AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Rainforests also provide us with many medicinal products. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, 70% of plants useful in the treatment of cancer are found only in rainforests.

Detailed explanation-2: -As one of the most biodiverse areas of the world, the Amazon Rainforest has great potential as a source for medicinal plants. Only a small percentage of the plants in the Amazon have been tested for active compounds that could be used medicinally in modern medicine.

Detailed explanation-3: -Rainforest Plants Produce Life-Saving Medicines Some 120 prescription drugs sold worldwide today are derived directly from rainforest plants. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, more than two-thirds of all medicines found to have cancer-fighting properties come from rainforest plants. Examples abound.

Detailed explanation-4: -Cinchona. The cinchona tree grows to the east of the Andes in the high jungles of the Amazon Basin. One of history’s most famous medicinal plants, it is well-known globally as the source of quinine, a medication used to treat malaria and babesiosis.

Detailed explanation-5: -Examples of Plants found in the Tropical Rainforest: Orchids, Philodendrons, Ferns, Bromeliads, Kapok Trees, Banana Trees, Rubber Trees, Bam-boo, Trees, Cassava Trees, Avocado Trees.