OTHER AMAZON MEDICINAL PLANTS

Traditional medicine, one of the most important expressions of the ancestral memory of the Amazonian peoples, makes use, among other practices, of a large number of plant species to cure their diseases and syndromes.

The Peruvian Amazon flora constitutes one of the largest reserves of phytotherapeutic resources. Indeed, from the first years of the encounter with Europeans, the healing properties of Peruvian medicinal plants attracted the attention of newcomers. Already in 1649 the Jesuits, in the book "Shedula Romana", published the first report on the "quina" or "cinchona", (Cinchona officinalis). Various phenolic alkaloids are obtained from this plant, among them quinine, used for more than three hundred years to cure malaria.

From those distant years to our days, numerous species have been studied, obtaining from them important biologically active compounds that have contributed to alleviating the ailments of humanity. Among the latter are "grade blood" (Croton lechleri) and "cat's claw" (Uncaria tomentosa), (U. guianensis).

Knowledge of the medicinal properties of plants is based on observation, experience, and deep knowledge of the environment. Transmitted from generation to generation and enriched by the cultural integration of the native and migrant populations, this knowledge has become popular medicine and current herbalism. This knowledge, duly systematized, should contribute to solving, in part, the health problems of the less favored population and furthest from modernity, whose possibilities of being cured are currently limited by the high cost of modern drugs.

A paradoxical situation is considered that in many cases the pharmaceutical industry starts from the basic knowledge that different human groups have developed for generations about the healing properties of plants, unfairly branded as primitive. And among them, numerous Amazonian ethnicities.

For a good use of medicinal plants, it is necessary to know correctly the species used, the form of preparation and dosage, as well as the care that must be observed. Many of the compounds present in plants act synergistically so that the combination of two or more species is a necessary condition to obtain beneficial effects.

In this context, the linking of traditional medicine with scientific medicine through ethnobotanical research, the study of active principles, and the validation of the therapeutic activity of plants will allow having regional natural resources for the treatment of diseases that commonly affect the population.

Below we will detail the local and scientific names of just a small list of an extensive and existing variety of medicinal plants of popular use within the Peruvian Amazon.

During our AMAZON MASTER PLANTS EXPEDITION, our exploratory team will do their best to conduct an extensive cover as much as they can as many local Master Plants and other Medicinal Plants of popular use in the region, of which we will reveal in depth the details on how to extract them, how to prepare them, their properties use and dosages for medicinal consumption, in such a way that their benefits are taken for our own well advantage and without compromising human health, on the contrary, its practice will be instructed based on the combination of both indigenous and scientific studies.

Local and Scientific Names

Abuta (Abuta grandifolia)

Achiote (Bixa orellana)

Achira Canna indica)

Ají (Capsicum annuum)

Ajo sacha (Mansoa alliacea)

Albaca (Ocimun basilicum L)

Algodón (Gossypium barbadense)

Amasisa (Erithryna fusca Loureiro)

Amor seco (Bidens pilosa)

Angel sisa (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)

Atadijo (Trema micrantha)

Ayahuma (Couropita guianensis)

Ayasisa (Tagetes erecta)

Azúcar huayo (Hymenaea curbaril)

Bellaco caspi (Himatanthus suucuba)

Bellaquillo (Thevetia peruviana)

Bolsa mullaca (Physalis angulata)

Caballusa (Triumfetta semitriloba)

Cacao (Theobroma cacao)

Camote (Ipomoea batatas)

Caña agria (Costus erythrocoryne)

Caña brava (Gynerium sagittatum)

Capinurí (Maquira coriacea)

Casho (Anacardium occidentale)

Catahua (Hura crepitans)

Castañilla (Terminalia catappa)

Chambira (Astrocaryum chambira)

Chanca piedra (Phyllantus urinaria)

Chiric-sanango (Brunfelsia grandiflora)

Chuchuhuasi (Maytenus macrocarpa)

Clavo huasca (Tynnanthus panurensis)

Coco (Cocos nucifera)

Cocona (Solanum sessiliflorum)

Coconilla (Solanum americanum)

Copaiba (Copaifera paupera)

Cordoncillo (Piper aduncum)

Cotochupa (Polypodium decumanum)

Cumaceba (Swartzia polyphylla)

Granadilla (Passiflora nitida)

Guanábana (Annona muricata)

Guayaba (Psidium guajava)

Guisador (Curcuma longa)

Higerilla (Ricinus comunis)

Huacapú (Minquartia guianensis)

Huacapurana (Campsiandra angustifolia)

Huayruro (Ormosia coccinea)

Huingo (Crecentia cujete)

Huito (Genipa americana)

Icoja (Unonopsis floribunda)

Ipururo (Alchornea castaneifolia)

Jergón sacha (Dracontium loretense Krause)

Gengibre (Zingiber offlicinale)

Lengua de perro (Zamia ulei)

Limón (Citrus limon)

Llantén (Plantago major)

Malva (Malachra alceifolia)

Maracuyá (Passiflora edulis)

Mataro (Senna aff. bacillaris)

Menta (Menta piperita)

Mishumurillo (Abelmoschus moschatus)

Mururé (Brosimun acutifolium)

Ñamé (Dioscorea alata)

Ñucño-pichana (Scoparia dulcis)

Ojé (Ficus insipida)

Paico (Chenopodium ambrosoides)

Pájaro bobo (Tessaria integrifolia)

Palo de rosa (Aniba roseadora)

Palta (Persea americana)

Pampa orégano (Lippia alba)

Pan del árbol (Artocarpus altilis)

Papailla (Momordica charantia)

Papaya (Carica papaya)

Patiquina (Dieffenbachia obliqua)

Piña (Ananas comosus)

Piñón blanco (Jathropa curcas)

Plátano (Musa paradisiaca)

Puspo poroto (Cajanus cajan)

Remocaspi (Aspidosperma excelsum)

Renaquilla (Clusia rosea)

Retama (Cassia alata)

Ruda (Ruta graveolens)

Sachaculantro (Eryngium foetidum)

Sachamangua (Grias peruviana)

Sanango (Tabernaemontana sananho)

Sangre de grado (Croton lechleri)

Santa María (Piper peltata)

Sauco (Sambucus mexicana)

Shimipampana (Maranta arundinacea)

Suelda con suelda (Pithyrusa adunca)

Tabaco (Nicotiana tabacum)

Tahuari (Tabebuia serratifolia)

Toé (Brugmansia aurea)

Tomate (Lycopersicon esculentum)

Tuna Opuntia (ficus-indica)

Ubos (Spondias mombin)

Uña de gato (Uncaria guianensis)

Ushaquiro (Aparisthmium cordatum)

Verbena negra (Verbena officinalis)

Verdolaga (Portulacca oleraceae)

Yahuar piri-piri (Eleuterine bulbosa)

Yerba buena (Menta spicata)

Yerba luisa (Cymbopogon citratus)

Yerba santa (Centrum hediondinum)

Yuca (Manihot esculenta)

Zapallo (Cucurbita moschata)

The information stated on this page on the benefits of indigenous ancestral alternative medicine have not been and will never be evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, simply because they will never be in favor of it. Therefore, this method of assisted personal self-healing it is not officially considered to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Be also advised that the content of this website is provided for informational purposes only, for open-minded recipients, and not from official medical advisers who only prescribe pharmaceutical medications. It is recommended to consult a professional who has wide knowledge of both, conventional and alternative medicine before the beginning of any natural program.