Andiroba
Andiroba (Carapa guianensis) is one of the most versatile plants in the Amazon. Its tree is present throughout the Amazon Basin, Central America, and Africa, mainly located on riverbanks, although it is also found on dry land.
The caboclos (traditional rural people) of Santarém, in the Lower Amazon, say that in some years the andirobeira “plays” a lot but fails in others, because its fruit does not germinate every year.
Properties
Andiroba oil has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, healing, and insecticidal properties. It also has therapeutic effects proven by both popular culture and science for use as a curative, antiparasitic, antifungal, and bactericide.
Versatility
Andiroba oil is used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The seeds provide one of the most prominent medicinal oils in the region, used in insect repellents, healing ointments, aromatic candles, massage oils, and shampoos that combat hair loss or lice.