The remarkable plants of the Amazon rainforest and what they may cure

The Amazon rainforest is the most abundant greenhouse on the planet with more than 80,000 plant species. It is also the world’s largest medicine cabinet, with around 25 per cent of all drugs used today derived from rainforest plants. Most cruises offer the chance to take a jungle walk with a botanist or to meet a shaman (a medicine man or woman) to learn about the medicinal properties of plants used for centuries by Amazonian tribes to cure all sorts of ailments.

Here are 15 you may come across (though there are thousands more) so that you may impress fellow cruisers with your knowledge.

The Achiote

The Achiote plant’s spiky, red fruit and seeds have long been used by Amazonian indigenous groups for ritual body painting, sunscreen, insect repellent and more. The leaves are also boiled to treat fevers or heal wounds.

Ayahuasca 

Ayahuasca has been administered as a tribal pick-me-up for many thousands of years. Recent scientific research suggests that it has the potential to reduce depression, anxiety and minor psychiatric symptoms.

Cat's claw

Cat’s claw attaches itself around tree trunks with tiny green thorns — hence its name. Amazonian people use its roots to cure everything from rheumatism and toothaches to cuts and bruises.

Cola de raton

Cola de raton (Rat’s tail) is the unlikely name of a plant used to help relieve indigestion. It is said to give relief to abdominal bloating, wind, acid reflux, diarrhoea and bronchitis. The root is also crushed and applied as a poultice to burns, bruises and smelly feet.

Cordoncillo

Cordoncillo is an anaesthetic. By chewing on the leaves, your mouth goes numb. Rub it on a wound for the same effect. The plant has a variety of other traditional uses, including disinfecting wounds, treating respiratory illnesses, stopping haemorrhages and treating gallstones.

Jaborandi

Jaborandi is used by the Guarani people of Brazil to treat mouth ulcers, stave off colds and flu, and as a remedy against gonorrhoea and kidney stones.

Lapacho

Lapachoi is used in modern medicine to treat cancer, alleviate pain from chemotherapy and fight infection. Tawari tree bark also has anti-cancer properties, and is useful in treating infection, shrinking cancerous cells, tumours and inflammation. 70 per cent of plants with anti-cancer properties exist only in the Amazon, and these are just two of them.

Matico

Matico leaves are boiled and made into a tea by Amazon residents to ease muscle pain, sore throats, coughs and other common ailments.

Sodo

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

Canellila

Canellila is often used to treat women with ovarian cysts and is also believed to be one of the medicinal plants that could increase the likelihood of conception.

Brazilian ginseng

Brazilian ginseng is an aphrodisiac, healing tonic, energiser and immune system enhancer.

Shapumvilla

Shapumvilla is reckoned to have coagulant properties that stop bleeding. Very convenient if you get any cuts while exploring the Amazon rainforest.

Curare

Curare has a poisonous bark which indigenous hunters have used for centuries as an arrow poison. In modern medicine, the alkaloid d-tubocurarine has been isolated from the deadly plant and used to treat multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and other muscular disorders. But don’t meddle with it — curare poisoning can cause paralysis.

Sangre de Grado

Sangre de Grado comes from the tree croton lechleri. Cut the bark and a thick, red latex seeps out. Locals apply it to wounds to stem blood flow. In modern medicine, a chemical present in sangre de grado, SP-303, is used in the treatment of diarrhoea.

Quinine

Quinine was the first effective medicine used to treat malaria. It was originally discovered by the Quechua tribe, who mixed the ground bark of cinchona trees with sweetened water to prevent shivering in cold weather, and the mix of bark and water became known as tonic. The bitter taste of antimalarial quinine tonic is what led British colonials to mix it with gin.

Botanical Amazon cruises

Here are four of the best

The best medicine

Study medicinal plants during forest walks on a 12-day Rio and Amazon cruise to Manaus, Brazil, on board the Motor Yacht Tucanoin 2022 from £4,000pp (flights extra) with Tribes Tailormade Travel (01473 890499; tribes.co.uk).

A dose of culture 

Learn about plant remedies and other customs from Kichwa women during an eight-day cruise in the Ecuador rainforest aboard the Manatee Amazon Explorer departing Quito on various dates in 2021/22. From US$4,138p (£3,002), flights extra, with Adventure Life (0808 134 9943; adventure-life.com).

Jungle therapies

Jungle Treks feature in a five-day cruise aboard the luxurious 12-passenger Delphin I, starting in Iquitos, Peru. From US$5,700pp (£4,134), full-board, including drinks and all excursions (flights extra). Delfin Amazon Cruises (00 51 1719 0998; delfinamazoncruises.com).

Natural remedies

A six-day Amazon and Negro River cruise on board MV Premium departing Manaus, Brazil, on various dates from October to December 2021, includes rainforest exploration with naturalist guides and visiting local settlements. From US$1,875pp (£1,340) full board, flights extra (00 55 9236 561246; amazonclipper.com.br; email for 2022 dates: info@amazonclipper.com.br).

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbHLnp6rmaCde6S7ja6iaKyilsOmuI6cqa6ho5rAcK3RraCcpJWofKm71marqGWSmnqiecGoq5qmmZiurXnBrp2fZw%3D%3D