PAU D'ARCO (also called Lapacho) CLINICALLY EFFECTIVE AGAINST MRSA, studies show |
Letter from the Desk of Graeme Lewis - expert in herbs from the Amazon Brighton 4th May, 2005 The problem of multi-resistent bacteria The concern over multi-resistant bacteria is growing. The true scale of the problem is hard to evaluate - and it is one that is making the prospect of a hospital admission a scary thing to many people. In a recent article in the Times newspaper (April 13th) Dr Thomas Stuttaford concluded that "There are many causes for these infections, one of the most obvious is that in hospitals around 50 percent of patients are taking antibiotics." Dr Stuttaford goes on to conclude that the elderly and the very young are more at risk, as "Anyone over 60 has an immune system which is past its best; by the time they are 65 it is obviously beginning to fail." The main risks are associated with contracting the all too prevalent Staphyloccus aureus strains that have become methicillin-resistant and sensitive (abbrev. MRSA and MSSA). Of course - bed infections have been a huge problem in the past, but for a thirty year period the problem was all but eliminated. However, for various reasons these bugs are back and many have developed drug resistance. The problem is leading to a re-evaluation of traditional anti-microbial medicinal plants, and a worldwide search for candidates for further research. In Vitro study reveals two actives of Pau d'Arco with anti-bacterial action against MRSA |
Research conducted at the Univeridade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, into the anti-microbial activity of 14 traditional Brazilian healing plants, revealed that Pau d'Arco, the Inca 'Tree of Life' - known to botany as Tabebuia avellanedae, contained two naphthoquinones that exhibited antibacterial activity against all Staphyloccus aureus strains tested. These included the isolates of a prevalent Brazilian strain, plus two ATCC reference strains. In the in-vitro study, semi-synthetic furanonaphthoquinones (FNQs) showed lower anti-bacterial activity than the natural naphthoquinones found in the ancient Incan remedy. The team at Rio de Janeiro University concluded that "…these natural products can be effective potential candidates for the development of new stategies to treat MRSA." * *In vitro activity of Brazilian medicinal plants, naturally occurring naphthoquinones and their analogues, against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus T. B. Machado, A.V. Pinto, M.C.F.R. Pinto, I.C.R. Leal, M.G. Silva, A.C.F. Amaral, R.M. Kuster and K.R. Netto-dos Santos International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, Vol 21, Issue 3, March 2003 | Pau d'Arco (also called Lapacho) as preventative medicine - the Inca were right |
Of course, mankind has lived with parasites, microbes, viruses and fungal infections for millennia, long before the development of broad spectrum antibiotics. From Paraguay to Brazil, the peoples of South America have always relied on the infusions of the heartwood of the 'Divine tree' or the 'Tree of life' - Pau d'Arco, to protect them. One local indigenous word for the herb is Tajy 'to have strength and vigour.' None of these labels are particularly over the top when you realise that this sacred Inca plant has been shown to contain at least 20 useful actives - and whole extracts of the plant have shown strong in-vitro activity against 11 fungus and yeast strains (including Candida), and against many bacterial infections, including H-Pylori, Tuberculosis, Brucella, Aspergillus and Streptococcus infections. The whole herb has also shown, in clinical studies, anti-viral properties against various viruses including Herpes I and II, influenza, and the polio virus. Its anti-parasitic action has been confirmed against malaria, schistosoma and trypanosama. And the list goes on. The leader of Inca culture - the great Inca, employed a 'healer' whose job was not merely to treat the leader when he became ill, but to 'keep him in balance,' and help prevent illness by promoting kalpa or 'strength.' One of the chief herbs used was the 'Tree of life.' Maybe now is the time to re-adopt these 2,000 year old 'alternative' principles again. Pau d'Arco has long been treasured in herbal medicine for its efficacy against Candida Albicans and viral infections, but it appears that for many admitted into hospital - particularly the old and very young, Pau d'Arco could provide needed extra protection from the new generation of superbugs. Yours sincerely Graeme Lewis, Managing Director Rio Health Rio Pau d'Arco is currently the strongest preparation on the worldwide market Rio only use well identified herbal material | 
