Medicinal natural plant studies in Panama

Panama has a huge floral diversity; around 10,400 vegetal species have been identified. Beyond the research efforts made in the last quarter century oriented to identifying, characterize and determining the medicinal plants chemical composition, it remains unclear the vast potential in the Panamanian flora. The region of Chiriqui is an example of this phenomenon, where the medicinal plant data is insufficient and disperse.

Fig. 1

Actually, the medical field is going through the use of natural or ethnobotanical medicines, due to the active components studies in plants, bacteria, marine invertebrates and others, which already have been developed.

The problematic issue raised from these uses, is the poor information related to the effectivity, toxicity and side effects that could arise from them. Normally, it is just an inherited knowledge from generation to generation.

This book, “Medicinal plants grown in Chiriqui” is a compilation of 90 medicinal plants already existing in the province, with international or national studies. This work contains geographic information, basic taxonomic description, chemical data and medicinal uses, that have been reported.

It began as a merely laboratory compilation, but thanks to the effort of botanic, chemical and many others individuals, was transformed into a book.

It is the aim of this work to be used as a useful consulting manual, highlighting the importance of preserving all the floral biodiversity already existing. No one knows if here could be a miracle substance still waiting to be discovered.

[1] Ocampo, R. (1994). Domesticación de Plantas Medicinales en Centroamérica. Actas de la Reunión Técnica Centroamericana. CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica,

[2] Martínez G, Libardo A. (2014). Plantas Medicinales nativas de Panamá y su potencial para el tratamiento de las patologías de mayor impacto en el país. Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 1 – 298.