The medicinal properties of the herb..actually a South American tree..are found in the bark. As a “folk remedy”, it has been used for years for boils, colitis, diarrhea, dysentery, fever, wounds, cancer, ulcers and the list does do on. But is there any scientific basis for these claims?

The Science Behind the Herb:

I will share with you what studies have shown, for the sake of time, I have withheld references, but have them at my fingertips if you’d like to contact me by email or through posting a comment.

Analysis of the bark shows that it contains volatile oils, resins, anthraquinones and naphthoquinones. The most significant property is a naphthoquinone derivative known as lapachol. In 1968 lapachol was shown to have activity against the Walker 256 carsinosarcoma.

Other studies found that it also acted against other cancers, including Yoshida sarcoma and Murphy-Sturm lymphosarcoma. Effective levels given to humans lead to the discontinuance of human trials as side effects included moderate to severe nausea, vomiting, anemia and the tendency to bleed.

Being related to vitamin K, it can thin the blood. However, the head of the study claims that political and economic pressure lead to the discontinuance of studies more than side affects. Later studies in the 1970′s showed evidence that lapachol was active against lymphocytic leukemia.

My personal interest in the herb is more related to it’s antimicrobial activity, not taking it in the amounts needed for conditions like cancer. Some of the organisms shown to be affected by this activity include candida, staphylococcus, trichophyton, malaria, tuberculosis and dysentery. Lapochol and xyloidine, other actives from the pau d’arco, have shown significant anti-fungal activity. Studies have continued, and more positive findings have surely come in since the documentation I have been using for this post.

This is one of the very first herbs I started to use when I first discovered the health benefits of herbs.

Please contact me with a comment if you would like fact sheets about the following, I moderate posts and will not publish the post if you prefer.

Pau d’Arco Capsules

Paw d’Arco Extract

Taheebo (Pau d’Arco) Tea

About 11 years ago, a little after Mother’s Day I was just leaving a retreat for women, and received a call that my Mom had been rushed to the hospital in pain. Her blood work was terrible, liver swollen, lungs holding fluid, and more, and to make a long story short, within 24 hours she was diagnosed with acute leukemia. For weeks she was in the hospital, and for some time after received treatment for this cancer, but the ending of our story is a happy one. She went into a complete remission, and is still with us today, thanks to good care from her doctors, and answers to many prayers.

I am sure that there is not a single person reading this that has not in some way been touched by cancer, if not personally, than by knowing someone with this disease.

I do not have any quick or magic cures to offer you, but I do have something to tell you about that has been helpful. First, know that I am not a doctor, and that I focus on things from the perspective of nutrition. I also believe God answers the prayers of those who put their faith and trust in the One true God, our creator, who knows more about our bodies than we ever could.

Among the many plants that God has given us that benefit our health, He has provided a wonderful plant called Paw Paw. Paw paw contains properties that deprive cancer cells of the energy they need to grow and reproduce, and unlike chemotherapy, it does this without harming healthy cells. This is not just another “magic bullet”, it is something that has been studied for many years.

Paw paw contains compounds called “annonaceous acetogenins” that, in layman’s terms, “convince” cells to self-destruct. When you use Paw paw, it has to be used correctly, there are herbs and supplements you should avoid while using it, and if you are already in treatment, that has to be taken into consideration. I do have a lot more information, including more scientific explanations, about this wonderful herb that I can send to you by email…the information is in pdf format, opened by Adobe which most computers have. Please click here to email me and I will be glad to send you this information.

The Paw-Paw product I suggest is Paw Paw Cell Regulator and can be found popular Parasite Cleansing Program.  Please contact me for a fact sheet on these items at nutritionist[at]happynutritionist.com.