Pau D’arco - The Herbal Miracle Drug?
Though it has been used for centuries, its fame really began in the 1960’s. Dr. Theodore Meyer learned about the use of Pau D’Arco (pronounced powdy arco) by natives of the tropical rain forest of the Amazon. Dr. Theodore Meyer wrote an article claiming that the herb cured five advanced classes of leukemia. A flurry of research resulted and the effective drug was isolated. This drug was then given to test animals with confirming results. However, in a ‘too good to be true’ conclusion, the National Cancer Institute determined that the amount of this drug needed to be effective in humans would bring severe and even dangerous side effects. Just like that, pau d-arco was virtually benched.
Some believers remained undaunted by these negative findings. Over the next decade pau d’arco was successfully used to treat arthritis, infections, skin problems, malaria, fevers, and even some cancers. Was the Cancer Institute wrong in its research? No, the research was not wrong, but it was inadequate for two reasons.
First, this isolated drug lapachol was not the only beneficial drug in pau d-arco. Researches isolated 20 additional active ingredients in the herb. Second, the effect of the herb was multiplied and the side effects minimized when used as a whole instead of isolating its parts. It seems the ingredients work to help each other benefit the person most.
So what’s so good about this herb that no one can pronounce? In large doses, it is excellent for reducing inflammation and other immune responses. Therefore, it is used to treat arthritis, ulcers, skin problems, allergies, and the like. In small doses it increases immune responses. Pau d’arco’s trophy case contains success stories in treating diabetes, lupus, flu, skin diseases, parasites, malaria, yeast infections, tuberculosis, strep, and dysentery. It does indeed sound like a miracle drug!
Pau D’Arco is available in health food stores in capsules, tinctures, and as dried bark. One to two capsules or drops of tincture taken up to four times a day is a usual dosage. The amount, of course, depends on the patient and the condition.
Tea can be made from the bark by adding one tbsp of bark for every three cups of water. The tea should be boiled for twenty minutes or longer in a non-aluminum pot. One cup of tea can be taken three or four times daily for acute conditions. One-half cup three or four times daily is recommended for other conditions. Pau d’arco tea has a cool, bitter flavor.
How can someone be sure they are getting the genuine article? This is a real concern in light of the fact that some pau d’arco has been tested and found lacking many of the life-giving ingredients that made it famous. In general, that grown in Argentina is considered best. Also, some health cautions are in order. Lacking sufficient testing as to its effect on infants, pau d’arco should be shunned by pregnant and lactating mothers. Long term effects have included anemia and its blood thinning capabilities make it advisable to avoid before surgery. Other problems some have reported include dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps.
Pau D Arco has passed the test of time as a health giving herb. When the precautions are heeded, it may well give you the benefits others have experienced.
Filed under Arthritis