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Becchete being applied by indigenous Amazonians from the Matis tribe.

Becchete or Bëcchëte (pronounced B'-chéw-teh) is a Matis and Matsés word for a medicinal plant now known to be Tabernaemontana undulata, a "milkwood" species in the family Apocynaceae. It occurs in the Amazon rainforest.

Effects

When applied directly to the eye, Becchete has 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, 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 from a closely related species, Tabernaemontana sananho, 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

The principle active ingredient in Tabernaemontana is Ibogaine, a naturally occurring psychoactive compound. 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, while in larger amounts it is a divinatory medicine, similar to both Ayahuasca and Peyote.

History

Scott Wallace of National Geographic Magazine was the first person to report the use of this indigenous Amazonian medicine by the Matis tribe.^[1] 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 with Brazil. 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 Tabernaemontana genus and the Apocynaceae plant family. Pantone has produced a documentary video showing the Matis using Becchete as a traditional medicine.

References

External links

• National Geographic Magazine article

From Wikispecies

Taxonavigation

Classification System: APG II (down to family level)

Main Page
Cladus: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiospermae
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Euasterids I
Ordo: Gentianales
Familia: Apocynaceae
Subfamilia: Rauvolfioideae
Tribus: Tabernaemontaneae
Genus: Tabernaemontana
Species: Tabernaemontana undulata

Name

Tabernaemontana undulata

References

• USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Data from 07-Oct-06]. [1]