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Pau d Arco
The recommended Pau d’Arco dosage depends on a number of factors such as the person’s age, health status and other conditions. Currently, there is insufficient scientific evidence to know the appropriate range of dosage for Pau d’Arco. Take note that herbal products and dietary supplements are not always completely safe: therefore proper dosing is very important. Pau d’Arco is not only limited to supplements and tea because there are already different forms of Pau d’Arco products, including liniments, tablets, salves, liquid extracts, tinctures and powders. Due to these varying preparations, the recommended dosage differs by manufacturer. However, there are a number of recommended dose prescriptions that are safe and effective for treatment of certain illnesses.
Pau d’Arco is not currently recommended for use on children as there are no known reports on its effectiveness in pediatric use. However, for adults, the most common form of Pau d’Arco administration is through decoction. It is important to extract the active ingredient Lapachol. The standard dosage is 1 cup of decocted bark, taken two to eight cups per day. The decoction is done by boiling 1 teaspoon of Lapachol extract for every cup of water within 5 to 15 minutes.
For capsule forms of Pau d’Arco, take 2 capsules of 250 mg Pau d’Arco two to three times per day. This is the typical Pau d’Arco dosage for people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome and those with HIV/AIDS, as an alternation on other immune-strengthening herbs such as goldenseal and Echinacea. When taking liquid extract, take 1 to 2 ml per serving of inner bark extract three times a day. For Pau d’Arco tincture solution with 1:5 ratio of herb to alcohol or herb to alcohol and water, you can take 20 to 30 drops, 2 to 3 times per day.
If you choose to make a tea out of Pau d’Arco bark, you have to boil or simmer it for at least eight minutes or more to extract the active ingredients since it does not easily dissolve in water. Traditionally, the recommendation is 10 to 15 grams or 2 to 3 teaspoons of inner bark (with 2 to 4% of lapachol content) simmered in 500 ml of water for about 15 minutes, three times daily. However, the chemical compounds (naphratraquinones) that are thought to cause Pau d’Arco’s medicinal effects are poorly extracted in water and as such, the teas are not commonly suggested in today’s herbal medicine. For convenience, you can purchase commercially made Pau d’Arco teabags and soak a bag in 8 oz of water. Women with vaginal yeast infection can also use the tea as a douche. For warts, apply a compress soaked in Pau d’Arco tincture to the affected area before going to sleep. Keep repeating the process until the wart disappears.
Keep in mind that taking large Pau d’Arco dosage through decoctions may cause stomach upset and nausea. Never take it in high doses unless it is being advised by your health care provider. Reduce the dosage if nausea develops. Herbalists would normally suggest whole-bark products and not only products containing lapachol since they believe that Pau d’Arco’s healing properties are derived from the complete range of the plant’s chemicals in the bark.
