| This dissertation is composed of two independent investigations of the flora of Ucayali, arguably the least-known and botanically most underrepresented region in Peru. Botanical activities associated with these investigations has added over 1000 new collections to the recorded flora of the Department of Ucayali, including at least 125 new species records for the Department, and at least three previously undescribed species.; The first chapter of this dissertation presents results from a documentation of plant use by several Cashinahua plant specialists from the native community of Colombiana, located on the Curanja River, in the district of Purús, Department of Ucayali, Peru. Fieldwork since 1997, based on botanical inventory followed by interviews with traditional plant specialists has created a semi-quantitative Cashinahua ethnobotanical inventory. Following an introduction to key physical and environmental features of the region, results and descriptions of Cashinahua plant use are presented, with an emphasis on herbal medicine. More than 700 collections of plants were made as part of this study, with over 70% of these having reported use, and more than 50% being used medicinally. The plant use data that were collected are used to define major features of traditional Cashinahua plant medicine. An analysis of the current and future status Cashinahua herbal medicine is presented, in which the impacts of acculturation Cashinahua thought, behavior and health care are examined.; The second and third chapters of the dissertation present the results of an effort to identify plant sources with in vitro antimycobacterial activity. As part of this experiment, 262 plant extracts, representing 216 species of higher plants collected in the district of Yarinacocha, Department of Ucayali, Peru, were evaluated for in vitro activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in radiometric culture. Data are presented on the activity of the crude plant extracts against M. tuberculosis , and a number of antimycobacterial plant extracts are identified. The prioritization of the most active extracts for further evaluation resulted in the isolation of two new antimycobacterial naphthopyrone compounds through the bioassay-directed fractionation of the stems and fruits of Senna obliqua (Fabaceae). |
