Harpagoside aka Devil’s claw is a plant that is native to Africa that has been known for its healing properties to decrease pain and inflammation (Rakel, 2018). Harpagoside has the same mechanism as an NSAID, but not as inferior to NSAID. For chronic back pain, at least 50 mg of Harpagoside is recommended before use of NSAID to manage pain. In the research by Schopohl, Grüneberg, & Melzig (2016) found Harpagoside is a potent immune modulator that facilitates cell migration into the inflamed tissue that reduces the anti-inflammatory activity of resident macrophages. It is always advisable for a prudent clinician to check the interactions of all medications (prescribed, herbal, over the counter) for possible interactions to reduce potential side effects that may incur to the patient.
Reference
Schopohl, P., Grüneberg, P., & Melzig, M. F. (2016). The influence of harpagoside and harpagide on TNFα-secretion and cell adhesion molecule mRNA-expression in IFNγ/LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells. Fitoterapia, 110, 157–165. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csusm.edu/10.1016/j.fitote.2016.03.005