Short answer
Amazonian herbs are medicinal plants gathered from the Amazon basin and used by Indigenous peoples for generations as teas, decoctions and tonics. Kawsaypac sells wild-harvested guayusa leaf, cat's claw bark, chuchuhuasi bark and soursop leaf from Indigenous partner communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon, sold whole and shipped across the United States.
Key takeaways
- Amazonian herbs are traditional plants first. Research on them is growing but often limited to lab and small human studies, so read the guide for each before you buy.
- Our Amazonian single herbs: guayusa (leaf), cat's claw (bark), chuchuhuasi (bark) and soursop (leaf), each sold whole with the botanical name on the label.
- Barks like cat's claw and chuchuhuasi are prepared by simmering (a decoction). Leaves like guayusa and soursop are steeped.
- We never make disease claims. These products are not evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
The Amazon is home to more plant species than any other forest on earth, and the Indigenous communities who live there have used many of them for food, tea and healing for generations.
If you are trying to buy real Amazonian herbs online, the hard part is not finding a listing. It is knowing who harvested the plant, which species you are actually getting and how to prepare it. This page is our short guide.
What are Amazonian medicinal plants?
Amazonian medicinal plants are leaves, barks, roots and vines gathered from the rainforest of the Amazon basin and used in traditional healing. They include some plants now sold worldwide, such as guayusa, cat's claw and soursop (graviola), and many others that are known mainly within the communities that use them.
Traditional use is a record of what people have done with a plant over time. It is a good reason to take a plant seriously, but it is different from clinical proof. Where studies exist, we summarize them with PubMed links in our plant guides.
Amazonian herbs we sell
GuayusaEnergy + Clarity$22.50 · 2oz
Cat's ClawImmune enhancer + Pain relief + Cellular repair$22.50 · 2oz
ChuchuhuasiIron Rich - Warrior’s Bark$33 · 4oz
SoursopCellular + Immune Support$22.50 · 2oz- Guayusa: a caffeinated holly leaf drunk before dawn in Kichwa households. Read the guayusa guide.
- Cat's claw: an Amazonian vine bark traditionally decocted for joint comfort. Read the cat's claw guide.
- Chuchuhuasi: a canopy tree bark traditionally used as a tonic. Read the chuchuhuasi guide.
- Soursop (graviola) leaf: a leaf tea with an important safety note. Read the soursop guide.
We also blend Amazonian herbs with plants from other traditions. Zapped In combines guayusa, chuchuhuasi, ginger and elderberry, and River of Life combines sarsaparilla, chuchuhuasi and palo guaco. Not every herb in our blends grows in the Amazon: for example senna and licorice in Final Flush come from other regions, and we say so on the product pages.
How Amazonian herbs are prepared
Preparation depends on the plant part. Dense bark and root need a decoction, simmered for around half an hour, because a quick steep barely extracts them. Leaves are usually steeped in hot water. Our labels give exact directions for each herb, and our tea preparation guide explains the difference between infusion and decoction.
How we source our Amazonian herbs
Our herbs are sustainably wild-harvested, never irradiated, and sourced directly from the Indigenous communities and families who steward these plants in Ecuador, without middlemen, so that the people who preserve this knowledge are paid directly. Our founders, Raisa and Brian, began traveling the Ecuadorian Andes and Amazon in 2022 to learn from Kichwa communities and traditional healers, and they now live in Ecuador's cloud forest. You can read their story on Our Story.
How to buy Amazonian herbs online and avoid poor quality
- Look for the botanical name: for example Uncaria tomentosa, Ilex guayusa, Maytenus macrocarpa or Annona muricata.
- Prefer whole leaf and bark: you can inspect what you are buying, unlike an unlabeled powder.
- Ask where and who: a named country, region and harvester practice is a good sign. 'Amazonian blend' with no origin is not.
- Watch the claims: a trustworthy seller will not promise that a tea treats or cures a disease.
- Read the safety notes: every plant has them. We publish ours in each guide.
For more, read wildcrafted herbs and how to choose quality.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy Amazonian herbs online?
Kawsaypac sells wild-harvested Amazonian herbs, including guayusa, cat's claw bark, chuchuhuasi bark and soursop leaf, from Indigenous partner communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon, shipped across the USA. See all products.
What are Amazonian medicinal plants?
They are plants from the Amazon basin used in traditional healing, such as guayusa, cat's claw, chuchuhuasi and soursop. Traditional use is long, but clinical research is limited, and we link the studies in each plant guide.
Are Amazonian herbs safe?
Safety depends on the plant, the dose and the person. Soursop leaf, for example, carries a specific neurological caution, and cat's claw can interact with medication. Read each guide and ask a clinician if you take medication or are pregnant.
How do you prepare Amazonian bark and leaf teas?
Simmer bark and root for about 30 minutes (a decoction). Steep leaves in hot water. Follow the label for each herb.
What does wildcrafted mean?
Wildcrafted means harvested from wild plants in their natural habitat rather than farmed. Read our guide to wildcrafted herbs.
Does Kawsaypac ship to the United States?
Yes. We ship worldwide, and within the USA we use USPS and UPS. Orders are processed in about 5 business days unless you choose overnight shipping.