Pau d'arco
Handroanthus impetiginosus
Herbs & Roots. Latin American & Amazon.
Also called Lapacho, Taheebo, Ipê roxo
Spanish: Lapacho
Bleeding and birth defect risksPau d'arco is the inner bark of a South American tree, brewed as tea or sold as capsules for infections, inflammation, and immune support.
Did you know? Close relatives of pau d'arco, called ipê, make wood so dense that it is used for outdoor decking.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Infections. Lab tests show activity against some fungi and bacteria. Human research is narrow, and proof is limited.Traditional proof
- Inflammation. Lab and animal studies suggest anti-inflammatory activity. Human proof is limited.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Amazon peoples brewed the inner bark for infections, fevers, and stomach complaints. The bark was also used on wounds.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Antifungal, Antimicrobial, Anti-inflammatory. Energy: neutral.
How people take it
Folk use is usually a tea made from the inner bark. Good human trials have not set a dose, so follow label directions and check with a doctor first.
Tea, capsule and tincture.
Where to get it
Grows in dry forests of South America, especially Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Peru. Sold as dried bark, tea, tinctures, and capsules, with quality that varies from brand to brand.
Be careful
At high doses, pau d'arco can cause nausea, vomiting, bleeding, and dizziness, mostly from a compound called lapachol. Animal studies link lapachol to birth defects and pregnancy loss, so avoid it in pregnancy. Stop it before surgery and avoid it with blood thinners.
Avoid if: pregnancy; bleeding disorders; before surgery.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Both Amazon barks are used for similar immune and inflammation claims.
- Use cautionBlood thinners (warfarin, Eliquis, Xarelto, Plavix, daily aspirin)
Pau d'arco may raise bleeding risk when taken with blood thinners. How much this matters is not known.
Adds up with others that may slow blood clotting: , , , , , , , , , , , , , and 40 more.
The honest take
Pau d'arco has some lab evidence for slowing germs and fungi, but human studies are thin. Its main documented concerns are nausea, bleeding, and harm to unborn babies in animal studies. Most cancer claims seen online are not supported by human trials.