Devil’s Claw - Africa’s Herbal Remedy for Arthritis and Inflammation
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- Despite the ominous name, there's nothing devilish about this plant, Harpagophytum procumbens. In fact its magical healing properties have been known by the San and other ethnic groups in the Kalahari for millennia. In this episode, Gus (the African Plant Hunter) ventures into the wilds of the Kalahari desert in north-eastern Namibia to go and see what all the fuss is about. Along the way he meets a group of Devil's Claw harvesters, who show him how to dig the tubers from the plant out of the ground without damaging the plant's mother root. Described by its devoted users as the ultimate treatment for arthritis and inflammation, Devil's Claw is markete all over the world, but is found only in the Kalahari region of southern Africa. So if you want to learn more about this fascinating plant, and perhaps don't quite have the time and/or resources to go and find out for yourself, join Gus on his adventure into the wilds of Namibia.
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#harpagophytum
#devilsclaw
#namibia
Good to see the plant is left to survive and thrive as a valuable product. Taking what is needed. Sustainability smart.
Fabulous..The herbal garden of all times started on the continent of Africa.
It did indeed!
Love it it helps me with lower back osteoarthritis, lupus symptoms, headaches and digestion!
Up Above I started using it when I had very bad sciatica pain after a long flight to NZ. Dr. gave me injections to numb the pain but it didn’t help then Obstgarten researching what could help then case across the devils claw. I am also a Lupus sufferer and at the time my Lupus got really bad and I was having a lot of flares ( causes major inflammation in joints)since I started taking the Devils claw it settled a lot of the inflammation. I initially made a brew and drank it 3 times a day on empty stomach in the am and then throughout the day before meals. For about 3 weeks straight there after maybe twel weeks a month until the brew was finished. That was 2016-17 since then I keep a pack Handy and make a brew whenever I make my herbal teas etc. it tastes ghastly but really helps.
@@legran25 can you please tell us the dosing system you use ? I have a very nasty chronic neck pain like a needle stinging the base of my right base of skull 😣
Am I the only one who enjoys Lagellas to the fullest. This guy made my day with his presence..
Thank you!
It seems that I am doing a course in African plants all of it provided by you The African Plant Hunter. Ex- Moz. and Zim resident now living in the cold north of UK. So interesting always.
Thanks so much. Happy to share some of our African sunshine with you!
Another great video on African Plants.
Glad you like them!
Thank you so much for doing this. Stumbled on this after coming across Devil's claw in Alaska. Will definitely be looking though your videos. Keep up the great work.
Thank you! Good to know that Devil's Claw's fame has spread all the way to Alaska!
Thank you for sharing. I found it very interesting 👍🏼
Glad you enjoyed it
Awesome video. Thanks for sharing! My girlfriend is running down several rabbit holes trying to find an anti-inflammatory for me for my back which none of the doctors can figure out why after 7 back surgeries I am still all inflamed in my back area. Once again thank you very much!
Good luck! I hope it works for you. It's an amazing product. I had knee surgery earlier in the year and it really helped me!
For that reason,, I don’t want back surgery, for the most part, they don’t work,,,, I suffer terrible back pain in low back, but I’m trying different herbs, no thanks on surgery!
I bet they don’t get near the money that the money mongrels get for themselves!
This is a long shot but how are your kidneys doing? You could be experiencing referred pain. I have lower back pain that is severe when I stand for too long that is related to my CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease) and runs horizontally across my back behind where my kidneys are. There is no obvious problem with my spine or vertebral discs. Unfortunately, I cannot take NSAIDS and haven't been able to for many years. I don't want to take narcotics. It doesn't help that I have a very low pain threshold.
An option for you is going to a pain therapy clinic or specialist. A muscle relaxant or a prescribed topical cream may give you some relief from the chronic pain. Voltaren cream helps me with my shoulder pain from torn cartilage and is over the counter. I ordered some through eBay which was significantly cheaper than in the pharmacy.
I had to download this. It’s very informative..
So glad you found it useful!
My mom made us take devils claw as kids. Hated it back then but oh what goodness!
Your mom was a wise woman!
Sengaparile in Tswana, devil's claw. We buy it in pharmacies these days, its packaged for sale. Thanks for sharing your knowledge of these plants
Hi, where could I possibly get it in Botswana? I live in the Central District around Palapye area.
Is it possible to buy it raw from the ladies on the roadside?
@@munyabrownn Not sure about availability in Palapye. There is a company called Matebeleng Milling in Mochudi who harvest, package and sell it. I buy their product in Pharmacies in Gaborone.
@@mandandi thank you for your prompt response. Hopefully I'll be able to get something from PY. I'm living in constant pain and it ain't cool... RA is a real thing
@@munyabrownn Sorry to hear that. Other very good options include noni juice (the best painkiller in the world in my experience) and comfrey tea(excellent).
really like this info we need more natural healing instead of all these pills,
Thanks, I totally agree!
I enjoy so much this channel I love ethnobotanics and I try to learn from local flora in Costa Rica in wich we have so many plants that we still don't know what we have... "Citizenscience" is one the best ways to get people envolved and rescue our planet natrul heritage and medicine💪🏻👏👏👏.
And of course Im already subscribed😎🙋🏻♂️
Thanks so much for your kind words. Really appreciated! Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful countries on Earth!
Thanks for sharing its very informative keep up the good work
Thank you, I will do my best!
Very interesting en informative.
Thank you very much.
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it!
Strength those opportunities. What does fair traid really mean, I'm thinking Steve Bannon every penny .... we hope we can utilise this resource here in africa...
Thanks Gus
Devil's claw is one of my favorite herbs for medicinal usage! I learned about it through a medicine-man of the Yome' ( Yaqui) people in the lower Sonoran region of Mexico. I was making it for people during a four-day ceremony and was getting some great reviews from the people that were needing it. After that I started using it myself, and knowing that it grew out here, I went out started harvesting it. I also use the dried claws to make dream catchers and flying eagles with, they're quite popular here in the South Western and eastern part of Arizona.
Enjoying your videos from Zimbabwe
Thank you!
i wish we could have this plant in the uk , i dont know why you haven't put a link to the website you mentioned , very good intel and a follow up would good to see how the locals use it or make it into a balm , im not to happy consuming anything from the internet you just dont whats in it , i would rather the raw product and make my own balm or tea
Thank you!! wonderful video and information.
Thank you too!
Cool video. He sounds African. I knew a woman named Annette, from south Africa but she went back home.
I have seen this plant growing throughout the American southwest is their any relation between the two species
Where can i buy this one.i really need it
Where can we purchase products from this tuber/root? Do you sell such products yourself? It would be a good idea if you put all these products on Amazon or some platform for us to purchase. I subscribed to your channel because of the great work you do.
I don't sell these products myself, but there are plenty of brands on line selling Devil's Claw, mostly in capsule or tablet form. Thanks for subscribing. I really appreciate it!
Well documented,
Do Ecoso Dynamics ship to the USA?
Thanks. I'm not sure if they do. I think you'd have to ask them directly. Their main market is certainly Germany, but I'm sure they supply other customers as well.
Thank you for this powerful info
Hi! thanks for the video. It helped me learn about this plant. I live in Mexico and as I was walking my dog I found a couple of devils claws fruit in an abandoned lot of dirt. I thought it was really cool the shape of them so I took them and found out it has seeds inside. I will try to germinate them but I have no idea how to. I've germinated seed before but not like these. They look very hard and coarse. It almost looks as if they are burned. Do you have any resources on how should I germinate them? Thanks.
7:23 that fly was doing the most 🤣
It was busy!
Thanks for this video and info. You identified the seed storage capsule of the plant.
How can anyone interested in growing the plant get hold of the seeds? And is there any other way of growing the plant, like by it's root. Thanks Gus.
Hi, thanks for the query. I think this will give you everything you need to know about propagating Devil's Claw. Good luck, and let me know how it goes! www.daff.gov.za/Daffweb3/Portals/0/Brochures%20and%20Production%20guidelines/Devils%20Claw.pdf
I'm interested in propagation as well. The link above doesn't seem to be working at this time. Are you aware of any other sources? Thank you!
What about some side affects?..what is the recomended dosage?
Minimal side effects. Occasional reports of indigestion and diarrhoea, but that's really the only issue. Dosage depends on the form in which you take it. More info can be found here: www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-984/devils-claw
Hi there, thank you very much for sharing this. Anyone who knows the name of this plant in shona?
As far as I'm aware there isn't one, because it only occurs in the far west of Zimbabwe. But I'd love to hear it if anyone knows. The Ndebele name is Inkunzane enkulu.
I'm sure there is a shona name for it
Kubvunza vakuru
Im in Johannesburg South Africa.....do you sell seeds???
Hello. Thanks for sharing. Can I get dried Devil's claw roots. Am from Kenya. Or if you can connect me with someone who have it will appreciate
I suggest trying one of the online stores in South Africa, who might be able to supply.
Dang, that thing is scary!! 😮
cool
Can i use devils claw leaves or other part for joint pain?
No, the active ingredient is only found in the tuber.
Not seeing any comments on HOW THIS WORKS? RESULTS??
It works really well, and there's a lot of scientific literature to substantiate its activity.
Is this plant cultivated and if so can you purchase it
No, this plant is wild harvested only. But you can buy Devil's Claw products from herbal pharmacies in many parts of the world. Just look for pure Devil's Claw in capsules.
@@AfricanPlantHunter Thank you for responding.
We live in Arizona and it grows wild in the desert where we live. I just picked some up at a health food store in Kingman, az. Good luck.
@@chyloekenda8739 can you please disclose the Health food store so I can contact them.
@@brad2548 it is called herbs and more off Northern st. In Kingman, az. We got 4ozs @ 6.45 it's a small store but they will order what you need.
These videos are fantastic, thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Glad you like them!
John 3:16
King James Version
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Do we get them.in Southern Namibia
Mostly more to the north of Namibia, although you might find occasional occurrences in the south.
What must I do with an expired devils claw
"Expired" for herbal medicine doesn't usually mean it will have suddenly become poisonous or anything. Just slightly less likely to be effective than if it was fresh. Personally, as Devil's Claw has a very long shelf life, I would still use it even if it has passed the sell by date on the package!
I bet they, the Africans, get taken advantage of for that plant😢 Jehovah was so correct in his statement that money is root of all evil!🙏💯
Crap. They are getting paid and earning a good wage.
Many of them (but not all) are probably being taken advantage of. Everyone involved in the process has to have integrity in order for these people to not be taken advantage of. Even the consumer being willing to pay a higher price is important.
teach them how to do PERMACULTURE
to teach soil to retain water.
Definitely not the same Devils Claw (Proboscidea Parviflora) that I have growing in my backyard but very interesting video nonetheless!
Definitely not the same one!
@@AfricanPlantHunter I'm going to start referring to the one here as "red devil's claw" or "double claw"
How can l contact these guys in Botswana
Try Thusano Lefatsheng in BW. They may be able to help you.
@@AfricanPlantHunter Thank you
I have them here in Namibia
Just got some devils claw today
How I can buy that medicine sir
It's widely available in pharmacies in different formats.
Who owns the Patent? It should be the Namibians and the communities harvesting this.
You're right in principle, but unfortunately that rarely happens. The costs of researching and developing a new patent on a phytomedicine run into hundreds of thousands and sometimes millions of dollars. This is also highly specialised knowledge. Unlikely a rural community could ever afford to cover those costs or have the wherewithal to do so. BUT, and this is the important bit, there are mechanisms through which ethical companies can develop patents and share the benefits with the source communities, and there are many companies out there actively trying to do this. Check out www.ethicalbiotrade.org/ for a really awesome organisation that promotes this type of approach!
Namibia can't own a patent, since the plant has been used by the San, Herero of Namibia and Botswana. So it would make sense for the two tribes to own the patent themselves and benefit their communities. The governments of the two nations stay out.
Devils claw is harvested in the NW Provence of SA . It was cultivated in the early 2000 in the western cape. Same with Hoodia in tunnels and scelitium.
Is this a stupid question ... why is it not cultivated on a farm?
It's not a stupid question. There is some cultivation, but the majority of demand is met from sustainably harvested wild sources, which are sufficiently plentiful so as not to require supplementing from farms.
This is what herborists give in Italy for pain
Perfect solution for pain!
We also use wild lettuce for pain.
As long as the locals can make good money from it makes it even more a good thing.
Definitely!
Thanks for the info. I hope the Africans that are haversting the root are truly being paid well as you mentioned. I'm sure the GERMAN company is making millions possibly billions from Africa's resources. I doubt seriously if "Latinus, Afred and Zackary" are the names of those AFRICAN men. I'm sure their African names were too difficult for you to say.
does anyone know if I can take devils claw with co-codamol and tramadol?
HI. Devil's Claw, like any medication, has some interactions with other medications, although it's generally very benign. You can read more here: www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-984/devils-claw. I don't see any issues with co-codamol or tramadol though.
Is it good to remove black magic
This is better then nsaids. Cant believe how good it works on my back pain.
Hi where do you get it from?
how can i get some
share contacts
I would recommend trying these guys. They have a lot of different brands on offer: www.faithful-to-nature.co.za/
always trust the FARMACY........
Nature's pharmacy is all around us!
Show us who Ecoso Dynamics are???? 😂
This is who they are: www.ecoso.net/fair_for_life.htm
@@AfricanPlantHunter typical pictures of local people supposedly being "lucky" to have a meal because of ecoso dynamics no pictures of the real owners of the outfit. It's exhausting.
🧡💚🧡
Thanks!
It has a bitter taste I’m drinking some now
Yes, very bitter, and deeply medicinal!
@@AfricanPlantHunter i drinking I’ve been drinking it since a teenager i love the taste
I just bough it and will use it to subtitute for glucosamine.
Hey, I know this an old comment, however I wanted to ask did it help?
Don't exploit them , pay them well
Absolutely! Fair Trade is the international standard which tells the buyer that harvesters have not been exploited and have been paid well.
LOL. "Magical healing powers" ok.
Yeah, sometimes I get a bit carried away.....!!
Why is gods creation referencing the devil, 😂😂 oh man yall be funny on youtube
Love africa ❤cradle of civilazation.europeans stole a lot from africa😅
More exploitation of Mama afrika
“Exploitation” is a loaded word. On the one hand it means “make use of, use to good advantage, benefit from”. On the other hand it also means “take advantage of, abuse, misuse”. So it depends which way you mean it. In this case, Devil’s claw is a medicinal plant with a rich history of traditional use, and it is being sustainably harvested and marketed by the people whose traditional knowledge it embodies. To me that seems like a perfect example of the first meaning of exploitation, and I must admit I can’t see anything wrong with it. I could understand if it was being harvested by outsiders, or harvested in an unsustainable manner. But these harvesters are local and take enormous care to ensure their harvesting is sustainable. So they appear to be making excellent use of a local resource, in an area where it is extremely dry and the array of economic opportunities open to them is very limited indeed.
exactly my thoughts....
Very obvious... The MO is starting by the germans giving it approval then they step in and make the money
Why do you feel comfortable explaining african plants instead of letting actual africans that live there explain it? Why do you feel comfortable even having this platform?
Thanks, that's a good question. The answer is because I am an actual African, born and raised, and I live in Africa, working every day with African plants. So I certainly don't feel uncomfortable talking about them and sharing my knowledge with others.
The search engine taking me to Ecoso Dynamics says they're permanently closed
They're definitely not closed. I was with them in Namibia a couple of weeks ago. Here's their website: www.ecoso.net/
@@AfricanPlantHunter thank you