One Woman's Story: Taheebo Tea (Pau D' Arco, Lapacho)

Pau D' Arco is a natural grown herb that is derived from the inner bark of the Tabebuia Avellanedae or Tabebuia Impetiginosa (Taheebo) tree grown in South America. There has been widely published article on Pau d'Arco that whole Lapacho has produced clinical anti-cancer effects without side effects.
Date: 9/28/2007 8:25:28 AM ( Related Links: http://curezone.com/blogs/m.asp?f=1184&i=44 http://curezone.com/blogs/m.asp?f=1184&i=75
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Hazel Hedrick
Here are the actual words of Hazel Hedrick, of Ridgeway, Virginia, in a personal letter addressed to Karl Loren. Dear Karl, Thanks for sending me the story of your friend Judge Orleans. Nothing you or anyone else could tell me about Taheebo Life Tea would surprise me. On my shelves I have eight or more leading nutritional product brands, and I have personally tried them all. If you told me I could only keep one of these products, without hesitation I would say Vibrant Lifes Taheebo Life Tea. My first experience with Taheebo Life Tea was seven years ago. It was April 15, 1989, the doctors had just told us my husband Dennis had malignant lymphoma and six months or less to live, if he didn't start radiation and chemo right away. You Are Going To Die! After a second opinion by the specialist and a bone marrow biopsy, they wanted to admit him to an out-of-state hospital and remove several more lumps from different parts of his body for more biopsies. Dennis refused. He said, "If I have to die of cancer I will die in one piece, they are not going to cut me all to pieces." This was about eight thirty AM, April 19, 1989. An hour later I called the doctor and canceled his appointments. It was about noon the same day Doris Ferguson (another customer of Vibrant Life) drove in my drive way. She came to my door with a bottle of Taheebo Life Tea and a small book in her hands.

A Friend To The Rescue We Started With The Tea

With his help we got the other children off our back and started a very carefully planned nutritional therapy program with mega-doses of Shaklee vitamins, carrot juice, herbal teas, and Taheebo Life Tea capsules. Dennis was willing to do anything I said and take whatever I put in his hands. We started the program April 19, 1989. I had been told he would get sicker and weaker and have more large swollen lumps all over his body as the cancer spread. It didnt happen! At one point Dennis thought the cancer had spread to his bladder. I opened six capsules of Taheebo Life Tea, mixed the contents with Aloe Vera Gel and spread it on the swollen belly.

Its Working!
In less than a week the swelling was gone. Then Dennis asked me to put the same black stuff on those swollen lumps on his neck and shoulders. It looked awful, but he didnt care. He said it felt good. In three months there were no swollen lumps and he had not had one sick day. We didnt miss one church service. The whole congregation saw him get well, but not one is willing to do what we did.

We stayed on the program for a year and we have never gone back to our old lifestyle. We have no medical doctor. Frankly, we are more afraid of doctors and hospital than we are rattle snakes. But sometimes things happen and we have to end up in a hospital. On October 29, 1993, Dennis fell off the house and broke some ribs. He ended up in the hospital with double pneumonia. On December 16, 1993, they let him come home because his doctor was going out of town for Christmas. I was so happy to have him home, even with the Home-Health Nurse coming every day to give him his antibiotic. I wanted him off that stuff. I could see it was not helping one little bit. He was getting worse every day.

Help From California Karl, Im sure you will not recall, but I called Vibrant Life the same evening Dennis got home. To my surprise you answered the phone. I told you the problem and what I had planned to do, and gave you an order for four bottles of Taheebo Life Tea. You suggested I add shark cartilage to that, and apologized because you wouldnt be able to get these products to me before Tuesday or Wednesday. This was Thursday at 4 PM when I called you. Friday morning, at ten oclock, my doorbell rang. To my surprise there was my package all the way from Burbank, California, to Ridgeway, Virginia, overnight. I just said "Thank You Lord!" I proceeded to open the bottle and give my sick, very sick, husband a handful of Taheebo Life Tea capsules.

Temperature Normal In 48 Hours!

In forty eight hours his temperature was normal and his vital signs were more stable. The Home Health Nurse said, "Well, I guess the antibiotic finally kicked in." I said, "antibiotic my eye, its the herbs already starting to do their thing." She looked at me as if to say, "You poor little fool." Then she said, "You cant really believe that." I said, "Honey, I know it and whats more, I know if it is humanly possible to clear his lungs, these herbs will do it. I dont know how long it will take, but it will happen." In two weeks he was on is feet, thin and weak, but gaining strength every day. It was about four weeks later, Dennis became ill again. We though he had the flu and started to doctor him with other herbs for the flue. He didnt respond to anything. His eyes swelled shut and he started coughing like I had never heard anyone cough before. What he was coughing up you would have had to see to believe. Then we realized the Taheebo and other stuff had done their job. The poison from the whatever was in his lungs was what had made him so sick and it came out. For seven days and nights he coughed, and I emptied the stuff he coughed up. I wanted that Home Health Nurse to see what was happening and she had long since moved on to her next job. I called her office and asked if she could come by and say hello to Dennis that he was having a hard time.

Even The Doubters Come To Believe!

She came, expecting to find him on his death bed. When I showed her what he was coughing up she started making plans to get him back in the hospital, and wouldnt listen to anything I had to say. Dennis said to her, If I had a bad infection wouldnt I have a fever?" She took his temperature. It was normal. He said, "If you put me on a high powered antibiotic it would dry up all this stuff?"

She said, "Yes, of course." He said, "If you had that mess in you and it was coming out, would you want it dried up in there?" She then listened to what I tried to tell her when she came in, the herbs really did work. She said, "Lady you have made a believer out of me." Some time later she sent me a letter and admitted the Doctor thought Dennis had cancer of the lung, and she never expected to see him alive again when she left. She said, "Lady, you are responsible for that man being alive, we are not." I knew that already, but it was nice for her to admit it.

Hazel Is 78 Dennis is 80!

I am seventy eight and Dennis will be eighty in February, 1997. We had two organic vegetable gardens this summer and grow enough vegetables to fill, and we alone filled, six hundred jars, and two freezers, which we will give to our four children, eight grand children and seven great grandchildren for Christmas. It sure beats going shopping. We will be much better for them than anything we could have bought. My younger sister had cancer, a rare type that chemo will not work for, (Thank God for that!). They did surgery instead. They considered taking off her entire leg at the hip it was in the thigh. They didnt amputate, but they sure did cut! Well, they didnt get it all. They then gave her thirty eight treatments of radiation. She was told she would never walk without aid and it might come back in the liver. Soon as she had her last radiation treatment, I sent her Taheebo Life Tea and shark cartilage, and she drank carrot juice. Now its three years later, the doctors cant believe this little old lady can do almost anything she did before. She has a very slight limp, but she works in her yard and garden just like she did before the operation. No sign of cancer. Early this spring a man I had only met once years ago called me and wanted to know if there was anything he could do and live without taking chemo. I said, "You would live longer if you took nothing!" He had just gotten out of the hospital where he had fifteen inches of his colon removed. They were going to start chemo on the next Monday. This was a Saturday. I told him what he could do, if he was willing to give up his doctor. He asked me to send him what he needed. I sent him Taheebo Life Tea, barleygreen and carrot crystals. I heard he is well, feels better than he has in years, and is telling everyone who will listen.

There Are Both Winners And Losers!

Those are the winners. There have been some losers who refused to stick with it, or tried to do both or wouldnt give up their doctors.

My Own Daughter!
My own daughter had her breast removed. It broke my heart. But they would rather believe the doctor and his diagnosis than to believe in nutritional therapy. You win some and lose some. I do all I can, thats all anyone can do. I have no proof, no doctors records, but you can use any or all of this in your Article. Any questions? Ask and I will do my best to answer at (540) 956-3065. http://www.oralchelation.com/taheebo/witch.htm B if (34237 b t )

Red-Purple LaPacho Tea, A.K.A. Taheebo - Pau d' Arco

Lapacho is a proven antibiotic, often used in America to treat yeast infections, but is touted in South America as a cure for cancer and other diseases. Pau d'arco or Lapacho (Tabebuia avellandedae, T. impetiginosa)
Pau d'arco or Lapacho, a South American herb, is a great immune system stimulant. It holds great promise for the treatment of cancers, such as leukemia, and of Candida and other troublesome infections. The medicinal part of the tree is the bark, specifically the inner lining of the bark, called the phloem. The active ingredient of lapacho is called lapachol. Lapachol is one of a number of plant substances known as napthaquinones (N-factors). Anthraquinones, or A-factors, comprise another important class of compounds. It is very rare to find both N- and A-factors in the same species. Scientists have proposed that many of the remarkable properties of lapacho may be traced to the probable synergy between A- and N-factors. Pau d'arco also contain ingredients such as: quercitin, xloidone and other flavonoids. These contribute to its effectiveness in the treatment of tumors and infections. Lapacho is useful for the treatment of fevers, infections, colds, flu, syphilis, cancer, lupus, diabetes, Hodgkin's disease, Parkinson's disease, osteomyelitis, respiratory problems, skin ulcerations and boils, dysentery, psoriasis, gastrointestinal problems of all kinds, debilitating conditions such as arthritis and prostatitis, and circulation disturbances. (1) According to Daniel Mowrey, author of Herbal Tonic Therapies, "Lapacho's use in many ways parallels that of echinacea in North America and ginseng in Asia, except that its actions appear to exceed them both in terms of its potential as a cancer treatment." Lapacho has become a standard form of treatment for some kinds of cancer throughout Brazil. It had been successfully used in Paraguay to treat leukemia. It is a proven antiviral substance. Its potential use in treating AIDS is now being investigated.

Pau d'arco and Cancer

Proponents of lapacho says that it is one of the most important anti-tumor agents in the entire world. It has been found especially useful in the treatment of leukemia. Lapacho is believed to stimulate the production of red blood cells in bone marrow. This improves the oxygencarrying capacity of the blood. This, in turn, has important implications for the health of tissues throughout the body. For maximum benefit, take the whole herb of lapacho, rather than the active ingredient separately. Lapachol, the active ingredient in lapacho, when used alone, was found to precipitate severe side reactions. When the whole herb was given, it produced clinical anticancer effects without the toxic side effects.(2,3) Using the wood of the plant, several researchers have studied the effects of lapachol, alpha- and beta-lapachone and xyloidone on experimental cancer. As high as 84 percent inhibition was observed on Yoshida' s sarcoma, and no toxicity was found. (1) In one clinical study, South American researchers administered lapachol to patients with various forms of cancer, including adenocarcinoma of the liver, breast and prostate, and squamous-cell carcinoma of the palate and uterine cervix. Taken orally, the substance resulted in temporary reduction of all conditions and in significant reduction in pain. Duration of treatment was anywhere from 30 to 720 days, with an average of about two months.

Antioxidant effect of Pau d'arco

In vitro trials show definite inhibition of free radicals and inflammatory leukotrienes by lapacho constituents. This property might underlie the effectiveness of lapacho against skin cancer, and its observed anti-aging effects. Antioxidants, or free-radical scavengers, have emerged as premier candidates for the role of healers and disease preventers. Among the anti-oxidants few have greater potency than lapachol.

Antimicrobial/ antiparasitic effects of Pau d'arco

One of the strongest actions of lapacho is against viruses. The range of viruses inactivated by lapacho extends from those that cause the common cold to those that are responsible for AIDS. Pau d'arco has been shown to actively inhibit, kill or stunt the growth of several dangerous viruses and bacteria. (4-6 ) Lapachol ( and N-factors it contains) were among the most promising antimalarial substances known, according to a review conducted in 1948. Lapacho's immunostimulating action is due in part to its potent antimicrobial effects.

Safety Data
Lapacho is highly toxic to many kinds of cancer cells, viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites and other kinds of microorganisms. However, it appears to be without any kind of significant toxicity to healthy human cells. (1) Most of the observed side effects of taking Pau d'arco were observed when isolated lapacho constituents were administered These are: nausea and anticoagulant effects in very high doses a tendency to loosen the bowels

administered. These are: nausea and anticoagulant effects in very high doses, a tendency to loosen the bowels, and diarrhea in very high doses. No such side effects were detected when the whole herb was consumed at the recommended doses. The FDA gave lapacho a clean bill of health in 1981. Other observed side-effects were: Anti-vitamin K effect Anemia Significant rises of metabolic and protein toxins in the bloodstream. These, however, diminish with time. Scientists think that lapacho initiates an immediate cleaning up effect on the body's cells. Once the cells are cleaned, the signs of toxicity disappear. Many herbal tonics show this behavior in cleaning our bodies of excess toxins.

References
1. Daniel B. Mowrey, Ph. D., Herbal Tonic Therapies, Wings Books, New York, 1996 2. Linardi, M.C.F., et. al., J. Med. Chem., 18, 1159, 1975 3. Hartwell, J.L., et. al., Adv. Pharmacol. Chemother., 7, 170, 1969. 4. Lagrota, M. et al. "Antiviral activity of lapachol." Rev. Microbiol., 14, 21-26, 1983. 5. Gilber, B., de Souza, J.P., Fascio, M. et al. "Schistosomiasis. Protection against infection by terpenoids." An. Acad. Brasil Cienc., 42(suppl), 397-400, 1970. 6. Schaffner-Sabba, K. et al. "B-lapachone: synthesis of derivates and activities in tumour models." J. Medicinal Chem., 27, 990- 994, 1984. 7. Austin, F.G. "Schistosoma mansoni chemoprophylaxis with dietary lapachol." Am. J Trop. Med. Hygiene, 23, 412-419, 1974. 8. Giojman, S.G. and Stoppani, A.O.M. "Oxygen radicals and macromolecule turnover in twanosoma cmzi." Life Chem. Rep., (suppl 2), 1984, 216-221. 9. Boveris, A., StopparA, A.O.M., Docampo, R. and Cruz, F.S. "Superoxide anion production and trypanocidal action of naphthoquinones on tzypanosoma cruzi." Gomp. Biochem. Phys., 327-329, 1978. http://www.holisticonline.com/cancer/Cancer_lapacho_herb-rem.htm B if (34237 b t )

Pau d' Arco Tea...has shown that it may hold the secret for the successful treatment of cancer and other diseases. Dr Daniel B. Mowry, PhD, states in his widely published article on Pau d'Arco that "whole Lapacho has produced clinical anti-cancer effects without side effects." Over the last 15 years I have received many reports and testimonials from terminal cancer victims relating their miraculous cures of this deadly disease.
http://www.atlantishealthcenters.com/pau-d-arco-tea.htm

Pau D' Arco has been useful in treating: Anticandidal Antiviral Antibacterial Anti-inflammatory Cancer Viral infection Bacterial infection Fever-reducer Venereal and rheumatic disorders Skin disorders, especially eczema, herpes and the mange. Teams of Scientists from U.S. Universities are searching the jungles and rainforests of South America for plants whose leaves, roots or barks may hold the secrets to preventing or even curing such diseases as cancer, AIDS, leukemia and asthma. While some scientists scoff at the idea that South American plants could cure cancer or AIDS, others are well aware that the cure for scurvy was as simple as eating citrus. Quinine, taken from the bark of the South American Cinchona tree is a medicinally accepted treatment for malaria. Many of our modern "wonder drugs" were first discovered in the leaves or inner barks of plants and trees. After the healing compounds were isolated, they were synthesized and are now produced in chemical laboratories. Unfortunately, these man-made medicines often cause serious side effects. Many practitioners of herbal medicine find that harmful side effects are rare in herbal medicine due to the natural buffers which nature also included in the plants. One of the renowned of the healing herbs is Lapacho. The inner lining of the bark of either the Red or the Purple Lapacho Tree has been used for centuries as an effective treatment for cancer and other dread diseases. News of the benefits of drinking a tea prepared from Red or Purple Lapacho has been widely reported.

Doctors Discover Lapacho

South American medical doctors who discovered Lapacho in the pharmacopoeia of the natives were the first to experiment with it as a treatment for cancer. Dr. Walter Accorsi reported that it "eliminated the pains caused by the disease and multiplies the body's production of red corpuscles". Numerous South American physicians tried Lapacho with their patients and the claims of cures of cancer and other diseases became abundant. North Americans have been trying Lapacho tea for a few years now. Reports that have appeared in various U.S. publications are both informative and encouraging: Lets live, February 1985 said, "Over the past 20 years reports from doctors and patients have indicated that this bark, when ingested (usually in tea form), has cured terminal leukemia, arthritis, yeast and fungus infections, arrested pain, stopped athlete's foot and cured the common cold." And it "has been found to be an effective analgesic, sedative, decongestant, diuretic and hypotensive." The July 1985 issue of Vegetarian Times reported that Red and/or Purple Lapacho "is currently being hailed for its effects on cancer and candida...Traditional herbalists agree that it strengthens and balances the immune system" and is currently used as a remedy for immune system-related problems such as colds, flu, boils, infections, and that "tests have anti-malarial and anti-cancer activities". Further, the article stated that drinking Red or Purple Lapacho tea, "can combat infection, give great vitality, build up immunity to disease, strengthen cellular structure and help eliminate pain and inflammation...It can be taken either periodically as a preventive, or used consistently during an active infection."

Strengthens Immune System

The October 8, 1985 issue of Globe stated that "Lapacho, a proven antibiotic, is often used in America to treat yeast infections, but is touted in South America as a cure for cancer and other diseases. The experts say it can also arm the body against viral infestations like AIDS...". "taking certain herbs is the perfect health measure to protect yourself against AIDS," says Dr Paul Lee, former director of the Platonic Academy of Herbal studies in Santa Cruz, California." AIDS researchers are keenly interested in natural substances like herbs that enhance the immune response", says Dr. Tom Baldwin, Associate Professor of immunology at the University of Texas Health Science Center. "We have already identified plants that have effect, and there is good reason to investigate further", he told Globe. The article also indicates that a combination of Lapacho and YerbaMate is especially effective. The Spotlight, June 8, 1981, lists 35 diseases which Red and/or Purple Lapacho has purportedly cured, or relieved. Malignant germs that cause all these diseases cannot withstand the antibiotics this mighty tree secretes.

Powerful Natural Antibiotic

Researchers isolated a substance in Lapacho tea that apparently contains a chemical chain, anti-tumor agent. Dr. Paulo Martin, a medical researcher for the Brazilian government stated, "We isolated a compound we called quechua from Lapacho and found it to be a powerful antibiotic, with virus-killing properties." Dr. Norman Farnsworth of the University of Illinois, both herbal medicine experts, agree with Dr. Martin and are quoted as saying: "Lapacho undoubtedly contains a substance found to be highly effective against cancer." Some feel that one of the most significant contributions of Lapacho tea is the elimination of pain. Apparently this takes about 3 days of drinking a quart of Red or purple Lapacho tea each day, properly prepared, and 2-3 cups per day thereafter. Tests indicate that the toxicity of Lapacho tea is about 1/10 that of caffeine. The only reported side effect seems to be nausea experienced by a few people when the tea is first used. This is said to be a purging effect, and that once the poisons are purged from the body the nausea goes away. Many cancer patients who have used Lapacho were also receiving medical treatment, and it appears that Lapacho can be used successfully in conjunction with ongoing medical therapy. Some report that the tea appeared to increase effectiveness of chemotherapy with a parallel decrease in deleterious side effects when Lapacho tea is used.

Let the Buyer Beware

One question that has stumped researchers is why Lapacho is so very beneficial to some people and some others have no observable results. Possible answers range from the chemical interaction of the Lapacho tea inside the body to using adulterated Lapacho bark or even bark from the wrong Lapacho tree. The old Roman phrase, caveat emptor- - let the buyer beware, is applicable when buying Lapacho, Pau d'arco or Taheebo. As with many newly discovered helpful treatments, Lapacho is being marketed and used, often without appropriate background info. Unscrupulous suppliers have found it very profitable to grind up both the inner and worthless, bitter outer bark, and sometimes the entire tree, often without regard as to whether or not it was the correct Lapacho tree. This adulterated or even worthless material is shipped to unwary American packagers and is sold to the public as Pau d'arco, Taheebo, Ipe Roxo or Lapacho. Fortunately, there is also very high quality Lapacho in the U.S. The challenge facing the consumer, in order to achieve maximum effectiveness, is to know which of all the brands available is truly 100% inner lining of the Red or Purple Lapacho Tree. While there are numerous varieties of Lapacho trees in South America, only the inner lining of the tree has has known medical value. It is this inner lining (or phloem) which carries nutrients made by the leaves to other parts of the tree and is, with the cambium layer (where all the new cells are produced) the "life" of the tree.In one clinical study, 33 South American researchers administered lapachol to patients with various forms of cancer, including adenocarcinoma of the liver, breast and prostate, and squamous carcinoma of the palate and uterine cervix. Taken orally, the substance resulted in temporary reduction of all conditions and in a significant reduction in pain.

Duration of treatment was anywhere from 30 to 720 days, with an average of about two months. For example, one patient with liver cancer presented with a significant reduction in jaundice accompanied by other signs of improvement after eight days of therapy. These results were in close accord with results obtained by the same researchers in animal studies.34 One wonders what the administration of whole purple lapacho phloem might have accomplished in this setting; other lines of evidence suggest that even better results may have been obtained."During exploratory surgery it was noted that I had ovarian, stomach, intestine & liver cancer. I was told I had approximately 4 to 6 months to live. I made up my mind to fight. I went for chemotherapy, drank a quart of red lapacho tea, an ounce of aloe vera juice and took various vitamins daily. After 11 mos. the physicians could not believe what they found (no cancer). I continue to have regular check-ups and have proved to be a 'miracle case'." A Note on Nausea: In the human study reported above, some patients dropped out of the experiment due to nausea. This is a common observation in some, but certainly not all, people who begin to experience the cleansing action of lapacho (and other healthful herbs). As toxins (and toxic medicines) and wastes are drawn out of the cells, or flushed out, or physiologically expelled from the cells, through the action of the herb, they tend at times to accumulate in the blood, lymph, lymph nodes, skin, liver and kidneys awaiting the opportunity to be expelled from the body. Backing up, they can, on occasion produce sensations such as nausea; the body may even try to rid itself of some toxic substances by vomiting. Not to worry. These transient signs dissipate once the toxins are moving freely from the body. They are a positive sign that the herb is working. Remember the body only has three basic processes for getting rid of wastes: lower bowel movement, sweating, urinating. The use of lapacho can so overload these processes in the early stages that discomfort may be produced."My wife was dying of cancer. She has a malignant tumor on her temple. The pain was so intense the doctors wanted to keep her sedated in the hospital until she died. We decided not to give up. For three weeks now she has been drinking purple lapacho tea. The tumor looks much better; it began draining and no longer looks so 'angry.' The pain is much less, and she can get up and move around the house. Our M.D. is impressed! . . . Now we have hope!" "Taheebo has been used, with great success, to cure leukemia by medical doctors in Argentina. Taheebo is also used to treat anemia, arteriosclerosis, asthma, bronchitis, colitis, diabetes, skin sores, gastritis and a variety of infections." (Borino) "The main active ingredient is a substance called lapachol, a substance whose molecular composition makes it uniquely suited to induce strong biological activity against cancer. Nine patients with various cancers (liver, kidney, breast and prostate adenocarcinomas, and squamous cell carcinoma of the palate and uterine cervix) were given pure lapachol in 250-mg [milligrams] capsules with meals. All 9 patients showed a shrinkage of tumors and reductions in tumor-related pain; 3 patients experienced complete remissions, and there were no adverse side effects. (Santana)" (Diamond)

Professional Evaluation / Critique

In clinical trials, 19 patients with advanced nonleukemic tumors and 2 patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia in relapse were given lapachol in doses ranging from 250 to 3750 mg/day for 5 days. The largest total dose received was 3000 mg/day for 21 days. All patients had previously received a variety of therapies, which had failed. One patient with metastatic breast cancer had resolution of a single osteoblastic hip lesion, but no change in numerous other bony lesions; all other patients either remained clinically unchanged in condition or experienced advancing disease. (Block) In February 1985, Taheebo was "banned by the (Canadian) Federal Health Protection Branch until distributors prove it is safe and effective . . . . The Federal Food and Drug Act does not allow Taheebo to be advertised or sold as a treatment, prevention or cure for certain diseases, including cancer." (Power) Cassileth lists pau d'arco tea for cancer and AIDS under the heading: "Products promoted as cures for illnesses they do not cure". (Cassileth) "An analysis of 12 taheebo products available in Canada revealed that only one contained lapachol (Awang)." (Fetrow) "Analysis of the barks of three Tabebuia species showed that, unlike the wood, they did not contain lapachol and dehydro-alpha-labachone as their major naphthoquinone constituents. Depending on the species, these compounds were either present in traces or entirely absent. Three lapachol derivatives were instead detected; their physiological properties appear to be very similar to those of lapachol. (Girard)" (Tyler) "Complicating the matter of origin even further is the fact that some pau d'arco herbal teas marketed in this country do not derive from the Tabebuia species at all, even though they are labeled as lapacho colorado or lapacho marado. Instead, they are stated to represent the bark of Tecoma curialis Solhanha da Gama, another closely related member of the same plant family. This probably makes little difference because the useful constituents and therapeutic activities, if any, are undoubtedly similar. It nevertheless leaves the botanical source of pau d'arco products unclear." (Tyler) "Human clinical trials have been inconclusive regarding the use of lapachol as an anticancer agent (Block) (Awang)." (Fetrow) "In trials with human cancer patients, however, as soon as effective plasma levels were attained, undesirable side effects were severe enough to require that the drug be stopped." (Tyler) "Recent in vitro [in an artificial environment] studies showed antineoplastic activity, but this action was inhibited by vitamin K1 (Dinnen)." (Fetrow)

Toxicity/Risks

Toxicity/Risks
Side effects include "moderate to severe nausea, vomiting, anemia, and tendency to bleed." (Tyler) Toxicity observed in patients participating in the clinical trials included nausea and vomiting and reversible prolongation of prothrombin time at very high doses. Clinical studies were terminated because of the anticoagulant effect of the substance and because a plasma level of 30 mg/ml, considered critical, required doses associated with nausea, vomiting and anticoagulation. (Block) "Lapachol is reported to be a potent inhibitor of respiratory processes, inhibits iodine utilization by cell-free sheep thyroid tissue, and depresses the ability of rat ovaries to respond to the follicle-stimulating hormone of pregnant mares' serum." (Morrison) "The toxic effects of orally administered lapachol were studied in rodents, dogs, and monkeys.... Death occurred in monkeys after six doses of 0.5 g/kg/day and after five doses of 1.0 g/kg/day. Signs of toxicosis in both dogs and monkeys included moderate to severe anemia, reticulocytosis, normoblastosis, pallor of mucous membranes, bilirubinuria, and proteinuria. Additionally, transient thrombocytosis and leukocytosis, and elevated serum alkaline phosphatase activity and prothrombin times occurred in dogs." (Morrison)

Costs
Each package of pau d'arco tea may cost anywhere from $12 to $50. (CA) Pau d'arco costs approximately $5 for 24 tea bags or $10 for 50 capsules. (Ontario)

References
Awang DVC. Commercial taheebo lacks active ingredient. Can Pharm J 1998;5:323-26. Block JB, et al. Early clinical studies with lapachol (NSC-11905). Cancer Chemother Rep 1974;4(4):27-28. Borino B. 1,000-year-old Inca cancer cure works. Globe 1981 Sept 15;28(37). CA (Anonymous). Questionable methods of cancer management 'nutritional' therapies. CA: a Cancer Journal for Clinicians 1993 Sept/Oct;43(5):309-319. Cassileth BR. Alternative medicine handbook: the complete reference guide to alternative and complementary therapies. New York: W.W.Norton & Co., 1998:97. Diamond WJ, et al. An alternative medicine definitive guide to cancer. Tiburon: Future Medicine Publishing, Inc., 1997:834. Dinnen RD, Ebisuzaki K. The search for novel anticancer agents: a differentiation-based assay and analysis of a folklore product. Anticancer Res 1997;17:1027-33. Girard M, et al. Journal of Natural Products 1988;51:1023-24. Fetrow CW, Avila JR. Professional's handbook of complementary and alternative medicines. Springhouse, Pennsylvania: Springhouse Corporation 1999:491-93. Merck Index: an encyclopedia of chemicals, drugs and biologicals. 10th ed. Rathway, N.J.: Merck 1983;772. Morrison RK, et al. Oral toxicology studies with lapachol. Toxicol Appl Pharm 1970:17;1-11. Ontario Breast Cancer Information Exchange Project. Guide to unconventional cancer therapies. 1st ed. Toronto: Ontario Breast Cancer Information Exchange Project, 1994:85-87. Power B, Parton N. Cancer 'cure' sales banned. Sun 1985 Feb 14:1. Santana CF, et al. Preliminary observations with the use of lapachol in human patients bearing malignant neoplasms. Revista da Instituto de Antibioticos 20 1980/81:61-68. Tyler VE, Foster S. Tyler's honest herbal: a sensible guide to the use of herbs and related remedies 4th Ed. New York: Haworth herbal press, 1999:287-9.
Wilson BR (M.D.). Cancer quackery primer. Dallas, Oregon: The author, 1986.Revised February 2000
http://www.oralchelation.com/taheebo/lapacho2.htm