Editing Uncaria

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}}
{{Distinguish|Uncarina}}
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{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Uncaria_gambir_-_Köhler–s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-275.jpg
| image_caption = ''Uncaria gambir''
| display_parents = 2
| taxon = Uncaria
| authority = [[Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber|Schreber]]<!--1789-->
| type_species = ''[[Uncaria guianensis]]''
| type_species_authority = ([[Jean Baptiste Christophore Fusée Aublet|Aublet]]) [[Johann Friedrich Gmelin|J.F. Gmelin]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = ~40 species. See text
}}

'''''Uncaria''''' is a [[genus]] of [[flowering plant]]s in the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Rubiaceae]]. It has about 40 [[species]].<ref name="kewuncaria">''Uncaria'' At: World Checklist of Rubiaceae At: Kew Gardens Website. (see ''External links'' below).</ref> Their [[Range (biology)|distribution]] is [[pantropical]], with most species [[Indigenous (ecology)|native]] to [[tropical Asia]], three from [[Africa]] and the [[Mediterranean basin|Mediterranean]] and two from the [[neotropics]].<ref name="mabberley2008">David J. Mabberley. 2008. ''Mabberley's Plant-Book'' third edition (2008). Cambridge University Press: UK. {{ISBN|978-0-521-82071-4}}</ref> They are known [[Common name|colloquially]] as '''gambier''', '''cat's claw''' or '''uña de gato'''. The latter two names are shared with several other plants. The [[type species]] for the genus is ''[[Uncaria guianensis]]''.<ref name="inguncaria">''Uncaria'' In: Index Nominum Genericorum. In: [[Regnum Vegetabile]] (see ''External links'' below).</ref>

[[Indonesia]]n Gambier (''[[uncaria gambir|U. gambir]]'') is a large tropical vine with leaves typical of the genus, being [[Phyllotaxis|opposite]] and about {{convert|10|cm|in|abbr=on}} long. The South American ''U. tomentosa'' is called Uña de Gato. ''[[Uncaria sinensis]]'' is common in [[China]].

''Uncaria'' was [[Botanical name|named]] in 1789 by [[Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber|Johann von Schreber]] in his ''Genera Plantarum'' edition 8[a] (not to be confused with books of the same title by [[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[Antoine Laurent de Jussieu|Jussieu]], and others).<ref name="ipniuncaria">''Uncaria'' in International Plant Names Index. (see ''External links'' below).</ref><ref name="schreber1789">Johann Schreber. 1789. Gen. Pl., ed. 8[a]. (Genera Plantarum Eorumque Characteres Naturales Secundum Numerum, Figuram, Situm, & Proportionem Omnium Fructificationis Partium. (Ed. 8[a])). volume 1, page 125. Frankfurt am Main, Germany(see ''External links'' below).</ref> The [[Genus#Generic name|genus name]] is [[Etymology|derived]] from the [[Latin]] word ''uncus'', meaning "a hook".<ref name="quattrocchi2000">Umberto Quattrocchi. 2000. ''CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names'' volume IV. CRC Press: Boca Raton; New York; Washington, DC;, USA. London, UK. {{ISBN|978-0-8493-2673-8}} (set).</ref> It refers to the hooks, formed from reduced branches, that ''Uncaria'' [[vine]]s use to cling to other vegetation.

''Uncaria'' is a member of the [[Tribe (biology)|tribe]] [[Naucleeae]], but its [[Phylogenetic tree|position]] within that tribe remains unresolved.<ref name="manns2010">{{cite journal | last1 = Manns | first1 = Ulrika | last2 = Bremer | first2 = Birgitta | year = 2010 | title = Towards a better understanding of intertribal relationships and stable tribal delimitations within Cinchonoideae s.s. (Rubiaceae)". | journal = Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume = 56 | issue = 1| pages = 21–39 | doi = 10.1016/j.ympev.2010.04.002 | pmid=20382247}}</ref>

==Description==
Woody [[lianas]]; climbing by hooks formed from reduced, modified branches. [[Stipules]] entire or bifid. Inflorescences are compact heads at the ends of horizontal, very reduced branches. [[Corolla (botany)|Corolla]] lobes without appendages. Seeds with a long wing at each end, the lower wing deeply bifid.<ref name="ridsdale1978">{{cite journal | last1 = Ridsdale | first1 = Colin E. | year = 1978 | title = A revision of ''Mitragyna'' and ''Uncaria'' (Rubiaceae)". | journal = Blumea | volume = 24 | issue = 1| pages = 43–100 }}</ref>

==Species==
[[File:Uncaria histura at Elmina West in Seksyen U15, Shah Alam 20231105 111011.jpg|thumb|''U. hirsuta'']]
{{As of|2023|March}}, [[Plants of the World Online]] accepted the following species:<ref name="POWO_327895-2">{{cite web |title=''Uncaria'' Schreb.. |work=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|url=http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:327895-2 |access-date=2023-03-20 }}</ref>
{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}
*''[[Uncaria acida]]'' <small>(W.Hunter) Roxb.</small>
*''[[Uncaria africana]]'' <small>G.Don</small>
*''[[Uncaria angolensis]]'' <small>(Havil.) Welw. ex Hutch. & Dalziel</small>
*''[[Uncaria attenuata]]'' <small>Korth.</small>
*''[[Uncaria barbata]]'' <small>Merr.</small>
*''[[Uncaria bernaysii]]'' <small>F.Muell.</small>
*''[[Uncaria borneensis]]'' <small>Havil.</small>
*''[[Uncaria callophylla]]'' <small>Blume ex Korth.</small>
*''[[Uncaria canescens]]'' <small>Korth.</small>
*''[[Uncaria cordata]]'' <small>(Lour.) Merr.</small>
*''[[Uncaria donisii]]'' <small>E.M.A.Petit</small>
*''[[Uncaria elliptica]]'' <small>R.Br. ex G.Don</small>
*''[[Uncaria gambir]]'' <small>(W.Hunter) Roxb.</small>
*''[[Uncaria guianensis]]'' <small>(Aubl.) J.F.Gmel.</small>
*''[[Uncaria hirsuta]]'' <small>Havil.</small>
*''[[Uncaria homomalla]]'' <small>Miq.</small>
*''[[Uncaria kunstleri]]'' <small>King</small>
*''[[Uncaria laevigata]]'' <small>Wall. ex G.Don</small>
*''[[Uncaria lancifolia]]'' <small>Hutch.</small>
*''[[Uncaria lanosa]]'' <small>Wall.</small>
*''[[Uncaria longiflora]]'' <small>(Poir.) Merr.</small>
*''[[Uncaria macrophylla]]'' <small>Wall.</small>
*''[[Uncaria nervosa]]'' <small>Elmer</small>
*''[[Uncaria orientalis]]'' <small>Guillaumin</small>
*''[[Uncaria ovata]]'' <small>R.Br. ex Hook.f.</small>
*''[[Uncaria perrottetii]]'' <small>(A.Rich.) Merr.</small>
*''[[Uncaria rhynchophylla]]'' <small>(Miq.) Miq.</small>
*''[[Uncaria rhynchophylloides]]'' <small>F.C.How</small>
*''[[Uncaria roxburghiana]]'' <small>Korth.</small>
*''[[Uncaria scandens]]'' <small>(Sm.) Wall.</small>
*''[[Uncaria schlenckerae]]'' <small>S.Moore</small>
*''[[Uncaria sessilifructus]]'' <small>Roxb.</small>
*''[[Uncaria sinensis]]'' <small>(Oliv.) Havil.</small>
*''[[Uncaria sterrophylla]]'' <small>Merr. & L.M.Perry</small>
*''[[Uncaria talbotii]]'' <small>Wernham</small>
*''[[Uncaria tomentosa]]'' <small>(Willd. ex Schult.) DC.</small>
*''[[Uncaria velutina]]'' <small>Havil.</small>
{{Div col end}}

==Uses==
Diplomat [[Edmund Roberts (diplomat)|Edmund Roberts]] noted that, upon his visit to China in the 1830s, Chinese were using ''U. gambir'' for [[Tanning (leather)|tanning]], and noted that the ''U. gambir'' made "leather porous and rotten." He also noted that Chinese would chew it with [[areca nut]].<ref name=Roberts1>{{cite book|last=Roberts|first=Edmund|title=Embassy to the Eastern Courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat|year=1837|publisher=Harper & Brothers|location=New York|page=138|url=http://www.wdl.org/en/item/7317/view/1/138/}}</ref> The plant [[extract]] contains some 150 identified [[phytochemical]]s, including [[catechin]]s, [[proanthocyanin]]s, and [[chalcone]]-[[flavan-3-ol]] [[dimer (chemistry)|dimer]]s, called gambiriins.<ref name="drugs">{{cite web |title=Cat's claw |url=https://www.drugs.com/npp/cat-s-claw.html |publisher=Drugs.com |access-date=23 September 2018 |date=13 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|pmid=17268100|year=2007|last1=Taniguchi|first1=S.|title=Revised structures of gambiriins A1, A2, B1, and B2, chalcane-flavan dimers from gambir (Uncaria gambir extract)|journal=Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin|volume=55|issue=2|pages=268–72|last2=Kuroda|first2=K.|last3=Doi|first3=K.|last4=Tanabe|first4=M.|last5=Shibata|first5=T.|last6=Yoshida|first6=T.|last7=Hatano|first7=T.|doi=10.1248/cpb.55.268|doi-access=free}}</ref> Cat's claw (''U. tomentosa'') and the Chinese ''Uncaria'' species are used in [[traditional medicine]], although there is no [[evidence-based medicine|high-quality clinical evidence]] they have any medicinal properties.<ref name=drugs/>

==Adverse effects==
Although cat's claw appears to be safe for human use below 350 milligrams per day over 6 weeks, its [[adverse event|adverse effects]] may include [[nausea]], [[diarrhea]], upset stomach, and an increased risk of bleeding if used with an [[anticoagulant]] drug.<ref name=drugs/>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Uncaria}}
*[https://archive.today/20121212015049/http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?12553 Germplasm Resources Information Network: ''Uncaria'']
* [http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/qsearch.do?plantName=Uncaria&page=quickSearch Search ''Uncaria'', Royal Botanic Gardens, KewScience]

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{{Taxonbar|from=Q1989596}}
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[[Category:Uncaria| ]]
[[Category:Rubiaceae genera]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
[[Category:Pantropical flora]]