Ayahuasca

(wiki article)

Pronounced "ah-yah-waska," the word is from the Quechua language; it means vine of the soul, vine of the dead, or the vision vine. Known by various names among 72 native ayahuasca-ingesting cultures in Peru, Colombia and Ecuador, this legendary, industrial-strength hallucinogen is used by curanderos to heal the sick and communicate with spirits. Many rain forest shamans simply refer to ayahuasca as el remedio, the remedy.
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While non-native users know of the spiritual applications of Ayahuasca, a less well-known traditional usage focuses on the medicinal properties of ayahuasca. Its purgative properties are highly important (many refer to it as la Purga, "the purge"). The intense vomiting it induces can clear the body of worms and other tropical parasites.

more: Shamanism vs. Capitalism: The Politics of Ayahuasca