Part 1: The Disappearing Rainforests | Part 3: Rainforest Action
The Wealth of the Rainforests
The
Amazonian Rainforest covers over 1 billion acres in Brazil, Venezuela,
Columbia, Ecuador and Peru. If Amazonia were a country, it would be the
ninth largest in the world.
This Rainforest has
been described as the "Lungs of our Planet" - continuously recycling
carbon dioxide into oxygen and producing 20 percent of the world's
oxygen. More than half of the world's estimated 10 million species of
plants, animals and insects live in the tropical rainforests. One-fifth
of the world's fresh water is in the Amazon Basin. One hectare (2.47
acres) may contain over 750 types of trees and 1500 species of higher
plants.
At
least 80% of the developed world's diet originated in the tropical
rainforest. Its bountiful gifts include avocados, coconuts, figs,
oranges, lemons, grapefruit, bananas, guavas, pineapples, mangos and
tomatoes; corn, potatoes, rice, winter squash and yams; black pepper,
cayenne, chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, sugar cane, turmeric,
coffee and vanilla; Brazil nuts and cashews. At least 3000 fruits are
found in the rainforests; of these only 200 are now in use in the
Western World. The Indians of the rainforest use over 2,000. Rainforest
plants are rich in secondary metabolites, particularly alkaloids.
Biochemists believe alkaloids protect plants from disease and insect
attacks. Many alkaloids from higher plants have proven to be of
medicinal value and benefit.
Currently, 121
prescription drugs come from plant-derived sources. While 25% of
Western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest ingredients, less
than 1% of these tropical trees and plants have been tested by
scientists. The U.S. National Cancer Institute has identified 3000
plants that are active against cancer cells. 70% of these plants are
found in the rainforest. Twenty-five percent of the active ingredients
in today's cancer-fighting drugs come from organisms found only in the
rainforest. Vincristine, extracted from the rainforest plant,
Periwinkle, is one of the world's most powerful anticancer drugs. It
has dramatically increased the survival rate for acute childhood
leukemia since its discovery. In 1983, there were no U.S.
pharmaceutical manufacturers involved in research programs to discover
new drugs or cures from plants. Today, over 100 pharmaceutical
companies and several branches of the US government are engaged in
plant research projects for possible drugs and cures for viruses,
infections, cancer and even AIDS.