Bamboo charcoal

It is typically made from the culms or refuse of mature bamboo plants and burned in ovens at temperatures ranging from 600 to 1,200 °C (1,100 to 2,200 °F).

[8] Wood vinegar (called pyroligneous acid) is a byproduct of pyrolysis with applications in cosmetics, insecticides, deodorants, food processing, and agriculture.

Proponents claim that bamboo charcoal can be used for teeth whitening, skin cleansing, anti-aging, lowering cholesterol, improving digestion, and curing hangovers.

[13][14] While activated carbon, which may be manufactured from bamboo charcoal, is used in medicine to absorb ingested poisons, there is little or no evidence to back up any of these claims.

Wood vinegar from bamboo is also used in alternative medicine, with claims that it can be used for wound care, insect and snake bites, lowering cholesterol, and "detoxification".

The dark color of the pads following overnight exposure was found to be the result of sweat reacting with the wood vinegar and was not due to any absorbed "toxins".