Research
Devil's Claw (Harpagophytum)
16 peer-reviewed studies curated from PubMed and Semantic Scholar.
Studies
Sorted by quality and recency
Devil's claw root: ulcers and gastrointestinal bleeding?
Systematic review of about 20 RCTs on devil's claw root, showing mainly gastrointestinal adverse effects such as gastralgia and dyspepsia. Devil's claw root is associated with the risk of serious upper gastrointestinal disorders and has no established efficacy beyond a placebo effect.
Systematic review on the safety of Harpagophytum preparations for osteoarthritic and low back pain.
Systematic review of the safety of Harpagophytum procumbens for osteoarthritic and low back pain. Twenty-eight clinical trials were identified, with 20 reporting adverse events. No higher incidence of adverse events was found compared to placebo in double-blind studies. Minor gastrointestinal adverse events occurred in around 3% of patients.
Impact of herbal medicines on physical impairment.
Meta-analysis re-analyzed studies on Harpagophytum procumbens and Salix extracts for chronic non-specific low back pain, finding little change in 'physical impairment' despite changes in 'pain' and 'disability'. Capsaicin data showed similar results, questioning the need for 'physical impairment' assessments in analgesic studies.
Devil's Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens DC): an evidence-based systematic review by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration.
An evidence-based systematic review of Devil's Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens DC) covering scientific literature, expert opinion, folkloric precedent, history, pharmacology, kinetics/dynamics, interaction, adverse effects, toxicology, and dosing.
Harpgophytum procumbens for osteoarthritis and low back pain: a systematic review.
Systematic review evaluating the effectiveness of Harpagophytum procumbens preparations for musculoskeletal pain. Limited evidence supports its use for knee and hip osteoarthritis, while moderate to strong evidence supports its use for osteoarthritis of the spine, hip, and knee, and for acute exacerbations of chronic non-specific low back pain.
A randomized double-blind pilot study comparing Doloteffin and Vioxx in the treatment of low back pain.
This randomized, double-blind pilot study compared Doloteffin, a proprietary extract of Harpagophytum, with rofecoxib in treating acutely exacerbated low back pain. Forty-four patients received Doloteffin and 44 received rofecoxib. Results showed no significant intergroup differences, but large numbers will be needed to show equivalence.
Efficacy and tolerance of Harpagophytum extract LI 174 in patients with chronic non-radicular back pain.
Open, multicentre study evaluating the effectiveness and tolerance of Devil's Claw extract LI 174 in 130 patients with chronic non-radicular back pain. Treatment with 480 mg tablets twice daily for 8 weeks showed significant improvement in pain symptoms and spine mobility. No serious side effects were observed.
[Effects of Harpagophytum procumbens LI 174 (devil's claw) on sensory, motor und vascular muscle reagibility in the treatment of unspecific back pain].
RCT investigating the effects of Harpagophytum procumbens (Devil's Claw) on sensory, motor, and vascular mechanisms of muscle pain in patients with slight to moderate muscular tension or pain. The study found significant clinical efficacy in reducing muscle stiffness and improving patient and physician ratings after four weeks of treatment with Harpagophytum extract LI 174.
Investigations on the pharmacokinetic properties of Harpagophytum extracts and their effects on eicosanoid biosynthesis in vitro and ex vivo.
The study investigated the pharmacokinetic properties of Harpagophytum extracts and their effects on eicosanoid biosynthesis in vitro and ex vivo. Harpagophytum extract WS1531 showed a stronger inhibitory effect on leukotriene biosynthesis compared to pure harpagoside or other extract fractions. Pharmacokinetic studies indicated a linear relationship between dose and plasma harpagoside levels.
Efficacy and tolerance of Harpagophytum procumbens versus diacerhein in treatment of osteoarthritis.
Double-blind, randomized clinical study comparing Harpadol (Harpagophytum procumbens) to diacerhein in 122 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee and hip. Harpadol showed comparable efficacy to diacerhein in reducing pain and functional disability, with fewer adverse events and less use of NSAIDs and antalgic drugs.
Harpagophytum procumbens in the treatment of knee and hip osteoarthritis. Four-month results of a prospective, multicenter, double-blind trial versus diacerhein.
A multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial comparing Harpagophytum to diacerhein in 122 patients with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis over four months. Harpagophytum was as effective as diacerhein in improving osteoarthritis symptoms and reduced the need for analgesic and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications.
Effectiveness and safety of Devil's Claw tablets in patients with general rheumatic disorders.
A single group open study of 259 patients in the UK assessed the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of Harpagophytum (Devil's Claw) for arthritis and other rheumatic conditions over 8 weeks. Significant improvements were observed in global pain, stiffness, function, and quality of life, with many patients reducing or stopping pain medication.
Effectiveness of Harpagophytum extract WS 1531 in the treatment of exacerbation of low back pain: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study.
RCT comparing two doses of oral Harpagophytum extract WS 1531 (600 mg and 1200 mg) to placebo over 4 weeks in 197 patients with chronic low back pain exacerbations. The Harpagophytum groups showed more pain-free patients compared to placebo, with the greatest benefits in the H600 group and in patients without severe pain or neurological deficit. No significant side-effects were reported, except for mild gastrointestinal symptoms.
Treatment of patients with arthrosis of hip or knee with an aqueous extract of devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens DC.).
An uncontrolled multicentre drug surveillance study was conducted in 75 patients with arthrosis of the hip or knee using an aqueous extract of Devil's claw. The study found a strong reduction in pain and symptoms of osteoarthritis, with significant improvements in WOMAC and VAS pain scores. Only two cases of possible adverse reactions were reported.
A drug used in traditional medicine, harpagophytum procumbens: no evidence for NSAID-like effect on whole blood eicosanoid production in human.
RCT investigating the effect of Devil's Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) on eicosanoid production in healthy humans. Volunteers took 4 capsules of 500 mg powder daily for 21 days. No statistically significant differences were observed in eicosanoid levels before and after intake, indicating a lack of NSAID-like effects.
Regression of follicular lymphoma with Devil's Claw: coincidence or causation?
Case report of two follicular lymphoma patients who experienced tumor regression after taking Devil's Claw without cytotoxic therapy. The paper discusses the potential anti-inflammatory properties of Devil's Claw and its possible role in lymphoma regression, though spontaneous regression is also considered.