Medicinal Herbs in my Backyard

The Paraguayan women in our community have a wealth of information about using local plants as natural remedies for everything from coughs, to stomach ailments, to skin infections. It has been fascinating to learn about how this knowledge has been passed down through the generations, among these resourceful women.  Over time, friends and neighbors have shared plants or cuttings, or showed me where I could locate specific specimens, and now I have a collection of medicinal herbs in my own back yard.

Yerba de Lucero (Pluchea suaveolens kuntze)- leaves used for intestinal disturbances

My first introduction to this topic arose out of necessity. The one and only time I was sick, during my Peace Corps service, I was REALLY sick. Let’s just say I had multiple stomach issues…. The woman we were living with at the time prepared a tea for me that included Yerba de Lucero and Ajenjo, two plants growing in the forest near her house. Though I was hesitant to put anything in my stomach, after much coaxing, I decided to give it a try. Afterward, I felt so much better- the results were amazing!

Kumanda Yvyra'i (Cajanus cajan)- leaves used to relieve cough

Since then, I have spent lots of time with these wise women who have helped me identify medicinal herbs in our area, taught me what ailments they are used to treat, and how to prepare them for use. During this time, I collected, pressed, and dried leaves from these plants, and recorded information about each one to create a

Poha ñana, (medicinal herb), notebook. To date, I have collected over 50 different plant samples with pertinent information about each. I was also able to locate the Latin names to accompany the common Guarani or Spanish plant names, so I can continue to cultivate many of these medicinal herbs when we return to the states.

Borraja (Borago oficinales L.)- flowers used to treat bronchitis

Yesterday, a neighbor stopped by our house to gather some herbs from our garden to prepare a tea, to ease her daughter’s cough. It made me feel so good to share some of my medicinal plants with her, something about which she had taught me so much!