Exploring Colombian medicinal flora used in indigenous and campesino health systems for neuropsychiatric disorders and neuropharmacological potential: an ethnopharmacological review
Frontiers in Pharmacology March 11, 2026 Katrin Brache, Mauricio Diazgranados
Neuropsychiatric disorders affect nearly one billion people worldwide, and existing treatments are limited by side effects and variable efficacy. This review of 42 Colombian plant species used in Indigenous and local health systems for conditions overlapping with mental and neurological disorders found that ayahuasca (yagé) was the most frequently reported preparation, while Nicotiana tabacum, Erythroxylum coca, and Aloysia citrodora were the most commonly cited species. Leaves (38%), stems (14%), and roots (13%) were the most used plant parts, prepared as decoctions (21%) and infusions (17%).