Can I Take Devil’s Claw With Blood Pressure Tablets

Last updated: February 7, 2026Reviewed date: February 7, 2026Reading time: 5 min read
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Can I Take Devil's Claw With Blood Pressure Tablets/Harpagophytum also call grapple plant, wood spider and most commonly devil's claw is a genus of plants in the sesame family, native to southern Africa. Plants of the genus owe their common name "devil's claw" to the peculiar appearance of their hooked fruit. Several species...

For severe symptoms, danger signs, pregnancy, child illness, or sudden worsening, seek urgent medical care.

বাংলা রোগী নোট এখনো যোগ করা হয়নি। পোস্ট এডিটরে “RX Bangla Patient Mode” বক্স থেকে সহজ বাংলা সারাংশ যোগ করুন।

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Article Summary

Can I Take Devil's Claw With Blood Pressure Tablets/Harpagophytum also call grapple plant, wood spider and most commonly devil's claw is a genus of plants in the sesame family, native to southern Africa. Plants of the genus owe their common name "devil's claw" to the peculiar appearance of their hooked fruit. Several species of North American plants in genus Proboscidea and certain species of Pisonia are however also known by this name. Devil's claw's tuberous roots are used in folk medicine to reduce pain. Devil's...

Key Takeaways

  • This article explains Indications of Devil's Claw in simple medical language.
  • This article explains Contraindications of Devil's Claw in simple medical language.
  • This article explains Dosage of Devil's Claw in simple medical language.
  • This article explains Side Effects and Interactions of Devil's Claw in simple medical language.
Educational health guideWritten for patient understanding and clinical awareness.
Reviewed content workflowUse writer and reviewer profiles for stronger trust.
Emergency safety firstUrgent warning signs are highlighted below.

Seek urgent medical care if you notice

These warning signs are general safety guidance. Local emergency numbers and clinical judgment should always come first.

  • Chest pain, severe shortness of breath, fainting, or sudden severe weakness.
  • Sudden face drooping, arm weakness, speech trouble, confusion, or vision change.
  • A rapidly worsening condition or symptoms that feel life-threatening.
1

Emergency now

Use emergency care for severe, sudden, rapidly worsening, or life-threatening symptoms.

2

See a doctor

Book a professional medical evaluation if symptoms persist, worsen, recur often, affect daily activities, or occur in a high-risk patient.

3

Learn safely

Use this article to understand possible causes, tests, treatment options, prevention, and questions to ask your clinician.

Can I Take Devil’s Claw With Blood Pressure Tablets/Harpagophytum also call grapple plant, wood spider and most commonly devil’s claw is a genus of plants in the sesame family, native to southern Africa. Plants of the genus owe their common name “devil’s claw” to the peculiar appearance of their hooked fruit. Several species of North American plants in genus Proboscidea and certain species of Pisonia are however also known by this name. Devil’s claw’s tuberous roots are used in folk medicine to reduce pain.

Devil’s Claw, is a genus of tuberiferous xerophytic plants native to southern Africa. Some of the taxa are appreciated for their medicinal effects and have been traditionally used to relieve symptoms of infection, or irritation, often causing pain, swelling, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।" data-rx-term="inflammation" data-rx-definition="Inflammation is the body’s response to injury, infection, or irritation, often causing pain, swelling, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।">inflammation. The objectives of this pilot study were to investigate the antioxidant capacity and the content of total phenols, verbascoside, is verbascoside, and selected iridoids, as well as to investigate the capacity of various Harpagophytum taxa in suppressing respiratory burst in terms of reactive oxygen species produced by human neutrophils challenged with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), opsonisedStaphylococcus aureus, and Fusobacterium nucleatum. 

Can I Take Devil's Claw With Blood Pressure Tablets

Indications of Devil’s Claw

Devil’s Claw was completely ineffective in reducing edema of the rat hindfoot induced by either lambda-carrageenan or Mycobacterium butyricum. At concentrations of up to 1 x 10(5) microgram/ml, Devil’s Claw was also ineffective as an in-vitro inhibitor of prostaglandin synthetase. These results indicate that Devil’s Claw lacks the infection, or irritation, often causing pain, swelling, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।" data-rx-term="inflammation" data-rx-definition="Inflammation is the body’s response to injury, infection, or irritation, often causing pain, swelling, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।">inflammation, pain, or swelling. সহজ বাংলা: প্রদাহ/ফোলা/ব্যথা কমায়।" data-rx-term="anti-inflammatory" data-rx-definition="Anti-inflammatory means reducing inflammation, pain, or swelling. সহজ বাংলা: প্রদাহ/ফোলা/ব্যথা কমায়।">anti-inflammatory properties possessed by all antiarthritic drugs of the nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory analgesic type.

  • Preparations of the plant or its extracts, such as harpagoside – [rx] are presumed to have used in folk medicine and phytotherapy as an infection, or irritation, often causing pain, swelling, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।" data-rx-term="inflammation" data-rx-definition="Inflammation is the body’s response to injury, infection, or irritation, often causing pain, swelling, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।">inflammation, pain, or swelling. সহজ বাংলা: প্রদাহ/ফোলা/ব্যথা কমায়।" data-rx-term="anti-inflammatory" data-rx-definition="Anti-inflammatory means reducing inflammation, pain, or swelling. সহজ বাংলা: প্রদাহ/ফোলা/ব্যথা কমায়।">anti-inflammatory herbal drug or dietary supplement.[rx] Although there is no accepted clinical evidence of its efficacy and bioavailability, limited effects were noted for treating lower pain: Back pain means pain in the spine, muscles, discs, joints, or nerves of the back. সহজ বাংলা: পিঠ/কোমরের ব্যথা।" data-rx-term="back pain" data-rx-definition="Back pain means pain in the spine, muscles, discs, joints, or nerves of the back. সহজ বাংলা: পিঠ/কোমরের ব্যথা।">back pain and stiffness. সহজ বাংলা: বয়স/ক্ষয়ের কারণে জয়েন্টের ব্যথা।" data-rx-term="osteoarthritis" data-rx-definition="Osteoarthritis is wear-and-tear joint disease causing pain and stiffness. সহজ বাংলা: বয়স/ক্ষয়ের কারণে জয়েন্টের ব্যথা।">osteoarthritis.[rx] A Cochrane review of clinical research noted that devil’s claw seems to reduce low pain: Back pain means pain in the spine, muscles, discs, joints, or nerves of the back. সহজ বাংলা: পিঠ/কোমরের ব্যথা।" data-rx-term="back pain" data-rx-definition="Back pain means pain in the spine, muscles, discs, joints, or nerves of the back. সহজ বাংলা: পিঠ/কোমরের ব্যথা।">back pain more than placebo, although evidence was of moderate quality at best.[rx]
  • Back pain – Taking devil’s claw by mouth seems to reduce low-pain: Back pain means pain in the spine, muscles, discs, joints, or nerves of the back. সহজ বাংলা: পিঠ/কোমরের ব্যথা।" data-rx-term="back pain" data-rx-definition="Back pain means pain in the spine, muscles, discs, joints, or nerves of the back. সহজ বাংলা: পিঠ/কোমরের ব্যথা।">back pain. Devil’s claw seems to work about as well as some non-steroidal infection, or irritation, often causing pain, swelling, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।" data-rx-term="inflammation" data-rx-definition="Inflammation is the body’s response to injury, infection, or irritation, often causing pain, swelling, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।">inflammation, pain, or swelling. সহজ বাংলা: প্রদাহ/ফোলা/ব্যথা কমায়।" data-rx-term="anti-inflammatory" data-rx-definition="Anti-inflammatory means reducing inflammation, pain, or swelling. সহজ বাংলা: প্রদাহ/ফোলা/ব্যথা কমায়।">anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
  • Osteoarthritis – Taking devil’s claw alone or along with nonsteroidal infection, or irritation, often causing pain, swelling, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।" data-rx-term="inflammation" data-rx-definition="Inflammation is the body’s response to injury, infection, or irritation, often causing pain, swelling, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।">inflammation, pain, or swelling. সহজ বাংলা: প্রদাহ/ফোলা/ব্যথা কমায়।" data-rx-term="anti-inflammatory" data-rx-definition="Anti-inflammatory means reducing inflammation, pain, or swelling. সহজ বাংলা: প্রদাহ/ফোলা/ব্যথা কমায়।">anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) seems to help decrease stiffness. সহজ বাংলা: বয়স/ক্ষয়ের কারণে জয়েন্টের ব্যথা।" data-rx-term="osteoarthritis" data-rx-definition="Osteoarthritis is wear-and-tear joint disease causing pain and stiffness. সহজ বাংলা: বয়স/ক্ষয়ের কারণে জয়েন্টের ব্যথা।">osteoarthritis-related pain. Some evidence suggests that devil’s claw works about as well as diacerein (a slow-acting drug for osteoarthritis that is not available in the U.S.) for improving osteoarthritis pain in the hip and knee after 16 weeks of treatment. Some people taking devil’s claw seem to be able to lower the dose of NSAIDs they need for pain relief.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) – Early research suggests that taking devil’s claw extract by mouth might not improve RA.
  • Gout
  • High cholesterol
  • Loss of appetite
  • Muscle pain
  • Migraine
  • Headache
  • Skin injuries and conditions
  • Upset stomach

Contraindications of Devil’s Claw

Can I Take Devil's Claw With Blood Pressure Tablets

Do not use with antiarrhythmic, chronotropic, or inotropic medicines. Because of the bitterness of the preparation and consequent increase in gastric secretion, devil’s claw is contraindicated in patients with gastric or duodenal ulcers.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Documented oxytocic adverse effects. Avoid use.

Dosage of Devil’s Claw

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

  • For osteoarthritis – 2-2.6 grams of devil’s claw extract has been taken in up to three divided doses daily for up to 4 months. A specific combination product providing 600 mg of devil’s claw, 400 mg of turmeric, and 300 mg of bromelain has been taken 2-3 three times daily for up to 2 months.
  • For back pain – 0.6-2.4 grams of devil’s claw extract has been taken daily, usually in divided doses, for up to 1 year.

Side Effects and Interactions of Devil’s Claw

Devil’s claw appears to be safe when taken in doses up to 2,610 mg daily, though long-term effects have not been investigated [rx].

Reported side effects are mild, the most common being diarrhea. Rarer adverse effects include allergic reactions, headache and coughing (30Trusted Source).

  • Heart problems, high blood pressure, low blood pressure – Since devil’s claw can affect heart rate, heartbeat, and blood pressure, it might harm people with disorders of the heart and circulatory system. If you have one of these conditions, talk with your healthcare provider before starting devil’s claw.
  • Heart disorders – Studies have indicated that devil’s claw can affect heart rate, heartbeat and blood pressure.
  • Diabetes – Devil’s claw may reduce blood sugar levels and intensify the effects of diabetes medications.
  • Gallstones – Use of devil’s claw may increase the formation of bile and make problems worse for those with gallstones.
  • Stomach ulcers – Production of acid in the stomach can increase with the use of devil’s claw, which may aggravate peptic ulcers.
  • NSAIDs – Devil’s claw may slow the absorption of popular NSAIDs, such as Motrin, Celebrex, Feldene and Voltaren.
  • Blood thinners – Devil’s claw may enhance the effects of Coumadin (also known as warfarin), which may lead to increased bleeding and bruising.
  • Stomach acid reducers – Devil’s claw may decrease the effects of stomach acid reducers, such as Pepcid, Zantac, Prilosec, and Prevacid.

This is not an all-inclusive list of medication interactions. To be on the safe side, always discuss your use of supplements with your doctor.

References

Can I Take Devil's Claw With Blood Pressure Tablets

Doctor visit helper

Prepare before seeing a doctor

A simple rural-patient checklist to help you explain symptoms clearly, ask better questions, and avoid unsafe self-treatment.

Safety note: This is not a prescription or diagnosis. For severe symptoms, pregnancy danger signs, children with serious illness, chest pain, breathing difficulty, stroke-like weakness, or major injury, seek urgent care.

Which doctor may help?

Dermatologist or general physician; emergency care for severe allergic reaction.

What to tell the doctor

  • Take photos of rash progression and bring list of new medicines/foods/cosmetics.

Questions to ask

  • Is this allergy, infection, eczema, psoriasis, drug reaction, or another skin disease?
  • Is steroid cream safe for this place and duration?

Tests to discuss

  • Skin examination
  • Skin scraping/KOH test if fungal infection is suspected
  • Biopsy only for unclear or serious lesions

Avoid these mistakes

  • Avoid unknown mixed creams, especially on face, groin, children, or pregnancy.
  • Seek urgent care for swelling of lips/face, breathing trouble, widespread blisters, or rash with fever.

Medicine safety and first-aid guide

This section is for patient education only. It does not replace a doctor, pharmacist, or emergency care.

Safe first steps

  • Avoid heavy lifting, sudden bending, and prolonged bed rest.
  • Use comfortable posture and gentle movement as tolerated.
  • Discuss physiotherapy, X-ray, or MRI only when clinically needed.

OTC medicine safety

  • For mild back pain, pain-relief medicine may be discussed with a doctor or pharmacist.
  • Avoid repeated painkiller use if you have kidney disease, stomach ulcer, uncontrolled blood pressure, or are taking blood thinners.

Avoid these mistakes

  • Do not start antibiotics without a proper medical decision.
  • Do not use steroid tablets or injections casually for quick relief.
  • Do not delay emergency care because of home remedies.

Get urgent help if

  • Back pain with leg weakness, numbness around private area, loss of urine/stool control, fever, cancer history, or major injury needs urgent care.
Medicine names, dose, and timing must be decided by a qualified clinician or pharmacist after checking age, pregnancy, allergy, other diseases, and current medicines.

For rural patients and family caregivers

Patient health record and symptom diary

Write your symptoms, medicines already taken, test results, and questions before visiting a doctor. This note stays on your device unless you print or copy it.

Doctor to discuss: Orthopedic / spine specialist, physical medicine doctor, or qualified clinician
Tests to discuss with doctor
  • Neurological examination for leg power, sensation, reflexes, and straight leg raise
  • X-ray only if injury, deformity, long-lasting pain, or doctor suspects bone problem
  • MRI discussion if severe nerve symptoms, weakness, bladder/bowel problem, or persistent symptoms
Questions to ask
  • What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
  • Which warning signs mean I should go to emergency care?
  • Which tests are really needed now?
  • Which medicines are safe for my age, pregnancy status, allergy, kidney/liver/stomach condition, and current medicines?
  • Is physiotherapy, posture correction, or activity modification needed?

Emergency warning signs such as chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, sudden weakness, confusion, severe dehydration, major injury, or loss of bladder/bowel control need urgent medical care. Do not wait for online information.

Safe pathway to proper treatment

Care roadmap for: Can I Take Devil’s Claw With Blood Pressure Tablets

Use this simple roadmap to understand the next safe steps. It is educational and does not replace examination by a doctor.

Go to emergency care if you notice:
  • Severe or rapidly worsening symptoms
  • Breathing difficulty, chest pain, fainting, confusion, severe weakness, major injury, or severe dehydration
Doctor / service to discuss: Qualified healthcare provider; specialist depends on symptoms and examination.
  1. Step 1

    Check danger signs first

    If danger signs are present, seek emergency care and do not wait for online information.

  2. Step 2

    Record the symptom story

    Write when symptoms started, severity, medicines already taken, allergies, pregnancy status, and test results.

  3. Step 3

    Visit a qualified clinician

    A doctor, nurse, or qualified healthcare provider can examine you and decide which tests or treatment are needed.

  4. Step 4

    Do only useful tests

    Do tests after clinical assessment. Avoid unnecessary tests, random antibiotics, or repeated medicines without diagnosis.

  5. Step 5

    Follow up and return early if worse

    If symptoms worsen, new warning signs appear, or treatment is not helping, return for review quickly.

Rural patient practical tips
  • Take a written symptom diary and all previous prescriptions/test reports.
  • Do not hide medicines already taken, even herbal or over-the-counter medicines.
  • Ask which warning signs mean urgent referral to hospital.

This roadmap is for education. A real diagnosis and treatment plan requires history, examination, and clinical judgment.

RX Patient Help

Ask a health question safely

Write your symptom story. A health professional or site editor can review it before any answer is prepared. This box is not for emergency care.

Emergency first: Severe chest pain, breathing trouble, unconsciousness, stroke signs, severe injury, heavy bleeding, or rapidly worsening symptoms need urgent local medical care now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this article a replacement for a doctor?

No. It is educational content only. Patients should consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis and treatment.

When should I seek urgent care?

Seek urgent care for severe symptoms, rapidly worsening condition, breathing difficulty, severe pain, neurological changes, or any emergency warning sign.

References

Add references, clinical guidelines, textbooks, journal articles, or trusted medical sources here. You can edit this area from the RX Article Professional Blocks panel.

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