In northern Peru, a region central to Andean traditional medicine, over 510 medicinal plant species are used, 83% native to Peru. Research involving interviews with healers and vendors and bioassays found that 50% of plants used in colonial times are no longer in the pharmacopoeia. Vendors specialize in different plant types, and 974 preparations treat 164 health conditions, with nearly 65% of plants used in mixtures. Antibacterial activity was confirmed in most plants for infections, while 24% of aqueous and 76% of ethanolic extracts showed toxicity, reflecting traditional preparation methods. Most species are wild-collected, raising sustainability concerns as demand grows without increased cultivation.
The fruit called Ulluchu, frequently depicted in Moche art from A.D. 100-800 on the Peruvian north coast, has been identified as a group of species in the genus Guarea (Meliaceae). The identification is based on morphological characteristics of the grooved, comma-shaped fruit with an enlarged calyx shown in fine-line scenes on ceramics. Chemical analysis of the plant's compounds supports the thesis that it was used in sacrificial contexts to improve blood extraction. The authors also suggest that a ground preparation of Guarea seeds may have been used as a hallucinogen when inhaled, but note that more phytochemical research is needed to corroborate this hypothesis.