Medicinal plants and natural products from Latin America – Subjects of international scientific exchanges

Latin American countries possess part of the world' s biodiversity. Of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world six are in the neotropics. The percentage of Amerindian groups is high in this region. There is widespread use of medicinal plants among these groups. The number of monographs on Latin American plants in different pharmacopoeias varies from 5% in ESCOP, 12% in WHO and up to 15% in European Pharmacopoeia. Results of some collaborative programs such as the Iberoamerican Program of Science and Technology for Development (CYTED) and Organization of American States (OAS), which have fostered scientific exchanges in this region, will be presented. Case studies of research on selected medicinal plants used in traditional medicine will be highlighted. An overview of research on Panamanian medicinal plants a source of bioactive compounds will also be presented. Acknowledgements: OAS and CYTED Program.