Cat’s claw is a tropical, woody vine native to the Peruvian Amazon. The plant received its common name because it bears sharp, curved thorns that look a lot like a cat’s claws. As an important export crop in Peru, the plant is given protection status that makes it illegal to harvest the root and subsequently compromise the continuation of the species. The inner bark contains a number of lipids and phytosterols, including beta-sitosterol, and is made into tea and tinctures.