The term traditional medicine refers to medicinal practices prior to the advance of modern Western medication and includes a wide range of health practices. Various beliefs and approaches to health were prevalent around the world, and therapies from plant, animal, and mineral based sources were commonly used, in addition to spiritual therapies and physical techniques such as massage. The majority of these treatments and techniques have not been studied efficiently in order to compare their efficacy sufficiently with modern Western medication treatment equivalents. In many cases, their worth to modern society is unknown despite their widespread use in past years and previously believed efficacy.

South America is a vast area, and the landscape, flora, and fauna change dramatically between different localities. For the purposes of this ...