Pau d'Arco
Welcome to Paudarco.org. Please feel free to browse our site through the menu on the left, or begin by reading the introduction below. Throughout this website we will provide you with pertinent information on Pau d'Arco
benefits,
precautions, and other aspects.
Benefits
Pau d'Arco bark has active principles, mainly lapachol, quercetin and other flavonoids. The dried
inner bark of Pau d'Arco can be used as a
tea which has a taste that is just a little bit harsh, and a color that may remind you of sepia-toned photographs. Some claim that it is useful in managing
diabetes. It is also suggested that this plant is useful in treating other medical conditions, amongst which are
fibromyalgia (FMS) and
lupus (SLE). This herbal tea is used by many during the cold and flu season, and is a remedy for smoker's cough. Another medicinal use of Pau d'Arco is as an expectorant: to promote "coughing up" by the lungs in order to free mucus and contaminants that had been lodged there.
Pau d'Arco tea or
tincture concoctions have reportedly had beneficial effects for
cancer patients, anywhere from alleviation of chemotherapy symptoms to complete remission of tumors. According to Dr. Daniel Mowrey, who has become somewhat famous in the area of Pau d'Arco supporters, anti-cancer benefits can be had from Lapacho (the active compound), without any side effects being noticed (but see
cautions page for potential side effects). Taheebo, another name that is used for this tea, is suggested to have been helpful to many.
Candida Albicans, a fungus which causes yeast infections, has also been treated by the Pau d'Arco herb. Aside from patients dealing with
candida problems, those with other issues involving fungi or yeasts -- such as Aspergillus -- may also be helped due to the antifungal nature of lapachol. Moreover, it is claimed that certain
bacteria are affected by this compound, so help may also be available for people with issues of that nature, including:
C. diff,
Staphylococcus aureus,
Streptococcus,
Helicobacter pylori (common cause of stomach ulcers),
Brucella, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and dysentery.
This herb is claimed to be useful as an
antioxidant. Moreover, Pau d'Arco is confirmed as being an antiparisitic against various
parasites, including: malaria, schistosoma, and trypanosoma. Antiviral uses have been displayed by Pau d'Arco against several viruses, one of which is vesicular stomatitis virus, shortened as VSV. Additionally, the herb has even demonstrated usefulness in
fighting inflammation.
Where does it grow?
When reading this site, you may want to purchase the herb in question, and perhaps even wish to grow it on your own. What we call Pau d'Arco is actually retrieved from the
inner bark of the
Tabebuia Avellanedae or
Tabebuia Impetiginosa. If you're hailing from the United States, then growing it might not be an easy task, although in the southern area of Florida it might occur.
Continental South America is a major area for growth of
Tabebuia. also ranges to the islands of Hispanola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti) and Cuba, as well as north into Mexico.
Tabebuia is a neotropical genus with approximately 1000 species, hailing from the tribe Tecomeae of the family Bignoniaceae. In its
background, Pau d'Arco has been used for centuries by the Indio tribes of South America, as well as the ancient Incas and Aztecs.
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