Pau D'arco
Parts Usually Used
The wood or inner bark
Description of Plant(s) and Culture
The pau d’arco tree grows in the warm parts of Central and South America. It is a broad leaf evergreen that grows to a height of 125 feet and has pink-to-violet colored flowers. The tree’s extremely hard wood makes it resistant to disease and decay. The inner bark of the tree is used medicinally. In recent years there has been an increasing demand for pau d’arco, causing the trees to become endangered.
Where Found
Native to South and Central America
Medicinal Properties
In lab tests, these chemicals killed some bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. They also have anti-inflammatory properties, and may be effective against diseases such as osteoarthritis. But no one knows whether they will have the same effects in humans.
Biochemical Information
Contains naphthoquinones: lapachol and beta-lapachone. It also contains significant amounts of the antioxidant quercetin.
Uses
Historical records dating back to at least 1873 documented various traditional applications for pau d’arco. Folk practitioners and herbalists historically utilized the plant for complaints such as pain, arthritis, fever, dysentery, boils, and ulcers, as well as inflammation of the prostate gland.
How Sold
Pau d’arco is sold as tablets, dried bark tea, and tincture (which may contain alcohol). The chemicals that give pau d’arco its medicinal effects don’t dissolve well in water, so a tea is not recommended.
Warning
Test tube and animal studies have looked at whether pau d’arco has any effect on cancer. These tests have shown mixed results. Even in studies where pau d’arco did reduce the number of cancer cells, the amounts used would be toxic to humans. The same is true of some of the doses that might be needed to kill bacteria or viruses. For this reason, you should take pau d’arco only under your health care provider’s supervision.
At recommended doses, side effects are uncommon but may include anemia, nausea, diarrhea, and dizziness. High doses can cause uncontrolled bleeding and vomiting. Pau d’arco may affect the blood’s ability to clot, and could interfere with blood-thinning drugs, including: Warfarin (Coumadin) Clopidogrel (Plavix) Aspirin Pregnant and nursing women should not take pau d’arco. Most pau d’arco products are not standardized, so it is hard to determine whether or not they contain a safe amount of these active substances.
It is important to read the label carefully to make sure that the product actually contains Tabebuia avellanedae as an ingredient. DO NOT give pau d’arco to infants or children.