Rainforest Medicine

Plants found in the tropical rainforest have medicinal value. The medicine quinine is from the bark of the cinchona tree and treats the symptoms of malaria. It was discovered in the 17th century in the South American Andes. The leaves of the rosy periwinkle is used in medicines that treat cancer. The rosy periwinkle is only found in tropical rainforest of Madagascar. A muscle relaxer, Curare, was discovered in the Amazon Rainforest. The Amazon Indians use the poisonous plants when hunting to kill animals. We use the drug derived from the plants during surgical operations to relax the muscles.

Shaman are medicine men from the tropical rainforests. Shaman have knowledge of the medicinal values that are found within the rainforests. However, the Shaman have been decreasing in number and most are seventy years old and older. As the Shaman die off, so does their knowledge. It is believed that when one Shaman dies it is as if an entire library has been destroyed. Today, many pharmaceutical companies are working with Shaman to preserve rainforests and to learn from the Shaman their wealth of knowledge about the plants of the rainforests (Rainforest Facts).

"To date many of the prescription drugs used in the western world have been derived from plants and 70% of the plants identified as having anti-cancer characteristics by the US National Cancer Institute are found only in the tropical rainforest" (Mongabay).

Rainforst Facts - http://www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm

Mongabay - http://kids.mongabay.com/elementary/303.html