Background

• Tabebuia, commonly called taheebo or pau d'arco, is a genus of tropical plants native to the rainforests of Central and Southern America. Several Tabebuia species are currently threatened, vulnerable, or endangered due to logging and expanding agriculture.
• The indigenous peoples of the South American rainforest have used pau d'arco medicinally for hundreds of years. The traditional use of pau d'arco may predate the Incan civilization.
• Pau d'arco has traditionally been used as a folk medicine to treat bacterial infections, cancer, blood coagulation, inflammatory diseases, and peptic ulcers. The bark of Brazilian Tabebuia is most commonly used for yeast infections, viral infections (flu), immune problems, and cancer.

References

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• Byeon, SE, Chung, JY, Lee, YG, et al. In vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory effects of taheebo, a water extract from the inner bark of Tabebuia avellanedae. J Ethnopharmacol 9-2-2008;119(1):145-152.
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• de Cassia da Silveira E Sa and de Oliveira, Guerra M. Reproductive toxicity of lapachol in adult male Wistar rats submitted to short-term treatment. Phytother Res 2007;21(7):658-662.
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• Felicio, AC, Chang, CV, Brandao, MA, et al. Fetal growth in rats treated with lapachol. Contraception 2002;66(4):289-293.
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• Kim, SO, Kwon, JI, Jeong, YK, et al. Induction of Egr-1 is associated with anti-metastatic and anti-invasive ability of beta-lapachone in human hepatocarcinoma cells. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2007;71(9):2169-2176.
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• Kung, HN, Yang, MJ, Chang, CF, et al. In vitro and in vivo wound healing-promoting activities of beta-lapachone. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2008;295(4):C931-C943.
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• Lee, JI, Choi, DY, Chung, HS, et al. beta-lapachone induces growth inhibition and apoptosis in bladder cancer cells by modulation of Bcl-2 family and activation of caspases. Exp Oncol 2006;28(1):30-35.
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• Queiroz, ML, Valadares, MC, Torello, CO, et al. Comparative studies of the effects of Tabebuia avellanedae bark extract and beta-lapachone on the hematopoietic response of tumour-bearing mice. J Ethnopharmacol 5-8-2008;117(2):228-235.
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• Twardowschy, A, Freitas, CS, Baggio, CH, et al. Antiulcerogenic activity of bark extract of Tabebuia avellanedae, Lorentz ex Griseb. J Ethnopharmacol 8-13-2008;118(3):455-459.
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