猫爪草即毛莨科植物小毛茛(Ranun-culus terhatus Thunb),为多年生小草本。块根肉质,近纺锤形,常数个簇生在一起,体表黄褐色或灰褐色,形似猫爪,故名。猫爪草有清热解毒,散结消淤之功效,临床常用治疗肺结核、淋巴结核、淋巴结炎、咽喉炎和多种癌症及淋巴瘤。近年来,随着癌症发病率的上升,对猫爪草的需求量越来越大,而野生资源又日益减少,使猫爪 Ranunculus terhatus (Thunb) is a perennial herb. The roots are fleshy, nearly spindle-shaped, with a cluster of constants, yellow-brown or gray-brown on the surface, resembling cat claws, hence the name. Cat’s claw grass has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, dispelling and silting, and is commonly used in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis, lymphatic tuberculosis, lymphadenitis, pharyngitis and various cancers and lymphomas. In recent years, as the incidence of cancer has risen, the demand for cat’s claw grass has been increasing, and wild resources have been decreasing.