ABSTRACT
Among indigenous groups in the Amazon basin, a bark decoction of U. guianensis is used by the Piura as an anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic, and a contraceptive and for treating gastric ulcers and tumors. The Boras use the bark for the treatment of gonorrhea. In Colombia and Guiana, Indian groups use the stem bark for the treatment of dysentery. In South America, the plant has a reputation as a folk cancer remedy for cancers of the urinary tract, particularly in females. Uses of U. tomentosa from Peru, the center of the plant's range, mirror those of U. guianensis. It is also used for the treatment of gastric ulcers, arthritis, intestinal disorders, certain skin diseases, and various tumors.1
