Pau d'arco

Related Terms

Anthraquinones, beta-lap, beta-lapachone, Bignonia heptaphylla, Bignoniaceae (family), furanonaphthoquinones, ipe roxo, lapacho (Spanish), lapacho amarillo (Spanish), lapacho colorado (Spanish), lapacho morado (Spanish), lapacho tree, lapachol, naphtho[2,3-b]furan-4,9-dione (compound 1), naphthoquinones, pau de arco, pink ip?, purple lapacho, quercetin, red lapacho, Tabebuia, Tabebuia alba, Tabebuia aurea, Tabebuia avellanedae spp., Tabebuia heptaphylla, Tabebuia impetiginosa spp., Tabebuia ipe, Tabebuia lapacho, Tabebuia palmeri, Tabebuia rosea, Tabebuia serratifolia, taheebo, taheebo tea, Tecoma curialis, tecoma ipe, trumpet bush, yellow lapacho.

Background

Tabebuia, commonly called taheebo or pau d'arco, is a genus of tropical plants native to the rainforests of Central and Southern America. It has traditionally been used as a folk medicine to treat infections, cancer, blood coagulation, immune problems, inflammatory diseases, and peptic ulcers. High-quality studies on the use of pau d'arco for any condition in humans are currently lacking.

Evidence Table

These uses have been tested in humans or animals. Safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider. GRADE *
These uses have been tested in humans or animals. Safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider. GRADE *


Pau d'arco has traditionally been used for the treatment of cancer. Additional research is needed in this area.

 C


Pau d'arco has traditionally been used for the treatment of cancer. Additional research is needed in this area.

 C
* Key to grades

A: Strong scientific evidence for this use
B: Good scientific evidence for this use
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use
D: Fair scientific evidence for this use (it may not work)
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use (it likley does not work)
* Key to grades

A: Strong scientific evidence for this use
B: Good scientific evidence for this use
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use
D: Fair scientific evidence for this use (it may not work)
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use (it likley does not work)

Tradition / Theory

The below uses are based on tradition, scientific theories, or limited research. They often have not been thoroughly tested in humans, and safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider. There may be other proposed uses that are not listed below.

Dosing

Adults (18 years and older)
Pau d'arco has been taken as capsules, tablets, a tea, a tincture, and a glycerin-based extract. At this time, there is no proven safe or effective dose in adults.

Safety

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not strictly regulate herbs and supplements. There is no guarantee of strength, purity or safety of products, and effects may vary. You should always read product labels. If you have a medical condition, or are taking other drugs, herbs, or supplements, you should speak with a qualified healthcare provider before starting a new therapy. Consult a healthcare provider immediately if you experience side effects.

Interactions

Interactions with Drugs
Pau d'arco may increase the risk of bleeding when taken with drugs that increase the risk of bleeding. Some examples include aspirin, anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as warfarin (Coumadin?) or heparin, antiplatelet drugs such as clopidogrel (Plavix?), and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin?, Advil?) or naproxen (Naprosyn?, Aleve?).
Pau d'arco may also interact with agents that affect the immune system, antacids, anticancer agents, anti-inflammatory agents, or ethanol.

Attribution

This information is based on a systematic review of scientific literature edited and peer-reviewed by contributors to the Natural Standard Research Collaboration (www.naturalstandard.com).

Bibliography

Bohler T, Nolting J, Gurragchaa P, et al. Tabebuia avellanedae extracts inhibit IL-2-independent T-lymphocyte activation and proliferation. Transpl Immunol 2008;18(4):319-323.
Byeon SE, Chung JY, Lee YG, et al. In vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory effects of taheebo, a water extract from the inner bark of Tabebuia avellanedae. J Ethnopharmacol 2008;119(1):145-152.
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Queiroz ML, Valadares MC, Torello CO, et al. Comparative studies of the effects of Tabebuia avellanedae bark extract and beta-lapachone on the hematopoietic response of tumour-bearing mice. J Ethnopharmacol 2008;117(2):228-235.
Silva, T. M., Da Silva, T. G., Martins, R. M., Maia, G. L., Cabral, A. G., Camara, C. A., Agra, M. F., and Barbosa-Filho, J. M. Molluscicidal activities of six species of Bignoniaceae from north-eastern Brazil, as measured against Biomphalaria glabrata under laboratory conditions. Ann.Trop.Med Parasitol. 2007;101(4):359-365.
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Yamashita, M., Kaneko, M., Iida, A., Tokuda, H., and Nishimura, K. Stereoselective synthesis and cytotoxicity of a cancer chemopreventive naphthoquinone from Tabebuia avellanedae. Bioorg.Med Chem.Lett. 12-1-2007;17(23):6417-6420.
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