Dorothy FarrarLapacho
The Lapacho tree was called the “Tree of Life” by the ancient Incas because of its skin disease, infection, and other ailment-relieving properties. Even today, the indigenous peoples of South America use its bast bark as a natural remedy. In Europe, the Lapacho tree is hardly known at all.
General overview
The Lapacho tree (Tabebuia impetiginosa) is also called the Pau d’arco tree. The Incas gave it the name “Tree of Life”. The evergreen plant can be up to 700 years old and belongs to the trumpet tree family. In some places it reaches a height of 20 meters and more. Its trunk is about 80 cm in diameter and is covered with a smooth gray bark that is reddish-brown in color on the inside. The Lapacho tree has 5- to 7-lobed leaves with smaller oval, wedge-shaped, or heart-shaped leaflets.
From May to August you can admire the terminal paniculate inflorescences. They consist of three clusters of pink, white or yellow bell-shaped flowers. The Lapacho tree has an expansive, bell-shaped crown and, after flowering, forms cylindrical, hairless capsule fruits that are 12 to 56 cm long and about 3 cm wide. If you remove a piece of bark from the South American plant, it usually grows back quickly. Lapacho tea has an earthy, vanilla-like taste reminiscent of rooibos.
Occurrence and cultivation
Lapacho occurs in more than 195 species in the tropical rainforest at altitudes of up to 1,400 meters. It is found from northwest Mexico to northwest Argentina. The Lapacho prefers dry rainforest regions with deciduous trees and not so humid Amazonas areas.
Application and effect
Lapacho inner bark contains the naphthoquinone derivatives lapachol (up to 7%), lapachone, beta-lapachone as well as lignans, isocoumarin, tannins , flavonoids , iridoids, saponins , anisic acid, veratrumaldehyde, anisaldehyde, vanillin, vanillic acid, eudesmic acid and veratric acid. In addition, it can provide the human body with potassium , zinc , iron , calcium , barium, boron, iodine and strontium.
The reddish inner bark of the tropical tree is dried, crushed and made into a tea. Their naphthoquinone derivatives have proven anti-inflammatory , immune-boosting, anti-bacterial , anti-viral , anti-fungal, and metabolism and digestive properties. In addition, the patient can still benefit from the diaphoretic, pain-relieving, blood pressure-lowering, draining, calming and tonic effect of Lapacho bark.
To make the Lapacho tea, 2 teaspoons of the bark are boiled in 1 liter of water for 5 minutes and left to steep for 15 minutes. After straining, drink it lukewarm or chilled in small sips throughout the day. After the 6-week tea cure, however, you should take a break from treatment of at least 4 weeks. It is also advisable to follow the dosage recommendations exactly, otherwise side effects will occur.
People who want to use the tincture medicinally can make their own from dried Lapacho bark and double grain. Leave them in a warm place for 2 to 6 weeks and then strain them. 10 to 50 drops on a piece of sugar 2 to 3 times a day help with various diseases. Lapacho tea and tincture are used internally and externally. One soaks compresses with them and makes ablutions and partial baths with them. In addition, you can dab it pure on small puncture wounds (insects) and limited areas of skin. Processed into ointments, the Lapacho active ingredients also have a skin-care effect.
Weather help Lapacho?
importance to health
Lapacho has been used in the past and is still used today to treat and prevent many health problems. Its active ingredients inhibit the activity of the enzymes cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase and can thus prevent or even combat the development of inflammation. They reduce the growth and spread of fungi such as Candida albicans , gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and inhibit Staphylococcus aureus – it colonizes the surface of the skin – and other pathogens.
It is also highly effective against malaria parasites and microbes that cause schistosomiasis. Lapacho remedies can be used for insect bites (dapped externally as a tincture on the sting) and internally to treat and prevent stomach pain, gastritis, high blood pressure, asthma, bronchitis, illnesses with fever, rheumatism, digestive problems and nervousness.
They strengthen the immune system by stimulating the proliferation of leukocytes and, in high concentrations that are not possible in tea and tincture, even inhibit tumors: lapachol and beta-lapachone initiate controlled cell death in tumor cells, such as in vitro and Animal experiments by the US National Cancer Institute have proven it. In leukemia and HIV-1, beta-lapachone inhibits the transcription of the leukemia virus and the AIDS pathogen. Applied externally, Lapacho helps with herpes type 2, relieves psoriasis (psoriasis), facial and shingles, eczema, erysipelas and purulent wounds with the help of its naphthoquinone derivatives and contributes to the formation of new healthy skin cells.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.