 (bark) 3 μL Uncaria tomentosa-4 (bark) 3 μL Uncaria tomentosa-5 (bark) 3 μL Uncarine E~0.1% in CH3OH Reference materials used here have been authenticated by macroscopic, microscopic &/or TLC studies according to the reference source cited below held at Alkemists Laboratories, Costa Mesa, CA.  Stationary Phase Silica gel 60, F254, 10 x 10 cm HPTLC plates  Mobile Phase ethyl acetate: CH3OH: HCOOH: H2O [10/0.27/0.3/0.5]  Sample Preparation Method 0.3g+3mL 70% grain EtOH sonicate/heat @ 50° C ~ 1/2 hr  Detection Method Natural Product Reagent + PEG-> UV 365 nm  Reference see Plant Drug Analysis, Wagner, H., 1996 Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories