Amazonian Ethnobotany and the Search for New Drugs

摘要: Tropical rain forests offer enormous prospects for the discovery of new drugs use in Western medicine. The Amazon supports 80,000 species higher plants and a diverse Indian population. Focusing attention on those used as medicines by indigenous peoples is most efficient way identifying that contain bioactive compounds. There an urgent need more ethnobotanists ethnopharmacologists to be trained document much information possible before it are lost through destruction forest acculturation peoples. Ethnobotanical studies have identified documented early travellers; these include Paullinia yoco Ilex guayusa which stimulants been shown rich caffeine. Studies hallucinogen prepared from Banisterioposis caapi native people know add mixture lengthen intensify intoxication produced beta-carboline alkaloids plant. Three major snuffs Amazonia; they derived identified. One also has antifungal curare-like activities; chemical analysis active principles not done. Several considered prime candidates scientific study sources useful chemicals medicine or industry. These some prepare teas other infusions treatment various symptoms senile dementia.