Native to southern Africa Devil’s Claw can be mainly found in the northern parts. The plants name comes from the small grappling hooks on the plants’ fruit. For thousands of years, the Khoisan people of the Kalahari Desert have used devil's claw root in remedies, one of them were for the treatment of pain.

The active ingredients are iridoid glycosides called harpagosides, also present are phytosterols and flavonoids. The iridoid glycosides, found in Devil's Claw, are substances believed to have strong anti-inflammatory effects and known to relieve pain, improve mobility for those suffering form osteoarthritis or degenerative rheumatism and joint pain. Harpagoside is highly concentrated in Devil’s Claw root and has been shown to have potent pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties.