What Is Pau d'Arco?

Pau d'Arco is a natural herb that comes from the inner bark of the taheebo tree, found in the Amazon rain forest. It is said to make the immune system stronger, especially if it's weakened because of cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, viruses such as HIV, steroid use or from the use of antibiotics.

Implications

• The compounds in Pau D'Arco fight against the cause of many illnesses and ailments including arthritis, polio, diabetes, influenza, bacteria, cancer, parasites, fever, liver disease and rheumatic disorders.

Types

• Pau d'Arco inner bark may be made into a tea, capsules, tincture, powder, extract, powder and pills. Tea is the most used form of medicinal Pau d'Arco and can be found in most health and wellness stores.

Dosage

• According to paudarco.org, you should drink up to 1 liter every day for up to six weeks. You should then avoid taking Pau d'Arco for four weeks before beginning another six-week course of treatment.

Precautions

• Pau d'Arco can increase the blood-thinning effect of other medications, causing excessive bleeding. It can also interact with some medications, supplements or herbs so you should talk to your doctor before taking it.

Side Effects

• Pau d'Arco can cause vomiting, upset stomach and nausea if you don't take it with food. High doses can also cause excessive bleeding and other complications.

Doubts

• Despite the claims to cure cancer, a study done by Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center showed Lapachol, which is taken from the tree bark, didn't have any effect on patients with non-leukemic tumors or chronic myelocytic leukemia.