Raintree cat’s claw dosage vs. Pacific Botanicals

by Stephen Harrod Buhner | May 29, 2012 | cat's claw, Columns, dosage info, Healing Lyme, Herbs, The Basics | 5 comments

Dear Stephen,
I was encapsulating my own Pacific Botanicals cat’s claw while the Raintree brand was out of stock. In answer to a previous reader’s question, you recommended 1 tbsp of the Pacific Botanicals bulk herb, taken 3-4 times a day. One tablespoon works out to be about 12-13 size “00” capsules. This in contrast to the mere 3-4 capsules, 3-4 times a day, that you recommend for the Raintree brand. What is the reason for this large dose difference? Is the Raintree cat’s claw somehow stronger? Any clarification you can provide is appreciated. Thanks.

Stephen’s response:
I think that if you are using the powder that it is best just mixed in water or juice, and not encapsulated. My tablespoon doesn’t make 12 capsules but more like 4-6 and I use the largest capsules, so I am not sure what the problem is. If you are going to encapsulate it just take 3-4, 3-4 x daily. If you are going to take it in juice then one level tbl 3-4x daily is fine.

Stephen

Author

Stephen Harrod Buhner

Stephen Harrod Buhner was an Earth poet and an award-winning author of twenty-four books on nature, indigenous cultures, the environment, and herbal medicine including the acclaimed book Healing Lyme: Natural Healing & Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis & Its Co-infections.

Stephen came from a long line of healers including Leroy Burney, Surgeon General of the United States under Eisenhower and Kennedy, and Elizabeth Lusterheide, a midwife and herbalist who worked in rural Indiana in the early nineteenth century. The greatest influence on his work, however, was his great-grandfather C.G. Harrod who primarily used botanical medicines, also in rural Indiana, when he began his work as a physician in 1911.

Stephen’s work has appeared or been profiled in publications throughout North America and Europe including Common Boundary, Apotheosis, Shaman’s Drum, The New York Times, CNN, and Good Morning America. Stephen lectured yearly throughout the United States on herbal medicine, the sacredness of plants, the intelligence of Nature, and the states of mind necessary for successful habitation of Earth.

He was a tireless advocate for the reincorporation of the exploratory artist, independent scholar, amateur naturalist, and citizen scientist in American society – especially as a counterweight to the influence of corporate science and technology.
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Jared on May 29, 2012 at 10:27 am

Stephen, perhaps you mean teaspoons, rather than tablespoon? I asked this question to Julie McIntyre and she suggested that I use 1 teaspoon three to four times a day for the full dose.
Mary Schnaufer on May 30, 2012 at 8:20 pm

Stephen,using the Capsule Machine for “OO” capsules, tamping in tightly and measuring the powdered cats claw (mine from Ist Chinese Herbs) I used only 5 teaspoons in the 24 capsules. Using the powdered Japanese knotweed, 7 teaspoons go into 24 capsules.
Drew on March 27, 2013 at 11:05 am

I just opened my last Green Dragon Botanicals cat’s claw capsule and poured out the powder into a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon. So probably safe to assume that this is the mapping between capsules and spoons.

Hope that helps!
Peter on November 11, 2015 at 6:17 am

I think to make things easier wouldn’t make sense to state the amount of the dosage like you do for Astragalus capsules 1000MG DAILY. Is there a MG dosage for the other herbs. Thanks
Neeki on November 25, 2015 at 2:40 pm

Hi,

I’m a practitioner of Oriental Medicine and I specialize in diets of specific diseases. I found your website and I am impressed with the protocol.

I wanted to let you know that Gaia Herbs has a product your community would be interested in. Here is the info straight from the company:

Gaia’s Eleuthero alcohol extract 1:2 is a light to medium amber color in the dropper, not black. I think you will be more satisfied with our Eleuthero Root Liquid Phyto-cap which requires 1,675mg of dried eleuthero root (in the extraction process) to make ONE capsule. One capsule contains an alcohol free liquid extract that is very dark brown / black in color and looks black in the capsule. The capsules can be opened (you will need a knife or scissors for this) and the contents can be squeezed out and taken off a spoon (tastes quite nice), or diluted in a little water. Or the capsule can be chewed (and the capsule spat out) if the person cannot swallow capsules.

Thank you,