{"id":4410,"date":"2022-01-05T09:29:03","date_gmt":"2022-01-05T14:29:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cuscojourneys.com\/blog\/?p=4410"},"modified":"2025-02-11T15:26:57","modified_gmt":"2025-02-11T20:26:57","slug":"medicinal-secrets-of-the-amazon-rainforest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cuscojourneys.com\/blog\/medicinal-secrets-of-the-amazon-rainforest","title":{"rendered":"Medicinal Secrets of the Amazon Rainforest"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"MedicinalThe Peruvian Amazon Rainforest<\/strong><\/a> is full of yet-to-be-discovered medicines and chemicals\u00a0coveted by scientists worldwide. But indigenous people in the Amazon<\/strong>, of course, have known the power of rainforest plants for thousands of years! During your trip visit to the our\u00a0lodges. To give you a taste of these traditional healing practices, I\u2019ve included seven of the most important medicinal plants used in\u00a0Tambopata<\/strong>, Manu<\/strong> and around the Amazon basin.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Ayahuasca<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Ayahuasca\"In Quechua,\u00a0Ayahuasca<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(Banisteriopsis caapi) means \u201cvine of the soul\u201d or \u201cvine of the dead.\u201d In recent years, the plant has received worldwide attention \u2014 both good and bad \u2014 as a psychedelic drug that travelers seek out for a bohemian \u201ctrip.\u201d But the reality of Ayahuasca is much closer to that original meaning. <\/span><\/p>\n

For centuries, probably longer, Amazonian indigenous people<\/strong><\/a> have macerated and boiled the plant to use in\u00a0sacred, ritual practice. Shamans use Ayahuasca to connect their patients with the spiritual realm or their ancestors, and for other medicinal purposes.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Chacruna<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"While many people think of Ayahuasca as a single, psychotropic plant, Shamans in the Tambopata<\/strong> area actually mix the vine with\u00a0Chacruna, a small shrub, for spiritual ceremonies. Chacruna (Psychotria viridis) contains the hallucinogenic chemical\u00a0DMT, which mixes with the MAOI anti-depressant compound in Ayahuasca to make a potent brew.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, this combination of the Ayahuasca and Chacruna plants (or similar plants with DMT) has reached far beyond the Amazon<\/strong> itself. Several churches and spiritual movements, most notably the Brazilian Santo Daime Church, have spread\u00a0Ayahuasca\u2019s psychedelic practice worldwide. <\/span><\/p>\n

The use of the plants has incited controversy and challenging legal and cultural questions: What tensions may exist between indigenous people using the Ayahuasca brew traditionally, and North Americans and Europeans using it to have a personal psychedelic journey? Should the plants\u2019 use be legal internationally?<\/span><\/p>\n

3. U\u00f1a de Gato or Cat\u2019s claw<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"MedicinalThe tall vines of\u00a0U\u00f1a de Gato<\/strong>\u00a0curve upwards around tree trunks, with tiny, twisted green thorns under the leaves \u2014 giving rise to the plant\u2019s name,\u00a0\u201cCat\u2019s Claw\u201d\u00a0in English. Amazonian peoples use U\u00f1a de Gato\u2019s roots as a \u201ccure-all\u201d medicine for everything from\u00a0rheumatism pain to toothaches, deep injuries to ulcers. <\/span><\/p>\n

Since European scientists encountered the Amazon plant in 1830, it\u2019s become common around the globe. Several varieties serve different healing purposes in North America and Europe, and a different type is common in Chinese medicine. Today, U\u00f1a de Gato is a\u00a0popular herbal supplement, and scientists have begun to study the root. <\/span><\/p>\n

So far, they\u2019ve discovered that the plant may help regulate the immune system, have anti-inflammatory properties, and possibly fight viruses or bacteria as well! One of U\u00f1a de Gato\u2019s traditional uses is slightly less, well,\u00a0medical<\/em>, but perhaps just as useful: in the Peruvian Amazon<\/strong><\/a>, some consider it an\u00a0aphrodisiac.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Achiote or Annatto<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Achiote\"You might not recognize\u00a0Achiote\u2019s\u00a0spiky, bright red fruit at first glance, but if you\u2019ve traveled in Latin America, chances are you\u2019ve tasted it! Cooks add the crushed seeds of the Achiote tree (Bixa orellana) to dishes to give them\u00a0yellow or orange color, along with a slightly peppery, nutty flavor. <\/span><\/p>\n

But Achiote<\/strong>, also called Annatto, is much more than a tasty ingredient. Amazonian indigenous groups have used it for\u00a0ritual body painting, sunscreen, insect repellent, and more. Some people use the leaves as well, boiling them to treat fevers or speed up the healing of wounds. <\/span><\/p>\n

Recently, scientists have studied Achiote more formally, and so far they\u2019ve found that it contains\u00a0carotenoids, calcium, and folates. The plant may also have antioxidant effects.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Sanipanga<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Sanipanga\"Sanipanga\u00a0is another natural dye of the Amazon, with leaves that can turn the skin a semi-permanent purple color. Among some indigenous groups, a spiritual belief is attached to the plant as well. If you can\u00a0extract the purple color\u00a0from the Sanipanga<\/strong> (Picramnia sp.) leaf by rubbing it into your fingers, you carry good spirits within you. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you fail to extract the color, on the other hand,\u00a0 you might have bad spirits! Traditionally, the plant also has an\u00a0antiseptic effect\u00a0when rubbed into skin or wounds.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Matico<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Matico\"The colorful flowers of the\u00a0Matico plant<\/strong>\u00a0are eye-catching, but it is 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 often\u00a0boil the leaves in a tea\u00a0to help with inflammation, body aches, or coughs. <\/span><\/p>\n

Now, scientists and companies outside of the region have woken up to the plant\u2019s usefulness too! Researchers have confirmed the ways Amazon peoples use Matico, finding that it has\u00a0analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, and can help to quickly heal scars or wounds.<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Cordoncillo<\/span><\/strong><\/span>\"Cordoncillo\"In a traditional Medicinal Plant Garden, our guests may get the chance to chew on the\u00a0Cordoncillo\u00a0leaf, producing a slightly numbing effect many compare to Novocain. In fact, the Ese Eja People and other groups use it for exactly this reason! Cordoncillo has a variety of traditional<\/strong> uses, including\u00a0disinfecting wounds, treating respiratory illnesses, stopping blood hemorrhages, and treating gallstones. <\/span><\/p>\n

Since the 1800s, the plant has become known globally as a hemostatic (to control\/stop bleeding) and as an astringent for cuts.\u00a0<\/span>Several details from transportation to hotel reservations go into planning a Peru trip.<\/span>\u00a0Contact us<\/span><\/strong><\/a>, and our Travel Advisors will use their travel expertise to plan a vacation customized just for you.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Peruvian Amazon Rainforest is full of yet-to-be-discovered medicines and chemicals\u00a0coveted by scientists worldwide. But indigenous people in the Amazon, of course, have known the power of rainforest plants for thousands of years! During your trip visit to the our\u00a0lodges. To give you a taste of these traditional healing practices, I\u2019ve included seven of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4411,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4410","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sin-categoria-en"],"views":2462,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cuscojourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4410","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cuscojourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cuscojourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cuscojourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cuscojourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4410"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.cuscojourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4410\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6987,"href":"https:\/\/www.cuscojourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4410\/revisions\/6987"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cuscojourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cuscojourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4410"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cuscojourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4410"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cuscojourneys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4410"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}