Pau d'Arco has been used by shaman in Brazil for at least a thousand years. Its use gradually spread to other

parts of South America and beyond. Kallawaya tribal healers of Bolivia and Brazil call this bark tea tajibo. In

Peru a tea made from the inner bark, known as tarota, is used by tribal healers of the Ash?ninka, campas and

Inca tribes. Pau d'Arco tea is also used traditionally by the Huastec Mayan people of Mexico. Modern

researchers have largely focused on isolated constituents of Pau d'Arco, particularly its naphthoquinones

including lapachol and anthraquinones including tabebuin, though the combined action of all of its

constituents in simple dosage forms like hot tea have proven superior to

the actions of any isolated chemicals.