The Road to Enlightenment
Plant Teachers
This is an introduction to some of the medicinal and spiritual plant teachers of the Amazon. We have made every attempt to be accurate in our reporting of the information and pictorial representation. Please know that each area of the jungle has different names for the same plants, and the plants here are organized alphabetically by the common Amazonian names.
Ajo Sacha
Scientific Name: Mansoa alliacea
Indigenous names - Ajo Sacha, Lavender Garlic Vine, ajo macho, ajos del monte, bo'o-ho, be'o-ja, boens,frukutitei, niaboens, posatalu, pusanga, sacha ajo, shansque, boains.
Uses: Relieves pain, reduces inflammation, fever, kills bacteria
Spiritual properties: good for depressive states, it repairs the energy in all the body, and offers protection
Can be ingested or used in baths
Ajosquiro
Uses: Repairs the body, cleans negative energies, ingest or use in baths
Ayahuasca
Scientific Name: Banisteriopsis Caapi
Uses: Physically it cleans the stomach, is good for diarrhea and parasites, anti-inflammatory
Spiritual properties: Spiritual master plant for learning
Ingested as thick drink
Bobinzana
Scientific Name: Calliandra Angustifolia
Indigenous names: bobinsana, bobinzana, balata, bobensana, bubinianal, bubinsana, bushiglla, capabo, chipero, cigana, koprupi, kori-sacha, kuanti, neweí, quinilla blanca, semein, sháwi, yacu yutzu, yopoyo.
Uses: Rheumatism, arthritis, post partum issues, fluid
retention, cold, uterine disorders, and edema.
Spiritual properties: It is said to root the person
more closely to the natural realm, creating a good
base to spiritual development, affording spiritual
strength. The spirit of this plant arises from the
water and it presents itself like a mermaid.
Came
Uses: Good for pain, hernia, sprain
Spiritual properties: Builds up the spirit and the body
Ingested
Catahua
Scientific Name: Hura Crepitan SL
Uses: Snake bites, wound healing
Spiritual properties: Master plant that cleans the body and teaches the art of healing.
You can drink the sap or take baths
Cat's Claw
Scientific Name: Uncaria tomentosa or Uncaria guianensis
Indigenous names: Ajagke, garabato, uña de gato
Uses: kidneys, the liver, immune system, diuretic for cancer and AIDS, heart disease
Taken in form of capsules, tea and extract
Chacruna
Scientific Name: Psychotria viridis
Uses: Added to the ayahuasca to complete the effects of the brew.
Spiritual properties: Considered the "princess of the jungle"
Ingested as part of ayahuasca brew
Chiric Sanango
Scientific Name: Brunfelsia grandiflora
Indigenous names: Manacá, manacán, chiric sanango, chuchuwasha, manaka, vegetable mercury, managá caa, gambá, jeratacaca, bloom of the lent, camgaba, Christmas bloom
Uses: Arthritis rheumatism, stimulate lymphatic system, venereal disease, cold, snake bites
Spiritual properties: connection with inner self, makes us sensitive when we take it, reflection, repairs the energy of the body
Chuchuuasi
Scientific Name: Maytenus Krukovii
Indigenous names: Chuchuhuasi, chucchu huashu, chuchuasi, chuchasha, chuchuhuasha
Uses: Relieves pains, relieves inflammation, arthritis, rheumatism, arthrosis, reconstituent. Increase libido
Spiritual properties: spiritual master plant. It balances our masculine and feminine energies, it gives strength and reflection and awareness
Clavo huasca
Scientific Name: Tynanthus sp.
Indigenous names: Clavo huasca, clove vine, white clove,
clavohuasca, cipó cravo, cipó trindade
Uses: Stimulates digestion, increases libido, reconstituent
Spiritual properties: for spiritual growth
Coca
Scientific Name: Erythroxylum coca
Uses: High altitude, colic, headache aphony,
Spiritual properties: A spiritual master plant, divination, connection with the earth, gives strength and power
Guayusa
Scientific Name: Ilex guayusa
Indigenous names: Huayosa, huayusa, guayusa, guayosa
Uses: Stimulant
Spiritual properties: Takes away fear, gives courage, heals laziness, harmonize us with the jungle
Huasai
Scientific Name: Euterpe sp.
Indigenous names: Acai, açaí, acaí, acaizeiro, acaí-do-Pará, asai, ashaí, assaí, cabbage palm, cansin, chonta, guasai, hasabis, hausai, huai, jicara, juçara, manac, manaka, manicole, morroke, naidí, palisade pine, palmito, palmiteiro, panan, pina, pinau, pinot, piriá, prasara, saké, uassi, ungurahua, wasei, wapoe, yisara, yuyu chonta
Uses: diabetes, fever, hair loss, hemorrhages, hepatitis, jaundice, kidney problems, liver diseases, malaria, menstrual pain, and muscle pain
Jergon sacha
Scientific Name: Dracontium Loretense
Indigenous Names: Jergón sacha, fer-de-lance, sacha jergon, hierba del jergon, erva-jararaca, jararaca, jararaca-taia, milho-de-cobra, taja-de-cobra
Uses: HIV/AIDS, cancerous tumors, gastrointestinal problems, hernias (as a decoction applied topically), hand tremors, heart palpitations, and to enhance immune function
Lupuna blanca
Scientific Name: Ceiba sp or Ceiba pentadra
Spiritual properties: Spiritual protection. (the tallest tree in the jungle)
Misqui Panga
Scientific Name:Renealmia alpinia (Zingiberaceae)
Indigenous Names: Renealmia,
Mishqui panga
Uses: For baths and compliment of the ayahuasca. In quechua dialect, "mishqui" means tasty and "panga" leaf. Indeed, the leaves are used for authentic "patarashca", which is fish that is roasted while wrapped in mishqui panga. The leaves flavor the fish.
The ripe fruits produce a purple dye that is used for dying fibres of plants species such as Astrocaryum that are used in weaving. This dye even serves as ink for writing and the skin tattoos. The root also makes a yellow-orange dye.
Mucura
Scientific Name: Petiveria alliacia sp
Indigenous Names: Anamu, apacin, apacina, apazote de zorro, aposin, ave, aveterinaryte, calauchin, chasser vermine, congo root, douvant-douvant, emeruaiuma, garlic weed, guinea henweed, guine, guinea, guinea hen leaf, gully root, herbe aux poules, hierba de las gallinitas, huevo de gato, kojo root, kuan, kudjuruk, lemtewei, lemuru, mal pouri, mapurit, mapurite, mucura-caa, mucura, mucuracáa, ocano, payche, pipi, tipi, verbena hedionda, verveine puante, zorrillo
Uses: Restorative and anti-rheumatic
Spiritual properties: Reduces fear, bad luck
Ojé
Scientific Name: Ficus insipida
Uses: Parasites. Many preparation methods exist. The latex is often fermented with sugar cane, orange juice or aguardiente, and then taken orally.
Spiritual properties: Profound cleansing of the lower charkas
Piri-Piri
Scientific Name: Cyperus articulatus
Indigenous Names: adrue, andek, chintul, guinea rush, hadrue, huaste, ibenki, ibenkiki, jointed flat sedge, kajiji, kamaleji, karihi, mandassi, masho huaste, nihue huaste, nuni, piriprioca, piri-piri, piri piri, piripiri, priprioca, piripiri de sangre, piripiri de vibora, savane tremblante, shakó, waste, yahuar piripiri, zacoo.
Uses: Stops vomiting, diarrhea, is a sedative, calms the nerves, kills yeast
Spiritual properties: Magical properties
Renaco
Scientific Name: Ficus schultesii
Uses: Good for cuts, spots in the skin, scars, broken bones
Spiritual properties: teaches how to set bones, teaches about love.
Tobacco
Scientific Name: Nicotiania rustica
Uses: Purgative, cleans stomach
Spiritual properties: Master plant, teaches the art of healing
Toé
Scientific Name: Brugmansia suaveolens
Indigenous Names: Toé; Floripondio; Misha; Maricahua; Campana; Borachero; Toa; Maikoa (Jivaro); Chuchupanda (Amahuaca); Aiipa (Amarakaeri); Haiiapa (Huachipaeri); Saaro (Machiquenga); Gayapa y Kanachijero (Piro-Yine); Kanachiari (Shipibo-Conibo)
Uses: Infection, abcesses, tumors, spasmolytic, anti-asthmatic, anticholinergic and anesthetic
Spiritual properties: Master plant, gives vision
Ucho sanango
Scientific Name: Bonafousia undulata
Uses: resin is used for snakebites, pulp for toothaches, tonic is used for fever, colds, obesity, rheumatism and syphilis.
Spiritual properties: Acquire psychic power, strength
Ushpawasa sanango
Spiritual properties: Opens the emotions, opens the heart, provides family work, brings old childhood
memories.
Yawar Panga
Scientific Name: Aristolochia didyma
Uses: Powerful purgative, cleans the stomach and the upper charkas
Spiritual properties: Brings profound inner structures out to the surface, releases blocked energies
Yawar piri-piri
Scientific Name: Eleutherine bulbos
Uses: Antihemorraghic, dystentery, astringent