"The bark and wood of the tree are used externally and internally for arthritis, pain, inflammation of the prostate gland, fever, dysentery, boils and ulcers, and various cancers. One of the easiest ways to use Taheebo / Pau d’Arco is by consuming a tea made from the inner bark…​"

By Christine Ruggeri, CHHC – Read More on DrAxe.com

What is Taheebo Tea

Taheebo/Pau d’Arco is a large canopy tree native to the Amazon rainforest and other tropical parts of South America. It grows to 30 meters high and the base of the tree can be 2-3 meters in diameter.

The common names taheebo, pau d’arco, ipê roxo and lapacho are used for several different species of Tabebuia trees that are used interchangeably in herbal medicine systems. Tabebuia impetiginosa is the preferred species employed in herbal medicine, however, it is often referred to by its other botanical name, Tabebuia avellanedae. Both refer to the same tree.

Taheebo Tea, or Pau d’Arco Tea, is derived from the inner bark of the Tabebuia impetiginosa or Tabebuia avellanedae tree. To extract the active chemicals within Taheebo requires the decoction method of brewing – boiling the bark for at least 15 minutes.

The tea has a long and well-documented history of use by the indigenous people of South America, many reports predating the Incas. South American tribes living thousands of miles apart have employed it for the same medicinal purposes for hundreds of years, including malaria, anemia, colitis, respiratory problems, colds, cough, flu, fungal infections, fever, arthritis and rheumatism, snakebite, poor circulation, boils, syphilis, and cancer.

The main plant chemicals in Taheebo include: acetaldehydes, alpha-lapachone, ajugols, anisic acid, anthraquinones, benzoic acids, benzenes, beta-lapachone, carboxaldehydes, chromium, chrysanthemin, dehydro-alpha-lapachone, dehydroisolapachone, deoxylapachol, flavonoids, furanonaphthoquinones, hydrochlorolapachol, 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-quinone, 6-hydroxy-mellein, iso-8-hydroxy-lariciresinol, kigelinone, lapachenol, lapachenole, lapachol, lapachones, menaquinones, 4-methoxyphenol, naphthoquinones, paeonidin-3-cinnamyl-sophoroside, phthiolol, quercetin, tabebuin, tectoquinone, vanillic acid, vanillin, veratric acid, veratric aldehyde, and xyloidone.

There are hundreds of published research articles on the anti-microbial, anticancerous and antileukemic actions of Taheebo/Pau d’Arco.

Available third-party research can be found at PubMed/Medline Another excellent resource is Rain-Tree.com

The native Indians of South American countries have used Taheebo/Pau d’Arco for thousands of years. The Guarani and Tupi-Nambo tribes, in particular, used great quantities of Taheebo Tea.

Several South American tribes have used Taheebo wood for centuries to make their hunting bows. The tribes called the Taheebo tree Tajy, meaning to have strength and vigour, or simply, The Divine Tree. They used the bark as a tea or tonic to treat many different conditions for the same strength and vigour it provided their bows.

Legends say that the Vikings sold the tea and believed that it originated on the moon. The Czars of Russia reportedly drank Taheebo Tea, and even Gandhi supposedly was a faithful drinker of a daily cup. The South American Indians shared the tea with early Portuguese and Spanish settlers who further spread its use.

A few of the many examples and folklore uses of Taheebo Tea: Costa Ricans take a decoction of Taheebo tea for the treatment of colds, headaches, fever and constipation. In Panama, the Taheebo bark is used as a treatment for boils, dysentery and wounds. In Guatemala, a Taheebo tea decoction of the bark is regularly given to dogs as a protection against rabies. Mexicans make a tea with the bark and leaves to reduce temperatures in fevers. Columbians use the Taheebo bark as either an infusion or decoction as a gargle for diseases of the throat and for fevers. The Bolivian Kallawaya believe that the tea purifies the blood.

Taking Taheebo in a decocted tea form — boiling the bark for at least 15 minutes — is an excellent way to ensure all the active properties are released and ingested. See our recommended brewing method.

Our Taheebo Wellness Tea is pure inner bark of the Tabebuia impetiginosa/avellanedae species of the Taheebo tree (aka Pau d’Arco tree) from Brazil. We offer our Taheebo Tea in fine tea grind, not commonly found on the market today. When brewed properly, this results in a more concentrated tea.

Our partner is one of the top botanical companies in Brazil, approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Health, regarding both sources of supply and industrial processing. The Brazilian Ministry of the Environment, IBAMA, also inspects and certifies authenticity of our tea. Upon arrival in the USA, the tea is inspected once again by US Customs and the FDA.

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.