Pau d'arco, also known as lapacho or taheebo, is a tree native to South America with inner bark that has been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments. It contains chemicals called naphthoquinones, which have antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties.
Some potential benefits of pau d'arco include:
Anti-inflammatory
Pau d'arco has anti-inflammatory properties and may be effective against diseases such as osteoarthritis.
Antibacterial and antifungal
Laboratory studies have shown that pau d'arco has antibacterial and antifungal activities.
Damaged or CanceriousCells
Small studies have shown that a lapacho-based preparation may help prevent oral mucositis in patients with head and neck canceriousCell undergoing radiotherapy.