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Botanicals & Herbs

Devil's Claw

Also known as: Harpagophytum procumbens, Grapple plant, Harpagoside

The Kalahari root with arthritis credentials — anti-inflammatory harpagoides backed by real trials and gastric cautions.

  • By IngredientWiki Editorial Team
  • Fact-checked by IngredientWiki Editorial Team
  • Updated 2026-09-26
  • 2 min read

In short

Devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) is a desert plant of the Kalahari whose tuberous roots have been used for pain and fever by African healers for centuries. Its active iridoid glycosides — principally harpagoside — show anti-inflammatory activity comparable in direction to NSAIDs but with a gentler profile. The clinical evidence is strongest for osteoarthritis and low back pain: European trials and meta-analyses report meaningful pain reduction and improved mobility, though effect sizes vary with extract quality. It also stimulates digestion (bitters action). The main cautions: it can increase stomach acid, and it interacts with anticoagulants and diabetes medications.

  • Kalahari desert root; traditional African pain remedy
  • Active: iridoid glycosides, chiefly harpagoside
  • Best evidence: osteoarthritis and low back pain
  • Stimulates stomach acid; interacts with anticoagulants

What is Devil's Claw?

Devil's claw is named for its hooked fruit, not its temperament — though its effects are sharp enough. The tuber of this Kalahari survivor has moved from traditional African medicine into European pharmacies, where standardized extracts hold a recognized place in osteoarthritis and low back pain care. The evidence is respectable: several trials show pain relief in the same ballpark as modest NSAID doses, with fewer gastrointestinal side effects and a slower onset. The plant's other face is digestive — its bitters stimulate stomach acid, which helps some and warns off others.

Where it comes from

Natural sources

  • Tubers of Harpagophytum procumbens, native to the Kalahari of Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa
  • Traditional use by San and Khoi peoples for pain and fever
  • Actives: harpagoside, harpagide, and related iridoids

How it's made

Standardized extracts (typically 50–100 mg harpagoside per dose); teas and tinctures also exist.

What it does in products

  • COX-2-related anti-inflammatory activity
  • Leukotriene and TNF modulation
  • Digestive bitters (gastric secretion stimulation)
  • Analgesic support in joint conditions

Benefits

Osteoarthritis pain

strong evidence

Trials and meta-analyses report significant pain reduction and functional improvement in hip and knee osteoarthritis versus placebo.

Low back pain

strong evidence

Randomized trials show meaningful reductions in non-specific low back pain, with some comparisons finding effects approaching conventional analgesics.

Digestive support

emerging evidence

Bitters action stimulates appetite and gastric secretion — traditional use with plausible mechanism.

Side effects & safety

Dyspepsia and increased stomach acid (uncommon)The bitters effect; avoid with ulcers or reflux.
Diarrhea and headache (uncommon)Usually mild and transient.

Safety considerations

  • Avoid — traditional use suggests uterine-stimulant potential.
  • Anticoagulants/antiplatelets — additive bleeding risk reported
  • Diabetes medications — additive glucose lowering possible
  • PPIs and antacids — opposing gastric effects
  • Not for: Peptic ulcer and gastritis
  • Not for: Gallstones (bitters stimulate bile flow)

How it's used

In supplements

Standardized extracts providing 50–100 mg harpagoside/day, often divided; trials commonly used 2,400 mg extract (60 mg harpagoside) daily.

In skincare

Not a topical ingredient.

Regulatory status

  • Sold as a dietary supplement; no FDA-approved disease claims.
  • Not applicable.

Popular products containing Devil's Claw

  • Nature's Way Devil's Claw — 480 mg root capsulesNature's Way · Supplement
  • Now Foods Devil's Claw Extract — Standardized extract capsulesNOW Foods · Supplement
  • Swanson Devil's Claw — Harpagoside-standardized capsulesSwanson · Supplement

Product names and brands are shown for reference and belong to their respective owners.

The anti-inflammatory chemistry

Harpagoside inhibits COX-2 and suppresses NF-kB-driven inflammation in cell and animal models — a mechanism overlapping with NSAIDs but acting through different entry points. The result in trials is a gentler, slower-onset analgesia: studies typically show benefit accumulating over 4–12 weeks rather than hours.

Extract quality matters

Meta-analyses show a pattern familiar in botanicals: standardized extracts with verified harpagoside content produce consistent results, while whole-root preparations vary. Products listing harpagoside content (e.g., 50–100 mg/day) are the ones that match the positive trial material.

Frequently asked questions

Does devil's claw work like an NSAID?

Its effects overlap in trials with modest NSAID doses, but onset is slower (weeks) and stomach irritation is less common — though it does increase stomach acid in some users.

How long until devil's claw helps joint pain?

Most trials show separation from placebo at 4–8 weeks; maximum benefit around 12 weeks.

Is devil's claw safe with blood thinners?

Caution — additive bleeding effects are reported. Discuss with your prescriber before combining.

The bottom line

Devil's claw is one of the better-evidenced botanicals for osteoarthritis and back pain — a gentle, slow-acting anti-inflammatory with stomach and anticoagulant cautions.

References

  1. Devil's claw in osteoarthritis: systematic review. PubMed Central. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23659335/
  2. Devil's claw for low back pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16856060/
  3. Devil's claw — NCCIH. NCCIH. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/devils-claw