You may not recognize the name lapacho tea immediately, particularly if you're used to other common names such as trumpet bush tea, Ipes, taheebo, Pau d'arco and Ipe Roxo. You make the tea by brewing the inner bark of the tree. It's been part of Central and South American herbal remedies since the time of the Incas and provides over 1,000 years of history in their medical world. Today, however, modern scientists find there are curative properties in Lapacho tea.
Cancer Treatment
While the United States National Cancer Institute note there are substances in the tea that may prove beneficial for cancer treatment, delaying its onset or preventing it, but there are also problems with the use of it for treating cancer. The amount of active ingredients contained in a few cups of tea is not enough to provide high enough blood levels of the substances to make any impact. If you drank enough to do that, you'd find yourself with side effects. These include diarrhea, dizziness, nausea, anemia and vomiting. While these may seem similar to the side effects of chemotherapy, no clinical study shows it is effective as a cancer treatment. However, some herbalists use it as a preventive treatment.
Immune System Aid
Just like Echinacea, Lapacho tea or Taheebo helps build the immune system to fight off colds, fevers and the flu. Also like Echinacea, you shouldn't take it for extended periods without taking a break after a few weeks. It helps stop respiratory symptoms and has an effect on other infectious diseases.
The tea has antimicrobial properties as well as antiviral and antifungal ones. Because of that, it's effective in treating conditions such as Candida, which includes vaginal yeast infections. Some herbalists use it as putative treatment to increase the energy flow when combating HIV or the side effects of the virus.
Topical Applications
Used as a topical application, lapacho tea is effective treatment for insect bites, minor skin injuries, burns and even psoriasis.The antimicrobial and antifungal properties help heal the area and prevent infection. Some use it to promote the healing of boils.
Active Ingredient in Taheebo
One active ingredient that does the healing is lapachol. Use of the isolated phytochemical has been found effective in reducing skin irritation, respiratory problems, Parkinson's disease, osteomyelitis, lupus, many infectious diseases as well as dysentery, burns and yeast infections.
The second healing compound in the tea, beta-lapachon, has anti-inflammatory and antimalarial properties as well as boosting the activity of the immune system. Its antimicrobial properties kill bacteria, parasites, fungus and viruses. Both active ingredients also act as powerful antioxidants that help prevent damage from free radicals.
Alternative Medicine Speaks
The "Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database" describes taheebo as a general tonic and blood builder. Many use the tea for ailments such as smoker's cough, warts, cystitis, hernias, cholorosis, liver ailments, allergies, diabetes and gastritis. Some people find that it helps treat diseases caused by inflammation such as arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease as well as rheumatism.
Anticoagulant
Lapacho tea has anti-clotting properties that make it risky to use when taking anticoagulant drugs such as Coumadin or Warfarin Sodium, and Plavix. Because of the anti clotting property, it is usually recommended not to drink the tea for a minimum of two weeks before a surgical procedure.
