Medicinal Plants In The Amazon

Improved Essays
Forests are essential places for therapeutic plants to develop. In the long run these can be utilized as a part of medicinal research. Forest degradation has enormously reduced the accessibility of therapeutic plant species in the Brazilian Amazon. As of today, 25% of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest materials, yet just 1% of plants of the Amazon have so far been tried. Currently, over 120 drugs come from plant-derived sources. Of the 3000 plants identified by the US National Cancer Institute as active against cancer cells, 70% come from rainforests. It is important to know that many of the plants that are being affected due to harvesting do not have pharmaceutical alternatives, as of yet (Farnsworth NR, 1985). In Amazonia, …show more content…
Farnsworth (1985) revealed that at least 89 plant-derived medicines used in the industrial world were originally discovered by studying indigenous medicine. These are a few of the very common ailments that can be treated by medicinal plants: burns, coughs, severe cuts, sprains, worms, UTIs, and so forth. Burns are cured with Portulaca pilosa. Cuts are treated via an anti-inflammatory plant, copaiba oil from Copaifera spp., and this is known to be the antibiotic of nature; the oil also increases the time it takes to form a scar. Chenopodium ambrosioides is used to treat worms regularly. As far as UTIs and other urinary/kidney problems are concerned, Phyllanthus niruri is used. Many of the leading plants mentioned do not have their pharmaceutical counterparts as of now (Farnsworth NR, …show more content…
The loss of species is permanent, while the level of biodiversity may be re-established after several billions of years, the combinations of genes will be lost forever. At the current rate of deforestation, the size of the Amazon rainforest will have shrunken to just 40% within 20 years. The conservation of biodiversity not just ensures the survival of the region’s forests and rivers; it is in addition fundamental to Latin Americans ' every day lives. A study conducted by the World Bank shows that Latin American governments like Brazil allocate only about 1% of their resources for the environment to protected areas. Despite the fact that Brazil 's downward trend in deforestation has been apparent for quite some time; Over the past nine years, the rate of deforestation has dramatically decreased by 70 percent (Nepstad, D et al., 2009). The government played an essential role by implement policies and enforcement actions and intense efforts are being made to save what is left of the Amazon. In fact, Brazil extended its network of indigenous reserves and secured areas. As of today, Indigenous tribes are in control of 20 percent of the Brazilian Amazon, and an official title has been fortified for their land tenure. Brazil’s success shows that a rapid reduction in deforestation is possible. This can be interpreted as new sign of hope for the future of Brazil’s Amazonian forest and natural healthcare and most

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Mark Plotkin travels to different parts of the Amazon rainforest and collect several medicinal plants for a…

    • 864 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Brazil's first conservation prohibited the burning or destruction of forests in 1797, and the government has continued to develop further plans to protect the forests. (Pearson) Conclusion Though the introduction of European settlers, deforestation, and animal smuggling has increased the rate species endangerment in Brazil, there has been efforts to help slow down the process of animal endangerment and help conserve the rainforest in which the majority of these animals thrive in. Helping to preserve these 2,900+ animal species is making a difference for the ecosystem because the species have an irreplaceable role on the ecosystem.…

    • 1114 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    “Swallowing Rain Forest, Cities Surge in Amazon” by Simon Romero, published in New York Times on November 24 2012, argues that the impact of increase of population has caused deforestation. Romero’s ideas that Brazil has increased population has caused deforestation, energy projects bring in more people due to increase of jobs and an iron ore mine has also created more jobs are important points; his ideas that migrants moving to the jungle will repair jungle, birthrate has gone down in Brazil and 2 houses are built every hour are less useful because people moving in will cause more deforestation, the birthrate should be a little less but not will not decrease dramatically and houses can’t be built that quickly. I think this is a worthy article because it relates to Manaus and how in the State of Wonder the population has increased.…

    • 516 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Land Of Ghost Summary

    • 1009 Words
    • 5 Pages

    In his book, Land of Ghost: The Braided Lives of People and the Forest in Far Western Amazonia, David G. Campbell describes his expedition into the Amazon with men who understand the Amazon in order to collect plants on the Brazilian side and to manage two forest inventories to document changes. Campbell stated that many tribes - Poyanara, Nokini, and Naua - are “losing their traditions, languages, and cultures,” therefore, the expedition is an attempt for Campbell to understand the Amazon before what is highly at risk goes extinct: in other words, we can see from the start of his Preface Campbell’s respect for the people and the Amazon as well as his concern for their future (Campbell, p. 27-28). Further, Campbell’s style of writing is captivating and…

    • 1009 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Amazon Rainforestation

    • 652 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Every year, many plants and animal species are killed, or even put to the brink of extinction, due to Amazon Deforestation. “Forests are complex ecosystems that affect almost every species on the planet. When they are degraded, it can set off a devastating chain of events both locally and around the world.” (Bradford) By deforesting the amazon, many animals are losing their homes and food sources.…

    • 652 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Brazil Research Paper

    • 1053 Words
    • 5 Pages

    One example of an unusual plant is Curare. Curare is a poisonous plant used by tribes to stun animals and relax muscles. Brazilians use the plant Quinine to help fight malaria. The Amazon Rainforest possesses 10% of the species of the world. The destruction of the rainforest endangers jaguars, the giant otter, the harpy eagle, the hyacinth macaw, and the marsh deer.…

    • 1053 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Amazon is the largest tropical forest in the world. It is 2.124 million sq miles. The Amazon basin covers eight countries and cattle ranching is ruining the forest. Find out how cattle ranchers are ruining the forest and how it can be changed, read this article and be blown away!…

    • 1015 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Tropical deforestation is an issue that has plagued mankind since the beginning of time. It is an important component of global change and has a large influence on many different environmental issues we have today such as climate change and carbon emissions. Over a twelve year period that ended in 2012, 1.1 million km2 of tropical forest was lost, with the rate of forest loss increasing during this span. One of the largest and most biodiverse tropical forests’ in the world is the Amazon, covering an area of 5.5 million square kilometers and shared by nine countries. Brazil holds the majority of it, over 60%.…

    • 2010 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Brazil Research Paper

    • 537 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Amazon also has plenty of lush rain forests for all the animal species to thrive in. This wonderful environment that Brazil has been blessed with is one of the many reasons the country is so…

    • 537 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    This paper will examine the medicine and healing techniques of the Native American people and the historical context behind the use of these medicines. It will attempt to uncover the healing properties of traditional herbal medicines as well as the spiritual power to heal human pathologies. Specifically the paper will examine the healing properties of natural remedies including nutritional and spiritual practices used by the indigenous peoples of North America and how those practices might benefit people in today’s society. According to the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), in recent years, herbal medicines are being recognized for their efficacy and have made a significant contribution to modern Western Medicine.…

    • 1009 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the article “Mass Plant Extinctions Show The Threats From Human Exploitations”, Jowit explained that “nearly ⅔ of all threatened plant species live in tropical rainforests”. This statistic further explains the need to protect these harborers of life. To summarize, deforestation needs to be acted upon today to save our most biodiverse locations on…

    • 1063 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Amazon Rainforest’s CO2 emissions have dropped more than any other country. Brazil continues trying to reduce its impact on climate change. Image: the effect of human alterations Sustainability strategies: There are many things we can do to sustain and save the Amazon rainforest. One way can be agroforestry which is when trees are left in the area or are replanted afterwards, this is done to maintain a constant amount of trees.…

    • 917 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Yamashita illustrates the forest by saying, “...the Amazon Forest was a great decaying hothouse where all sustenance was sucked up immediately by the voracious flora and fauna, leaving nothing for the poor soil” (99). The Amazon Forest, the home to epiphytes, spiders, alligators, birds, monkeys, and millions of other species, is functioning in a cycle of life and death. Native plants and animals feed off of the fatality of others through the recycling of nutrients. Originally thought to be “virgin soil,” the ground of the rainforest has little to offer because of the lack of nutrients stored there. This natural cycle is often interrupted by humans.…

    • 1030 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Tropical Rainforest Biome

    • 529 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The medicines we get from here are big part for us because if we lose those medicines then we will lose a whole bunch of people from cancers and many other diseases. The widespread destruction of tropical rainforest ecosystems is destroying many animals and plants we get medicines from. These drugs had an estimated retail value of US $43 billion in 1985. About 4,000 plant species have been shown to offer possibilities. There are many different animals that live in the Tropical Rainforest such as Anacondas, Toucans and Piranhas.…

    • 529 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Deforestation Of The Amazon

    • 1774 Words
    • 8 Pages
    • 7 Works Cited

    With the invasion of the Amazon, these ethnic groups now need to share the forests with a growing number of settlers who seek to tap into the Amazon’s considerable natural resources. Hunter-gatherer groups were once generally nomadic, living in small settlements for a couple of years until the resources were exhausted. Because of land colonization by non-indigenous people, many local groups were forced into sedentary lifestyles. These changes not only destroy traditional lifestyles, but also cause territorial…

    • 1774 Words
    • 8 Pages
    • 7 Works Cited
    Great Essays