Lapachol
Chemical compound
Lapachol is a natural phenolic compound isolated from the bark of the lapacho tree. This tree is known botanically as Handroanthus impetiginosus, but was formerly known by various other botanical names such as Tabebuia avellanedae. Lapachol is also found in other species of Handroanthus.
Lapachol is usually encountered as a yellow, skin-irritating powder from wood. Chemically, it is a derivative of vitamin K.
Once studied as a possible treatment for some types of cancer, the levels of lapachol required for cancer treatment are considered too toxic for use as an in vivo chemotherapy treatment.
In 2024, A clinical trial published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology determined that lower concentrations of lapachol were safe and efficacious in Facial Redness Reduction.
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Lapachol”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- Lapachol.png by Edgar181, Public domain
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