Medicinal Plants in the Amazon Rainforest

With around 80,000 species of plants covering its square kilometres, the Amazon rainforest is home to the largest variety of plant life found anywhere in the world. And with new species discovered every time by Amazon jungle expeditions, it’s no wonder that the rainforest is home to some of the most fascinating and potentially lifesaving plants on earth.

Though not all of the jungle’s plants can be used in medicine, many rainforest species have been found to have salutary effects. From fighting cancer to soothing asthma and reducing anxiety to treating gallstones, the plants of the Amazon have hundreds of implicit medicinal uses. As we further discover the Amazon jungle, the number of applications is only set to grow.

Rainforest plants and Western medicine

Currently, around 25 Western medicines are derived from rainforest plants; still, only around 1 of the existing jungle species have been scientifically tested so far. This means that, as we learn further about the Amazon jungle and its plant life, the number of medicinal benefits could grow enormously.

What’s more, according to the US National Cancer Institute, 70 of the plants it has linked as having cancer-fighting properties are set up in the Amazon, something that's sure to attract further investment and investigation as the demand for new treatments increases.

Traditional medicine

Lapacho Though the ultramodern world is only just beginning to learn about the Amazon Jungle and its huge medicinal potential, original indigenous communities have been using rainforest plants for generations to cure a variety of ills.

It’s estimated that the people of the Amazon formerly used around 1,300 species in their traditional remedies. Though we don’t completely understand how all of these plants work, the evidence suggests that many are incredibly effective.

•          Lapacho

Important medicinal plants in the Amazon

Also known as pau d’arco, lapacho is used to relieve the pain of chemotherapy and arthritis and is effective in fighting bacteria, viruses and fungi.

Yerba mate: Important medicinal plants in the Amazon

Firstly, set up wild in the rainforests, the increased demand for yerba mate means that it’s now grown in special jungle plantations.

Yerba Mate Renowned for its good effect, yerba mate is also incredibly nutrient-rich and has long been used by native tribes in times of drought or famine.

•          Cat’s claw

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Important medicinal plants in the Amazon

Presently being delved as a possible treatment for both HIV/ AIDS and cancer, cat’s claw stimulates the immune system, helping those suffering from severe illness to fight back.

•          Ayahuasca

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In Quechua, Ayahuasca( Banisteriopsis caapi) means “ vine of the soul ” or “ vine of the dead. ” In recent years, the plant has entered worldwide attention, both good and bad, as a psychedelic medicine that travellers seek out for a bohemian 'trip. ” But the reality of Ayahuasca is much near to that original meaning. For centuries, presumably longer, Amazonian indigenous people have macerated and boiled the plant to use in sacred, ritual practice. Shamans use Ayahuasca to connect their cases with the spiritual realm or their ancestors, and for other medicinal purposes.

•         Sanipanga

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Sanipanga is another natural dye of the Amazon, with leaves that can turn the skin a semi-permanent, grandiloquent colour. Among some indigenous groups, a spiritual belief is attached to the plant as well. If you can prize the grandiloquent colour from the Sanipanga( Picramnia sp.) leaf by rubbing it into your fingers, you carry good spirits within you. However, on the other hand, you might have bad spirits! Traditionally, if you fail to prize the colour. This is another of the most important Medicinal plants in the Amazon rainforest.

•          Matico

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The various flowers of the Matico plant are eye-catching, but it's the leaves that hold their true magic. Amazon residents have long used Matico( Buddleja globosa) for muscle pain, sore throats, and other common ailments. Folks frequently boil the leaves in a tea to help with inflammation, body aches, or coughs. Now, scientists and companies outside the region have woken up to the plant’s utility, too! Researchers have verified the ways Amazon people use Matico, expecting that it has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, and can help to quickly heal scars or wounds.

As we learn further about the Amazon jungle, the number of remedies and ingredients that we discover will only increase. And with so an important rainforest yet to explore, the implicit medicinal benefits for people around the world are incredibly inspiring.