''Tabernaemontana undulata'', the becchete or bëcchëte (pronounced b'-chéw-teh, a

Matis The Matis people (also called Matsë in their own native language) are an indigenous people of Brazil. The Matis are commonly named as the Jaguar people by tourists and filmmakers, but they do not like to be called like this. They live in thre ...

and Matsés word for a

medicinal plant Medicinal plants, also called medicinal herbs, have been discovered and used in traditional medicine practices since prehistoric times. Plants synthesize hundreds of chemical compounds for various functions, including defense and protection ag ...

) is a plant species in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Apocynaceae Apocynaceae (from ''Apocynum'', Greek for "dog-away") is a family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, stem succulents, and vines, commonly known as the dogbane family, because some taxa were used as dog poison Members of ...

. It occurs in the Amazon rainforest.

Effects

When applied directly to the eye, becchete is reported by tribes to have the effect of giving the environment greater texture and dimension, making it easier to spot animals during hunting. The effects are reported to be long-term, lasting days or weeks, not just a few hours. In addition to visual enhancement, there is also an increase in energy. On application, the eyes sting, however this would be expected considering that becchete is extracted with Amazonian river water that is high in

tannic acid Tannic acid is a specific form of tannin, a type of polyphenol. Its weak acidity ( pKa around 6) is due to the numerous phenol groups in the structure. The chemical formula for commercial tannic acid is often given as C76H52O46, which corresp ...

, which on its own would sting and burn the eyes. In the ''Amazonian Ethnobotanical Dictionary'' by James A. Duke and Rodolfo Vásquez, it is reported that Amazonian Indians from the Ticuna tribe mix the

latex Latex is an emulsion (stable dispersion) of polymer microparticles in water. Latexes are found in nature, but synthetic latexes are common as well. In nature, latex is found as a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants (angiosperms ...

from a closely related species, ''

Tabernaemontana sananho ''Tabernaemontana sananho'' is a tropical tree species in the family Apocynaceae known as lobo sanango. Lobo sanango grows in the Amazon Basin of northern South America. Chemical composition The plant is reported to contain coronaridine, 3-h ...

'', with water in order to treat eye wounds. In addition to be applied to the eyes as the Matis and Ticuna tribes do, it is most commonly taken orally by the Matsés.

Active ingredients

''Tabernaemontana undulata'' contains iboga alkaloids, naturally occurring psychoactive compounds. Ibogaine is used in pain management and to treat opiate addiction. In addition, it is used to facilitate psychological introspection and spiritual exploration. In low dosages, ibogaine is a stimulant and

aphrodisiac An aphrodisiac is a substance that increases sexual desire, sexual attraction, sexual pleasure, or sexual behavior. Substances range from a variety of plants, spices, foods, and synthetic chemicals. Natural aphrodisiacs like cannabis or cocai ...

, while in larger amounts it is a divinatory medicine, similar to both

Ayahuasca AyahuascaPronounced as in the UK and in the US. Also occasionally known in English as ''ayaguasca'' ( Spanish-derived), ''aioasca'' (Brazilian Portuguese-derived), or as ''yagé'', pronounced or . Etymologically, all forms but ''yagé'' desce ...

and Peyote.

History

Scott Wallace of '' National Geographic'' was the first person to report the use of this indigenous Amazonian medicine by the Matis tribe. Dan James Pantone, one of the founders of the Movement in the Amazon for Tribal Subsistence and Economic Sustainability (MATSES), discovered that the Matsés tribe also uses becchete. In September 2008, Pantone collected plant samples from the Amazon rainforest in the Matsés Indian Territory in the region of the Yaquerana River on the border of

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

with

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

. Working together with other botanists at the Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana (UNAP) in Iquitos, Peru, he was able to identify the plant species as ''Tabernaemontana undulata'', part of the genus ''

Tabernaemontana ''Tabernaemontana'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae. It has a pan-tropical distribution, found in Asia, Africa, Australia, North America, South America, and a wide assortment of oceanic islands. These plants are evergreen ...

'' and the plant family

. Pantone has produced a documentary video showing the Matis using Becchete as a traditional medicine.documentary video
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References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2386501 undulata Medicinal plants

Effects

Active ingredients

History

See also

References