The Rainforest: The world’s largest medicine cabinet

Often called the “lungs of the world”, the Amazon rainforest covers 5.5 million km² and stretches across nine countries throughout South America.

This incredibly diverse habitat is home to over 40,000 plant species, and ancient cultures have been taking advantage of the medicinal benefits that many of these roots and trees can provide for centuries. In fact, 25% of all modern Western drugs are actually derived from rainforest plants. When you consider that less than 5% of Amazon plant species have been studied for potential medicinal benefits, we could well have the cure for numerous debilitating diseases hidden somewhere in this incredible environment.

The rainforest is rooting for us….

Quinine was first discovered by the Quechua, a tribe that still resides in Peru and Bolivia. They would mix the ground bark of the cinchona tree with sweetened water and this would help prevent shivering in colder weather. In modern medicine, quinine is a malaria treating drug helping to protect millions of lives each year. It is also found in low quantities in tonic water, as due to the bitter taste of the antimalarial tonic, British colonials mixed it with gin; making the first gin and tonic that many of us adults enjoy today!

The Madagascan Periwinkle flower was used for many years to treat diabetes by the local populace until it was discovered that derivatives of the flower could stop cells from dividing, especially the rapidness of cancer cells. Development of this medicine (Vincristine) has meant that survival rates of childhood leukaemia are now dramatically increased.

Tarzan may have loved swinging through the forests using vines, and the incredible Cat’s Claw, which is an Amazonian vine, has some impressive properties. It’s been used for centuries to treat stomach ulcers, inflammation, dysentery and fevers by indigenous tribes. However recent research has found that it could kill tumour and cancer cells and even be a treatment for HIV/AIDS.

Slow sloths to snappy snakes

Bet you wouldn’t think the slow moving 3 toed sloth could hold the key to combating disease?! As they take their time moving through the rainforest, they have green algae growing in their fur which creates a perfect environment for bacteria and fungi. A sample taken from sloths living in Panama found several fungi types to be highly bioactive and not only halve the growth rate of cancer cells but also combat malaria.

The fer-de-lance is one of the most fearsome snakes in South America, a bite from this little chap will result in a catastrophic drop in blood pressure which can lead to death. However further research into the chemical in this snake’s venom has led to a drug that can save people from hypertension or high blood pressure. With 1.5 billion people expecting to have high blood pressure worldwide by 2025, this could save a lot of lives.

This only scratches the surface of what we know. 70% of the world’s plant species known to be important in cancer treatments are only found in rainforests and we are losing 137 plant, animal and insect species every single day due to rainforest deforestation. In the time it takes to read this article, over 300 acres of rainforest will have been lost and it’s estimated that we have 40 years before the last remaining rainforests could be consumed.

What can we do?

It’s vital that we help protect our rainforests, so what can you do to help?

1. Support ethical companies who work with the environment, not against it.
2. Say no to palm oil! This is often found in processed foods and even cosmetics; this increase in demand for palm oil leads to great swarths of rainforest being cut down.
3. Fundraise for a charity such as the Rainforest Alliance, who work with local communities to conserve forests. They’ve saved over 125 million acres in 74 nations so far.
4. Logging is a major driver to rainforest deforestation, try and avoid threatened rainforest woods such as mahogany, rosewood and ebony when you are purchasing goods and furniture.
5. Lots of the rainforest has been cleared to make room for cattle and the food they eat. This cattle eventually ends up being our beef burgers. It’s great for our planet if we eat a bit less meat. There are some great plant-based burgers out there!
6. Plant trees! If you look at your local council, they will have tree planting days that you can go and support and plant your own trees! Also take a look at Offset Earth- they plant trees and fund the world’s best climate crisis solutions.
7. Talk about it to your children, the more they know about this incredible environment, they realise how important it is to protect it. Download our Earth Cubs app and let Antonio the Anteater show them around!