Guest guest Posted April 5, 2005 Report Share Posted April 5, 2005 Purple LaPacho Tea JoAnn Guest Apr 05, 2005 10:49 PDT Teams of Scientists from U.S. Universities are searching the jungles andrainforests of South America for plants whose leaves, roots or barks may holdthe secrets to preventing or even curing such diseases as cancer, AIDS,leukemia and asthma. While some scientists scoff at the idea that South American plants could cure cancer or AIDS, others are well aware that the cure for scurvy was as simple as eating citrus. Quinine, taken from the bark of theSouth American Cinchona tree is a medicinally accepted treatment for malaria. Many of our modern " wonder drugs " were first discovered in the leaves or innerbarks of plants and trees. After the healing compounds were isolated, they were synthesized and are now produced in chemical laboratories. Unfortunately, these man-made medicines often cause serious side effects. Many practitioners of herbal medicine find that harmful side effects are rare in herbal medicine due to the natural buffers which nature also included in the plants. One of the renowned of the healing herbs is Lapacho. The inner lining of the bark of either the Red or the Purple Lapacho Tree has been used for centuries as an effective treatment for cancer and other dread diseases. News of the benefits of drinking a tea prepared from Red or Purple Lapacho has been widely reported. Doctors Discover Lapacho South American medical doctors who discovered Lapacho in the pharmacopoeia of the natives were the first to experiment with it as a reatment for cancer. Dr. Walter Accorsi reported that it " eliminated the pains caused by the disease and multiplies the body's production of red corpuscles " . Numerous South American physicians tried Lapacho with their patients and the laims of cures of cancer and other diseases became abundant. North Americanshave been trying Lapacho tea for a few years now. Reports that have appeared in arious U.S. publications are both informative and encouraging: Lets live,February 1985 said, " Over the past 20 years reports from doctors and patients have indicated that this bark, when ingested (usually in tea form), has cured terminal leukemia, arthritis, yeast and fungus infections, arrested pain,stopped athlete's foot and cured the common cold. " And it " has been found to be an effective analgesic, sedative, decongestant, diuretic and hypotensive. " The July 1985 issue of Vegetarian Times reported that Red and/or Purple Lapacho " is urrently being hailed for its effects on cancer and candida... Traditional herbalists agree that it strengthens and balances the immune system " and is currently used as a remedy for immune system-related problems such as colds, flu, boils, infections, and that " tests have anti-malarial and anti- cancer ctivities " . Further, the article stated that drinking Red or Purple Lapacho tea, " can combat infection, give great vitality, build up immunity to disease, strengthen cellular structure and help eliminate pain and inflammation...It can be taken either periodically as a preventive, or used consistently during an active infection. " Strengthens Immune System The October 8, 1985 issue of Globe stated that " Lapacho, a proven antibiotic, is often used in America to treat yeast infections, but is touted in South America as a cure for cancer and other diseases. The experts say it can also arm the body against viral infestations like AIDS... " . " taking certain herbs is the perfect health measure to protect yourself against AIDS, " says Dr Paul Lee, former director of the Platonic Academy of Herbal studies in Santa Cruz, California. " AIDS researchers are keenly interested in natural substances like herbs that enhance the immune response " , says Dr. Tom Baldwin, Associate Professor of immunology at the University of Texas Health Science Center. " We have already identified plants that have effect, and there is good reason to investigate further " , he told Globe. The article also indicates that a combination of Lapacho and YerbaMate is especially effective. The Spotlight, June 8, 1981, lists 35 diseases which Red and/or Purple Lapacho has purportedly cured, or relieved. Malignant germs that cause all these diseases cannot withstand the " antbiotics " this mighty tree secretes. http://www.healthfree.com/lapacho.htm ===================================================================== Post subject: The Powers of the Taheebo Tree www.alternative-medicine-message-boards.info --- Doctor's Quotes and Statements I found this article buried deep in the Internet and have no idea of the author or source. It seems to have been posted in 1998 by a now defunct site named Nature's Wisdom. It does have original information and references not found elsewhere. I include it here for your perusal. Pau D'Arco; the Indians call it " Taheebo " , the Portuguese " Ipe Roxo " , and the Spanish " Lapacho " or " Tabebuia " . This fascinating herb is taken from the inner bark of the tall tree called La Pacho. It is an ozoniferous plant, and grows only in the mountains of the Andes, where there is ozone. " Ozoneair is fresh, pure, and free from pollution, smog, exhaust, smoke and pesticides. Pau D'Arco has been used since the time of the Incas by the Callaways, a traditional tribe or caste of healers, which flourished before the Spanish and Portuguese invasion in the early 1500's. During the past 400 years, these traditional healers have occasionally seen and ministered to white men, but the tree whose miraculous inner bark they used was not officially " discovered " until about 20 years ago by two health practioners Teodoro Meyer, M.D. and Prats Ruiz, M.D. Dr. Teodoro Meyer, Professer of Botany and Plant Geography of the National Unoiversity of Tucuman in Argentina, found the inner bark to possess a wide range of properties. Dr, Meyer states Pau D'Arco is " analgesic, sedative, decongestant, diuretic, and hypotensive " . Such properties have justified its use for many different ailments. Recently a new use has been found for Pau D'Arco which may allow thousands of allergic and chemically sensitive people to live more comfortable lives. Researchers have discovered that the Pau D'Arco tree is the only type of vegetation known that will not permit the development of fungus, Most plant life when exposed to water and weather become covered with spores which lead to fungus formation. This doesn't occur with Pau D'Arco. The tree has an uncommon resistance. This discovery has led to an experimentation on people who have yeast or mold allergy, the assumption being that these same properties may discourage Candida Albicans {a common yeast} long suspected to be the causative factor in food allergy. Another researcher, Dr, Robert Owens, has found Candida Albicans to be correlated with " Chemical Hypersensitivity and other immunological-related disorders. " The hope has been raised that not only might Pau D'Arco control the yeast and mold allergy, but also many other sensitivities as well. Dr. Jeffrey Andersen, M.D., a Mill Valley, California health practitioner, treated a woman with a difficult yeast infection. " Two hours after using the tea as a douche the vaginal yeast infection was cleared up nicely, " he says. Dr. Anderson's patients now begin drinking Pau D'Arco tea-1/2 to 1 cup tea per day, increasing to a maintenance dose of 4 cups per day in approximately 1 month. Those who are using Pau D'Arco report that sometimes the symptoms become worse initially, This is attributed to " yeast die-off. " The theory is that as the yeast die and are filtered into the bloodstream they cause allergic reactions. These reactions last only a short time. Phyllis Saifer, M.D., a clinical ecologist from Berkeley, reports good results from members of the Environmental Illness Association who are now using Pau D'Arco. Two members who previously experienced incapacitating cerebral symptoms now claim to be in good health with few or no remaining symptoms. One of the victims had been taking 16 Nystatin pills (an anti-yeast medication) daily. She now takes one every 7 days. Dr. Walter Accorsi, doing clinical studies at the Municipal Hospital Santo Andre, said: " From my first experiments with Pau D'Arco, I learned two important things that greatly encouraged me in regard to cancer: first it eliminates the pain and second, it multiplies the amount of red corpuscles. " The Cancer Institute has this report in " Cancer Chemotherapy Reports " Part 2, Vol. 4, No. 4, Dec. 1974: " More recently Pau D'Arco contains Quechua, a substance found to be a powerful antibiotic with virus-killing properties. " Clinical studies showed that Pau D'Arco has no contraindications, no incompatabilities, and has been proven to be non-toxic. However, the most innocuous of agents could finally become toxic if taken in large enough amounts. OTHER COMMENTS Dr. Norman Farnsworth of the University of Illinois confirms the claims that Pau D' Arco contains a substance that is highly effective against cancers. While many herbs are credited with properties that stop cell growth, Pau d'Arco contains compounds which seem to attack the cause of the disease. Dr. James Duke of the National Institute of Health (NIH) agrees that Pau D'Arco undoubtedly contains a substance found to be highly effective against cancers. John Heinerman, a medical anthropologist who specializes in the study of herbal medicines, says, " It sounds too good to be true, but it seems to have earned for itself considerable merit in the successful treatment of most forms of cancer, diabetes, and certain other debilitating diseases... " R.C. Pilsner, D.Sc. and licensed nutrition specialist, writes, " Being a biochemist, I have researched and analyzed many elements for their nutrient value and their peculiar selective actions on...organs and tissues. " Pilsner has discovered that certain herbs emit an ultraviolet wave known as Gurwich rays. These rays " stimulate " cell metabolism and the body's own ability to rejuvenate itself. He believes that herbs emitting the Gerwich rays include Pau D'Arco. Pilsner has subjected Pau D'Arco to rigorous laborotory tests and recommends daily use of Pau D'Arco tea as a nutritional supplement. ==================================================================== Post subject: SOUTH AMERICAN CANCER CURE www.alternative-medicine-message-boards.info --- ANCIENT FOLK MEDICINE This article is one of the first printed, years ago, in a U.S. publication about the curing powers of Pau d'Arco. It is reprinted here from " The Spotlight " which is a " populist " weekly newspaper published in Washinton, D.C. Could an ancient South American Indian folk medicine cure many types of cancer? Physicians and former cancer patients say yes. This has been widely reported on in newspapers in Latin America, but not in the U.S. South American physicians are using Indian folk medicine to successfully treat various forms of cancer - including leukemia - and other debilitating disease, but news of the cures has not made it into the American media. According to reports published in various South American periodicals prior to the establishment-imposed blackout, the inner bark of two South American trees of the Bignoniaceae family are used successfully in the treatment of various diseases, including cancer. A brew made with the inner bark of Lapacho Colorado (Tabebuia Avellanedae) or Lapacho Morado (Tabebuia Altissima) seems to attack the cause of the disease, according to medical reports. Lapacho Colorado, or red lapacho - so called because of its scarlet flowers - grows in the warmer part of South America: Brazil, northern Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia etc. It was commonly used by the medicine men of the Guarani and Tupi-Nambo Indians long before the advent of the Spanish in the New World. Another name for the lapachos is ipes, a name used in southern Brazil. Red lapacho is called ipe roxo. Still another name for the trees is pau d'arco; red lapacho is called pau d'arco roxo. " Pau d'arco " means " bow stick " ; the natives use the wood to make their bows for archery. The red lapacho is very common in its range, the tropical lowlands.The lapacho morado, or purple lapacho, grows in cooler climes - in the Andes, for example. In its range, it is not rare. Red lapacho was discovered by the white man's medicine some 20 years ago at Americana - a suburb of Sao Paulo, Brazil. That was where several hundred Confederate families homesteaded at the invitation of Emperor Dom Pedro II after the South was lost. YOUNG GIRL CURED The story of cancer-curing properties of the tropical bark begins about 20 years ago, when a Sao Paulo family had a homecoming party after a trip to Rio de Janeiro. During dinner they told the story of a young relative of theirs - a girl who was stricken with cancer. The medical establishment had given up on the girl and had told the parents that she did not have long to live. But a great aunt had contacted an Indian tribal doctor who said that cancer could be cured with the brew made from the bark of a certain tree. The medicine man gave the woman a little bag of that bark. The young girl and her parents at first disdained the medicine man's concoction. But then the sick girl had a strange dream. She saw a friar who told her: " Drink tea brewed with the bark the Indian gave you, and you will get well. " At first she paid no attention to the dream, but as her pain increased, the dream repeated itself. Finally she decided to try the tea. Her pain vanished. Encouraged by the results, she continued to take the medicine every morning. Within a month, she was well, and her regular doctor told her parents that no trace of her cancer could be found.The hosts had brought back a bag of the bark as a souvenir. A MAVERICK MEDICO One of the guests at the party was a medical doctor from the nearby town of Santo Andre, who showed great interest in the bark and begged a sample. Dr. Orlando dei Santi - the guest left the party early and went directly to the Municipal Hospital of Santo Andre, another suburb of Sao Paulo, where he was a resident physician. There, his cancer-stricken brother lay, near death. The cancer victim had just undergone a second operation, and his condition had been declared " inoperable and terminal. " He was beyond Establishment treatment. In the course of his medical studies, dei Santi had been taught the need to study methodically any empirical remedy, such as those used by Indian tribes, before even thinking of using it. He had learned that the medical researcher " must " first try to extract the active part or parts of the plant claimed to have the therapeutic value. Then the researcher must test the extracts in the laboratory on animals, and finally on human volunteers. One must patent the drug and get a respected pharmaceutical manufacturer to produce the resulting pills, extracts, etc. Only then - once the medicine is on the market - could one consider using it on a patient. Otherwise, a doctor would be defenseless against charges of malpractice and face the danger of losing his medical license. That, of course, is the proper procedure approved by the medical authorities in Brazil and throughout the rest of the civilized world. Fortunately for the dying cancer victim in the Santo Andre Municipal Hospital, his brother was one doctor who decided not to adhere to the orthodox procedures in this case. Instead, he took the bark, boiled it in white wine, mixed the still-hot brew with orange juice and let his brother drink the concoction on an empty stomach. As if by a miracle, the patient's pain disappeared, and he was able to sleep soundly. After a month of uninterupted treatment with the brew, he was discharged from the hospital. A thorough examination had found no trace of cancer remaining. CURE CAUGHT ON After this startling development, the physicians at the Municipal Hospital of Santo Andre decided to break the rules for the benefit of other cancer patients, beginning with those of the " terminal " list. This happened near the end of 1960. Since then, the physicians at the small provincial town hospital have noticed that the pain suffered by patients with leukemia or other cancers disappeared within hours after they received the brew made from the inner bark of pau d'arco roxo. They also found that, within 30 days of treatment with this medicine, most patients no longer showed any symptoms of the dread disease. They noticed that many other afflictions from which some of the cancer patients suffered - such as diabetes - would disappear even more quickly than the cancer. The physicians were amazed. Since the early 1960s, this bark has been used regularly at the Municipal Hospital of Santo Andre to treat leukemia as well as numerous diseases where viruses were suspected as the cause. Both the herb stores and the " legitimate " pharmacies in Brazil now carry this bark. " O Cruzeiro " (March 18 and 25, 1967), the respected Rio de Janeiro weekly, published two long, illustrated articles about this remedy and the Municipal Hospital of Santo Andre, where it is used to cure a host of diseases. One of the pictures shows a patient's chart at the head of his bed. Below the patient's name, age, etc is the diagnosis: " cancer of the lung. " And, further below, in large handwritten letters, the prescription: " Paud’arco " !! ============================================ Post subject: Pau d’arco --- Family: Bignoniaceae -Genus: Tabebuia -Species: impetiginosa Common Names: Pau d’arco, ipê, ipê roxo, lapacho, tahuari, taheebo, trumpet tree, ipê-contra-sarna, tabebuia ipê, tajy Part Used: Bark, wood Documented Properties & Actions: Analgesic, antibacterial, anticarcinomic, anticoagulant, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antileukemic, antimicrobial, antimutagenic, antioxidant, antiparasitic, antirheumatic, antitumor, antiviral, cytotoxic, immunostimulant, laxative The common name pau d’arco (as well as its other main names of commerce, ipê roxo and lapacho) is used for several different species of Tabebuia trees that are used interchangeably in herbal medicine systems. T. impetiginosa is known for its attractive purple flowers and often is called “purple lapacho.” It has been the preferred species employed in herbal medicine. It is often referred to by its other botanical name, Tabebuia avellanedae; both refer to the same tree. Other pau d’arco species produce pink (T. heptaphylla), yellow (T. serratifolia and T. chrysantha) or white (T. bahamensis) flowers. Though many of these species may have a similar phytochemical makeup, they are different species of trees. The Guarani and Tupi Indians call the tree tajy, which means “to have strength and vigor.” They use the bark to treat many different conditions and as a tonic for the same strength and vigor it puts into their bows. Pau d’arco is recorded to be used by forest inhabitants throughout the Amazon for malaria, anemia, colitis, respiratory problems, colds, cough, flu, fungal infections, fever, arthritis and rheumatism, snakebite, poor circulation, boils, syphilis, and cancer. Pau d’arco also has a long history in herbal medicine around the world. In South American herbal medicine, it is considered to be astringent, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and laxative; it is used to treat ulcers, syphilis,urinary tract infections, psoriasis, gastrointestinal problems, candidiasis, cancer, diabetes, prostatitis, constipation, and allergies. It is used in Brazilian herbal medicine for many conditions including cancer, leukemia, ulcers, diabetes, candida, rheumatism, arthritis, prostatitis, dysentery, stomatitis, and boils. In North American herbal medicine, pau d’arco is considered to be analgesic, antioxidant, antiparasitic, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and laxative, as well as to have anticancerous properties. It is used for fevers, infections, colds, flu, syphilis, cancer, respiratory problems, skin ulcerations, boils, dysentery, gastrointestinal problems of all kinds, arthritis, prostatitis, and circulation disturbances. Pau d’arco also is also employed in herbal medicine systems in the United States for lupus, diabetes, ulcers, leukemia, allergies, liver disease, Hodgkin’s disease, osteomyelitis, Parkinson’s disease, and psoriasis, and is a popular remedy for candida and yeast infections. The recorded uses in European herbal medicine systems reveal that it is used in much the same way as in the United States, and for the same conditions. The chemical constituents and active ingredients of pau d’arco have been well documented. Its use with (and reported cures for) various types of cancers fueled much of the early research in the early 1960s. The plant contains a large percentage of chemicals known as quinoids, and a small quantity of benzenoids and flavonoids. These quinoids (and, chiefly, anthraquinones, furanonaphthoquinones, lapachones and naphthoquinones) have shown the most documented biological activity and are seen to be the center of the plant’s efficacy as an herbal remedy. In the 1960s, plant extracts of the heartwood and bark demonstrated marked antitumorous effects in animals which drew the interest of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Researchers decided that the most potent single chemical for this activity was a naphthoquinone named lapachol and they concentrated solely on this single chemical in their subsequent cancer research. In a 1968 study, lapachol demonstrated highly significant activity against cancerous tumors in rats. By 1970, NCI-backed research already was testing lapachol in human cancer patients. The institute reported, however, that their first Phase I study failed to produce a therapeutic effect without side-effects—and they discontinued further cancer research shortly thereafter. These side-effects were nausea and vomiting (very common with chemotherapy drugs) and anti-vitamin K activity (the main concerns over which caused anemia and an anticoagulation effect). Interestingly, other chemicals in the whole plant extract (which, initially, showed positive anti-tumor effects and very low toxicity) demonstrated positive effects on Vitamin K and, conceivably, compensated for lapachol’s negative effect. Once again, instead of pursuing research on a complex combination of at least 20 active chemicals in a whole plant extract (several of which had anti-tumor effects and other positive biological activities), research focused on a single, patentable chemical—and it didn’t work as well. Despite NCI’s abandonment of the research, another group developed a lapachol analog (which was patentable) in 1975. In one study they reported this lapachol analog increased the life span of mice inoculated with leukemic cells by over 80%. In a small, uncontrolled 1980 study of nine human patients with various cancers (liver, kidney, breast, prostate, and cervix), pure lapachol was reported to shrink tumors and reduce pain caused by them —and three of the patients realized complete remissions. The phytochemical database housed at the U.S. Department of Agriculture has documented lapachol as being antiabscess, anticarcinomic, antiedemic, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, antiseptic, antitumorous, antiviral, bactericidal, fungicidal, insectifugal, pesticidal, protisticidal, respiradepressant, schistosomicidal, termiticidal, and viricidal. It’s not surprising that pau d’arco’s beneficial effects were seen to stem from its lapachol content. But another chemical in pau d’arco, beta-lapachone, has been studied closely of late; a number of patents have been filed on it. It has activities similar to lapachol (antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, cytotoxic, antileukemic, and anti-inflammatory, with few side-effects. In one of these studies on beta-lapachone and other quinones in pau d'arco, researchers reported: " Because of their potent activity against the growth of human keratinocytes, some lapacho-derived compounds appear to be promising as effective antipsoriatic agents. " In a recent (2002) U.S. patent, beta-lapachone was cited to have “significant antineoplastic activity against human cancer cell lines . . .. [including] promyelocytic leukemia, prostate, malignant glioma, colon, hepatoma, breast, ovarian, pancreatic, multiple myeloma cell lines and drug-resistant cell lines.” In another U.S. patent, beta-lapachone was cited with the in vivo ability to inhibit the growth of prostate tumors. In addition to its reported antitumor activities, pau d’arco clearly has demonstrated broad clinical actions against a number of disease-causing microorganisms, which supports its wide array of uses in herbal medicine. Antimicrobial properties of many of pau d’arco’s active phytochemicals were demonstrated in several clinical trials, in which they exhibited strong in vitro activity against various gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and yeast (including Candida, Aspergillus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Helicobacter pylori, Brucella, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and dysentery). In addition to its isolated chemicals, a hot water extract of pau d’arco demonstrated antibacterial actions against Staphylococcus aureus, Helicobacter pylori (the bacteria that commonly causes stomach ulcers), and Brucella. A water extract of pau d’arco was reported (in other in vitro clinical research) to have strong activity against 11 fungus and yeast strains. Pau d’arco and its chemicals also have demonstrated in vitro antiviral properties against various viruses, including Herpes I and II, influenza, polio virus, and vesicular stomatitis virus. Its antiparasitic actions against various parasites (including malaria, schistosoma, and trypanosoma) have been confirmed as well. Finally, bark extracts of pau d’arco have demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity and have shown to be successful against a wide range of induced inflammation in mice and rats. Pau d’arco is an important resource from the rainforest with many applications in herbal medicine. Unfortunately, its popularity and use have been controversial due to varying results obtained with its use. For the most part, these seem to have been caused by a lack of quality control—and confusion as to which part of the plant to use and how to prepare it. Many species of Tabebuia, as well as other completely unrelated tree species exported today from South America as “pau d’arco,” have few to none of the active constituents of the true medicinal species. Pau d’arco lumber is in high demand in South America. The inner bark shavings commonly sold in the U.S. are actually by-products of the timber and lumber industries. Even mahogany shavings from the same sawmill floors in Brazil are swept up and sold around the world as “pau d’arco” (due to the similarity in color and odor of the two woods). In 1987, a chemical analysis of 12 commercially-available pau d’arco products revealed only one product containing lapachol—and only in trace amounts. As lapachol concentration typically is 2–7% in true pau d’arco, the study surmised that the products were not truly pau d’arco, or that processing and transportation had damaged them. Most pau d’arco research has centered on the heartwood of the tree. Most of the commercially-available products, though, contain the inner and outer bark of the tree—which is stripped off at sawmills when the heartwood is milled into lumber for construction materials. Additionally, at least 10 species of Tabebuia are logged commercially in South America for lumber purposes alone. When these logs arrive at lumber mills, the identifying leaves and flowers (which distinguish the tree species) are long gone—it’s all just “pau d’arco.” This may explain varying species of pau d’arco bark being sold as herbal products—and their resulting (diminished) quality. Finally, many consumers and practitioners are unaware that, for the best results when extracting these particular active chemicals (even after obtaining the correct species), the bark and/or wood must be boiled at least 8–10 minutes—rather than brewed as a simple tea or infusion (lapachol and the other quinoids are not very water soluble). It is therefore not surprising that consumers and practitioners are experiencing spotty results with commercially-available pau d’arco products. With its many effective applications, however, it would behoove consumers to take the time to learn about the available products and suppliers, and find a reliable source for this important medicinal plant from the rainforest. Relatively new in the marketplace are standardized extracts of pau d’arco (that guarantee the amount of lapachol and/or naphthoquinones). In such a product, it would be unclear if other active quinones have been extracted (and to what extent) in these chemically-altered products. Although the natural wood and bark are quite effective when the correct species is used and prepared properly, the new standardized extracts may be the safer (although more expensive) purchase for most laypersons and general consumers concerned about quality but which don’t have the time to research each product. There have been no reports of human toxicity when a whole-bark decoction or tincture of pau d’arco is used. The oral LD50 dosage for lapachol is reported to be 1.2–2.4 g/kg (body weight) in rats and 487–621 mg/kg in mice. Good quality pau d’arco (Tabebuia impetiginosa) contains an average of 4% lapachol (or 40 mg of lapachol per gram of pau d’arco bark/wood). Traditional Remedy: One-half to one cup bark and/or wood decoction taken orally 2–4 times daily. (Do not prepare an infusion/tea for this plant—it will not be as effective.) This decoction also is employed traditionally as a douche for yeast infections and is used topically on the skin. Contraindications: There have been no reports in the literature of contraindications when a whole-bark decoction or tincture is used. However, at least one isolated phytochemical in pau d’arco (lapachol) has demonstrated abortifacient properties in animal studies. As there are no studies confirming the safety of traditional bark decoctions used by pregnant women (nor is there indication in traditional medicine systems using this plant during pregnancy), the use of pau d’arco during pregnancy is not recommended. Large single dosages of pau d’arco decoctions (more than one cup) may cause gastrointestinal upset and/or nausea. Do not use in high doses unless under the advice of a qualified health practitioner; reduce dosage if nausea occurs. Drug Interactions: None reported. ETHNOBOTANY: WORLDWIDE USES Amazonia Colds, cough, fever, flu, leishmaniasis, sores, urinary tract infections Argentina Diarrhea, respiratory infections, urinary tract infections Bahamas Backache, dysuria, enuresis, gonorrhea, incontinence, toothache Brazil Allergy, analgesic, anticoagulant, antifungal, antimicrobial, antimutagenic, anus, arthritis, asthma, astringent, athlete’s foot, bed-wetting, blood builder, boils, bursitis, cancer, cancer pain, candida, cicatrizant, circulation (poor), colds, colitis, constipation, cystitis, diabetes, diuretic, dysentery, eczema, fever, flu, gastritis, gingivitis, gonorrhea, hernia, hemorrhoid, hemorrhage, herpes, Hodgkin’s disease, immunity, impetigo, inflammation, itch, leishmaniasis, leucorrhea, leukemia, liver, malaria, ophthalmic, parasites, prostatitis, respiratory, rheumatism, ringworm, scabies, skin, snakebite, sore throat, stomatitis, stomach, syphilis, throat, tendonitis, tonic, ulcers, urinary tract infections, uterus, vagina, varicose veins, warts, wounds Costa Rica Cancer, colds, fever, headache, snakebite Mexico Anemia, fever South America Allergies, anemia, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, arthritis, astringent, boils, cancer, candidiasis, chlorosis, circulation (poor), colitis, colds, constipation, cough, cystitis, diabetes, diarrhea, dysentery, enuresis, fever, flu, gastritis, gastrointestinal, infections, laxative, malaria, pharyngitis, prostatitis, respiratory disease, snakebite, syphilis, ulcers, wound United States Allergies, analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antimutagenic, antioxidant, antiparasitic, antiviral, arthritis, boils, cancer, candida, circulation disturbances, cold, diabetes, dysentery, fevers, flu, fungal infections, gastrointestinal, Hodgkin’s disease, infections, laxative, leukemia, liver disease, lupus, osteomyelitis, Parkinson’s disease, prostatitis, psoriasis, respiratory problems, skin ulcerations, syphilis, ulcers, urinary tract infections, warts http://www.rain-tree.com/paudarco.htm References: Rao, K. V., et al. “Recognition and evaluation of lapachol as an antitumor agent.” Canc. Res. 1968; 28: 1952–54. Block, J. B., et al. “Early clinical studies with lapachol (NSC-11905).” Cancer Chemother. Rep. 1974; 4: 27–8. Linardi, M. D. C., et al. “A lapachol derivative active against mouse lymphocyte leukemia P-388.” J. Med. Chem. 1975; 18(11): 1159–62. Santana, C. F., et al. “Preliminary observation with the use of lapachol in human patients bearing malignant neoplasms.” Revista do Instituto de Antibioticos 1971; 20: 61–8. Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and Duke, James A. “The Phytochemical Database.” ACEDB version 4.3: July 1994. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory (NGRL), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Department of Agriculture. Murray, Michael T. The Healing Power of Herbs. 1995. Rocklin, Ca. Prima Publishing. Giuraud, P., et al. “Comparison of antibacterial and antifungal activities of lapachol and b-lapachone.” Planta Med. 1994; 60: 373–74. Li, C. J., et al. “Three inhibitors of type 1 human immunodeficiency virus long terminal repeat-directed gene expression and virus replication.” Proc. Nat’l. Acad. Sci. USA 1993; 90(5): 1839–42. Pardee, A., et al. “Treatment of human prostate disease.” US Patent #6,245,807. June 12, 2001. Muller, K., et al. “Potential antipsoriatic agents: lapacho compounds as potent inhibitors of HaCaT cell growth.” J. Nat. Prod. 1999; 62(: 1134–36. Jiang, Z., et al. “Synthesis of beta-lapachone and its intermediates.” US Patent #6,458, 974. October 1, 2002. de Lima, O. G., et al. “Primeiras observacoes sobre a acao antimicrobiana do lapachol.” Anais da Sociedade de Biologica de Pernambuco 1956; 14: 129–35. de Lima, O. G., et al. “Una nova substancia antibiotica isolada do ‘Pau d’Arco,’ Tabebuia sp.” Anais da Sociedade de Biologica de Pernambuco 1956; 14: 136–40. Burnett, A. R., et al. “Naturally occuring quinones. The quinonoid constituents of Tabebuia avellanedae.” J. Chem. Soc. 1967: 2100–4. Gershon, H., et al. “Fungitoxicity of 1,4-naphthoquinonoes to Candida albicans and Trichophyton menta grophytes.” Can. J. Microbiol. 1975; 21: 1317–21. Binutu, O. A., et al. “Antimicrobial potentials of some plant species of the Bignoniaceae family.” Afr. J. Med. Sci. 1994; 23(3): 269–73. Nagata, K., et al. “Antimicrobial activity of novel furanonaphthoquinone analogs.” Antimicrobial Agents Chemother. 1998; 42(3): 700–2. Anesini, C., et al. “Screening of plants used in Argentine folk medicine for antimicrobial activity.” J. Ethnopharmacol. 1993; 39(2): 119–28. Segelman, Alvin Burton. “Composition and method for treating and preventing Helicobactor-pylori-associated stomach gastritis, ulcers and cancer.” US Patent #6,187,313. February 13, 2001. de Lima, O. G., et al. “A new antibiotic substance isolated from pau d’arco (Tabebuia).” Anais. Soc. Biol. Pernambuco. 1956; 14: 136–40. Portillo, A., et al. “Antifungal activity of Paraguayan plants used in traditional medicine.” J. Ethnolpharmacol. 2001; 76(1): 93–8. Linhares, M. S., et al. “Estudo sobre of efeito de substancias antibioticas obitdas de Streptomyces e vegatais superiores sobre o herpesvirus hominis.” Revista Instituto Antibioticos, Recife 1975; 15: 25–32. Lagrota, M., et al. “Antiviral activity of lapachol.” Rev. Microbiol. 1983; 14: 21–6. Schuerch, A. R., et al. “B-Lapachone, an inhibitor of oncornavirus reverse transcriptase and eukarotic DBA polymerase-a. Inhibitory effect, thiol dependency and specificity.” Eur. J. Biochem. 1978; 84: 197–205. Austin, F. R. “Schistosoma mansoni chemoprophylaxis with dietary lapachol.” Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 1979; 23: 412–19. Gilbert, B., et al. “Schistosomiasis. Protection against infection by terpenoids.” An. Acad. Brasil. Cienc. 1970; 42 (Suppl): 397–400. Oga, S., et al. “Toxicidade e atividade anti-inflamatoria de Tabebuia avellanedae Lorentz (‘Ipe Roxo’).” Rev. Fac. Farm. Bioquim. 1969; 7: 4. Taylor, Leslie. Personal observations in Manaus, Belem, and São Paulo, Brazil, 1996 to present. Awang, D. V. C. “Commerical taheebo lacks active ingredient.” Information Letter 726 (August 13, 1987). Can. Pharm. J. 1991; 121: 323–26. The above text has been preprinted from The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs by Leslie Taylor, copyrighted © 2004 All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, including websites, without written permission. A complete Technical Data Report is available for this plant. _________________ JoAnn Guest mrsjo- DietaryTi- www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Genes AIM Barleygreen " Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future " http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html Make your home page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.