Introduction:

Pau d’arco is a tree that grows in the Amazon rainforest. Pau d’arco wood is dense and resists rotting. The name “Pau d’arco” is the Portuguese word for “bow stick,” an appropriate term considering the tree’s use by the native South American Indians for making hunting bows. The bark and wood are used to make medicine.

It is efficacious in a number of illnesses:

• Yeast infections.
• Common cold.
• Flu.
• Diarrhea.
• Bladder and prostate infections.
• Intestinal worms.
• Cancer.
• Diabetes.
• Ulcers.
• Stomach problems.
• Liver problems.
• Asthma.
• Bronchitis.
• Arthritis-like pain.
• Sexually transmitted diseases (gonorrhea, syphilis).
• Boils.

Common side effects:

Common side effects include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The risk and severity of side effects tend to increase with the dose.

Severe side effects:

Symptoms may include but aren’t limited to:

• Difficulty breathing
• Itchiness
• Rash

Precaution:

You should stop taking any medicine or herb that inhibits clotting or increases the risk of bleeding for at least two weeks before surgery.  People with kidney or liver disease should also take it with caution.

Conclusion:

Pau d’arco is the bark of several species of trees native to the rainforests of Central and South America. It has long been part of folk medicine.  Research on Pau d’arco has mostly been in vitro and for animals. There have been promising results that it may have future potential for treating some types of infections, inflammatory conditions, and cancers. This evidence does not support the use of Pau d’arco to treat any conditions in humans yet.

Due to the lack of safety research, children, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or people with liver or kidney problems should not use Pau d’arco. You should also avoid it if you take blood thinners or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or if you have any medical conditions affecting bleeding or clotting.