The diverse uses of fish-poison plants in northwest Guyana

Although prohibited by law, fish poison plants are still widely used by ind igenous tribes in Guyana. The latest ethnobotanical collections date from t he first half of the 20th century and, from recent anthropological studies, it cannot be deduced whether the same species are still used today. The pr esent study attempts to clarify the taxonomy and ethnobotany of the fish po isons, in particular those containing rotenone, currently used by Amerindia ns in northwest Guyana. Specimens were collected from II species known to b e ichthyotoxic, both from wild and cultivated sources. It was found that fi sh poisons not only serve as a quick method of providing providing food irt times of shortage, but also play an important role in magic rituals and tr aditional medicine. Particular ly striking was the use of Lonchocarpus spp. and Tephrosia sinapou in the treatment of cancer and AIDS. Further ethnobo tanical and pharmacological research should focus on the medicinal applicat ions of rotenone-yielding plants.