We can thank the American Indians for a variety of herbal and natural remedies. Pau d’arco was used as a medicine by the indigenous people of the rainforest. The Pau d’arco tree is a broad-leaved evergreen tree that grows to 125 feet tall and produces purple-hued flowers, which is why it’s often referred to as the “trumpet tree.” It grows well in Peru and Argentina high in the Andes. It grows in the low-lying areas of Paraguay and Brazil. Its use dates back in history to before the Incas. Pau d’arco tree was used to make hunting bows and as medicine. It has been observed by indigenous peoples that the tree never developed mold, mildew or fungus while alive and even after it was felled.
The Guarani and Topi Indians refer to the tree as ‘tajy’, meaning ‘to have strength and vigour’ i.e. good health. Tribal medics peeled off the tree’s bark in long strips. They then separated the inner and outer layers and used the inner rind to make medicinal teas. Pau d’arco has crystalline oxygen in the inner rind, which is rich in iron, calcium, selenium, vitamins A, B complex and C, magnesium, Potassium and sodium is give it an antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal effect that stimulates the immune system and fights disease. Indigenous peoples of South America have used Pau d’Arco to treat malaria, anemia, colitis, respiratory problems, colds, coughs, flu, fungal infections . Fever, arthritis and rheumatism, poor circulation, skin irritation and sexually transmitted diseases.
Lapachol, a photochemical present in the inner bark of Pau d’arco trees, has been documented as an effective natural remedy for treating abscesses and tumors. However, in order for it to be used to treat conditions such as cancer, the amount of lapachol found in pau d’arco required to provide an effective dosage would be toxic if used as the sole treatment. However, it can be used along with other cancer treatments. Pau d’arco is provided free of charge by the Argentine government to cancer patients and also leukemia patients as it has blood purifying properties and is known to reduce pain associated with cancer and its treatment is due to the anti-inflammatory effects of pau d’arco.
Pau d’arco contains selenium, which is one of our body’s natural defenses against fungal infections, both vaginally and for topical skin treatment. Its antifungal action helps eliminate Candida. Due to its antifungal properties, it is useful for fighting fungi that promote athlete’s foot and other skin infections caused by fungi. It has also been shown to be effective in treating other infections such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, streptococcus, and dysentery. Pau d’arco has a purifying effect and is therefore very useful for relieving intestinal infections, destroying parasites and restoring intestinal health. A number of infection-fighting substances known as naphthoquinones appear to destroy certain disease-causing bacteria without destroying beneficial bacteria. This makes it an excellent natural antibiotic.
As a preventive measure, pau d’arco has been shown to help build our immune system by stimulating macrophages that fight disease. Pau d’arco has high iron content, which helps eliminate waste, assimilate nutrients, and increase oxygenation of needed areas of the body. It helps improve hemoglobin and red blood cell count. It can therefore be used to relieve chronic fatigue. The blood purifying properties of Pau d’arco make it an excellent antiallergic, antirheumatic, astringent and cardiotonic. It is also often used to balance high blood pressure. It helps tone, balance and strengthen the heart. Pau d’arco helps neutralize the toxins affecting the liver, which aids the liver in its blood-cleansing function. By improving the health of our blood and its flow, we greatly increase the effectiveness of our immune system.
Pau d’arco is very useful in treating and relieving colds, flu, herpes and hepatitis due to its antiviral properties. It is therefore an excellent alternative or synthetic, prescription or over-the-counter cold and flu “treatment” that often only suppresses the symptoms without actually curing the cause, or the risk of unwanted, sometimes harmful, side effects, e.g. B. drowsiness, etc., harbors.
With our concerns about the unwanted side effects of prescription antibiotics, ie destroying beneficial bacteria or becoming ineffective due to bacterial mutations, we are able to find a powerfully effective natural antibiotic alternative in Pau d’Arco. Like many natural remedies, Pau d’Arco has many general health benefits beyond its specific intended use. For example, when we use pau d’arco to relieve a cold, we also benefit from its purifying effects on our blood and liver, fighting yeast infections, eliminating intestinal parasites, etc. We also benefit from its general immune-boosting properties the treatment of a specific health condition. Once again we benefit from the experience and wisdom of the indigenous people who discovered and developed the use of pau d’arco, another powerful gift of nature, a natural antibiotic.
Thanks to Jennifer L Kays
