The remarkable plants of the Amazon rainforest – and what they can heal

TThe Amazon rainforest is the most abundant greenhouse on the planet with over 80,000 species of plants. It is also the largest medicine cabinet in the world, with about 25% of all drugs used to date come from plants in the rainforest. Most cruises offer the opportunity to take a walk in the jungle with a botanist or meet a shaman (a doctor or a woman) to learn about the medicinal properties of plants used for centuries by Amazonian tribes to cure all kinds of ills.

Here are 15 that you can meet (although there are thousands of others) so you can impress your fellow cruisers with your knowledge.

L & # 39; achiote

The quills, red fruits and seeds of this achiote plant have long been used by indigenous groups in the Amazon for ritual body painting, sunscreen, insect repellents, etc. The leaves are also boiled to treat fever or heal wounds.

ayahuasca

Ayahuasca has been administered as a tribal relay for thousands of years. Recent scientific research suggests that it could potentially reduce depression, anxiety, and minor psychiatric symptoms.

Cat's claw

The cat's claw sticks around the trunks with tiny green spines – hence its name. The Amazon uses its roots to cure everything from rheumatism to toothache, cuts and bruises.

Raccoon cola

Raccoon cola (rat tail) is the unlikely name of a plant used to help relieve indigestion. It is said that it relieves abdominal bloating, wind, acid reflux, diarrhea and bronchitis. The root is also ground and applied as a poultice on burns, bruises and smelly feet.

Cordoncillo

Cordoncillo is an anesthetic. By chewing the leaves, your mouth becomes numb. Rub it on a wound for the same effect. The plant has various other traditional uses, including wound disinfection, treatment of respiratory diseases, cessation of hemorrhages, and treatment of gallstones.

jaborandi

Jaborandi is used by Guarani in Brazil to treat mouth ulcers, fight colds and flu, as well as treat gonorrhea and kidney stones.

Lapacho

Lapachois used in modern medicine to treat cancer, relieve pain caused by chemotherapy and fight infections. The bark of Tawari tree also has anticancer properties and is useful for treating infections, reducing cancer cells, tumors and inflammation. 70% of plants with anticancer properties exist only in the Amazon and are only two of them.

matico

The inhabitants of Amazon boil matico leaves and turn them into tea to relieve muscle aches, sore throats, coughs and other common ailments.

So do

Sodo is an aromatic plant that is supposed to cure addiction to alcohol and cigarettes. So throw those patches to nicotine.

Canellila

Canellila is often used to treat women with ovarian cysts and is also thought to be one of the medicinal herbs that may increase the risk of conception.

Brazilian ginseng

Brazilian ginseng is an aphrodisiac, a healing tonic, an energetic stimulant and an activator of the immune system.

Shapumvilla

Shapumvilla is thought to have coagulant properties that stop bleeding. Very handy if you have cuts when exploring the Amazon rainforest.

Curare

Curare has a toxic bark that native hunters have used for centuries as arrow poison. In modern medicine, the d-turbocharine alkaloid has been isolated from this deadly plant and used to treat multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and other muscular disorders. But do not worry: curare poisoning can cause paralysis.

Sangre de Grado

Grado's blood comes from the croton lechleri ​​tree. Cut off the bark and a thick, red latex infiltrates. The locals apply it on wounds to stem the flow of blood. In modern medicine, a chemical substance in the grado, SP-303, is used in the treatment of diarrhea.

Quinine

Quinine was the first effective drug used to treat malaria. It was originally discovered by the Quechua tribe, who mixed the ground bark of cinchona trees with sweet water to avoid chills in cold weather, and the mixture of Bark and water became known as tonic. This is the bitter taste of the quinine antimalarial tonic that pushed the British colonials to mix it with gin.

Botanical cruises in the Amazon

The best remedy

Study medicinal plants during forest walks during a 12-day cruise between Rio and the Amazon in Manaus, Brazil, aboard the Tucano Motor Yacht at different dates in 2020 from £ 3,460 (additional flights) with Tribes Tailormade Travel (01473 890499; tribes.co .uk / Brazil / rio-and-amazon-cruise).

A dose of culture

Discover the medicinal plants and customs of Kichwa women during an eight-day cruise in the Ecuadorian equatorial forest aboard the Amazon Explorer Manatee departing from Quito on different dates in 2019/20. From 3,931 pp / £ 3,047 (additional flights) with Adventure Life (0808 134 9943; adventure-life.com).

Jungle therapies

Jungle Treks offers a five-day cruise aboard the luxurious Delphin I for 12 pbadengers, from Iquitos, Chile. Starting from $ 5,500 (£ 4,197), full board, drinks and all excursions included (flights not included). Delfin Amazon Cruises (+51 1 7190998; delfinamazoncruises.com).

Natural remedies

A six-day cruise on the Amazon River and the Negro Clipper River aboard the MV Premium departing from Manaus (Brazil), at various dates from August to November 2019, includes forest exploration tropical with naturalist guides and visiting local settlements. From US $ 1,875 pp (£ 1,407) full board, additional flights (+55 92 36561246, amazonclipper.com.br, email for 2020 dates: [email protected]).