Herb Profile

Pau D'Arco

Handroanthus impetiginosum

Pau D'arco (Handroanthus impetiginosum) carries a Grade C rating — limited evidence.

Last reviewed: •3 sources citedReport a correctionProfile-wide ·C Limited

Use extra caution — Use conservatively; concentrated use may be irritating. Details

Evidence
Limited Evidence
Typical onset
Varies by prep
Safety rating
High caution
Best for
Immune, Antimicrobial, Inflammatory signaling
Avoid / review if
Pregnancy Or Breastfeeding Or Use In Children Without Clinician Guidance
Pau D'Arco monograph visual
Generated profile category visual

At a glance

From this profile's structured data
Evidence
Grade C
Safety
Use conservatively; concentrated use may be irritating.
Profile context
immune, antimicrobial
Next steps

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Safety

Safety & Cautions

Use conservatively; concentrated use may be irritating.

High caution

Caution level: High. Multiple caution categories apply, or the record uses avoid/contraindication language.

  • Interaction-AwareMedication or interaction context is explicitly noted.
  • Liver-SensitiveLiver-related caution language appears in the profile.
  • Anticoagulant CautionBleeding or anticoagulant-adjacent caution language is present.
  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding CautionPregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Detailed safety fields

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and contraindications

  • Pregnancy Or Breastfeeding Or Use In Children Without Clinician Guidance

Safety classifications

  • Interaction-Aware: Medication or interaction context is explicitly noted.
  • Liver-Sensitive: Liver-related caution language appears in the profile.
  • Anticoagulant Caution: Bleeding or anticoagulant-adjacent caution language is present.
  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution: Pregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.

Full safety note

  • Use conservatively; concentrated use may be irritating.

Safety labels

  • Interaction-Aware
  • Liver-Sensitive
  • Anticoagulant Caution
  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution

Evidence-based safety

Caution when combined

Severity and certainty are shown separately. A high-priority caution can still be theoretical: these pairings are screened from shared contraindication mechanisms and are not automatically documented clinical interactions. Provenance identifies the source fields that produced each flag; it does not upgrade the certainty of the pairwise claim.

High-Priority Caution

147 flagged pairings

Bleeding / anticoagulant risk

Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.

Bleeding / anticoagulant riskCertainty: Theoretical

Data provenance recorded for 147 of 147 pairings in this mechanism group.

+135 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.

Evidence

Evidence Summary

Evidence lens

Read as directional context, not settled clinical proof.

LimitedLimited Evidence

Human clinical evidence: Not the primary signal

Mechanistic / preclinical: Mechanism mapped — Inflammatory Signaling Modulation · Immune Signaling Modulation

Research maturity: Theoretical / mechanistic research — Mechanistic or unresolved evidence is kept separate from established human outcomes.

Safety boundary: Safety note available — Use conservatively; concentrated use may be irritating.

This profile cites 3 human studies.

Study design details
Evidence Grade

Grade C: Limited Evidence

Evaluation of methodological rigor, population reach, and evidence alignment.

Design Match
Narrative review
Risk of Bias
High
Consistency
Not assessed
Strongest recorded design is a narrative review, drawn from 2 recorded studies, none of which measured an outcome in people.
How evidence grades work

Each grade reflects the strength and consistency of published human evidence — not marketing claims. Grades are based on study count, design quality, effect size, consistency, and recency.

Strong
Multiple RCTs, consistent direction, adequate effect size
Moderate
Some RCTs or consistent observational data in humans
Preliminary / Mixed
Animal or in-vitro only, or conflicting human data
Traditional / Theoretical
Traditional use only; no controlled human trials
Clinical Study Summaries (3)0 human evidence sources · 0 human trials · Participant totals not consistently reported · Consistency not yet classifiable

Filter by study class

Showing 3 of 3 studies.

What the evidence actually shows

This table contains 3 structured sources, including 0 human evidence sources; 0 are human trials.

StudyDesignNDoseDurationPopulationOutcomeResult & magnitudeSource

Red Lapacho (Tabebuia impetiginosa)--a global ethnopharmacological commodity?

Gómez Castellanos JR et al. · J Ethnopharmacol · 2009

Background
Narrative review

Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review.

——————PubMed →

The use of herbal medicine in cancer-related anorexia/ cachexia treatment around the world

Cheng KC et al. · Curr Pharm Des · 2012

Background
Narrative review

Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review.

——————PubMed →

Pau d'arco activates Nrf2-dependent gene expression via the MEK/ERK-pathway

Richter M et al. · J Toxicol Sci · 2014

Background
Other / unclear

The study design is not yet classified clearly enough to infer its place in the evidence hierarchy.

——————PubMed →

Dosing & Timing

No standardized dose
Preparation specific; use standardized product label for Preparation varies by tradition and product form and require source backed dosage review before therapeutic claims.
How Pau D'Arco works

Simplified mechanism pathway based on preclinical and pharmacological evidence. Does not confirm clinical efficacy.

Mechanism Pathway — How Pau D'Arco Works

How Pau D'Arco WorksPau D'Arco acts on biological target pathways via anti inflammatory, leading to immune defense.Pau D'ArcoBiological TargetBiological pathwayAnti InflammatoryImmune DefensePathogen resistanceImmune ModulationParallel pathway
CompoundTarget / ReceptorMechanismEffect / Outcome
Mechanisms & biological pathways (preclinical)
  • Inflammatory Signaling Modulation
  • Immune Signaling Modulation

Compare related active botanicals

Explore botanicals with similar chemistry, effects, or safety considerations in the Botanical Activity Atlas.

Compare & Sourcing

Compare side-by-side tradeoffs or verify active marker guidelines.

Safety first · Harm reduction

This information is educational and not medical advice. Start low, avoid risky combinations, and consult a licensed clinician before making health decisions—especially if you use medications, have diagnosed conditions, or are pregnant/breastfeeding.

Learn how we evaluate confidence, safety, and intensity on the methodology page.

Editorial Review

Checked against primary sources, cited evidence, and contraindication language before publication. Evidence claims, safety language, and affiliate modules are reviewed independently. Not personal medical advice.

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