(Mart.) Burret to prepare a medicine which is dropped into the 
ears for what appears to be a fungal infection of the ear-drum 
(Schultes et Cabrera 19169: Rio Karuru, Mesa de Yambi, 
Savannah Goo-ran-hoo-da, Comisaria del Vaupes: Schultes 
22611: Rio Kuduyari, Savannah Yapoboda, Comisaria del 
Vaupes. 
The Taiwanos of the region of the Raudal de Jirijirimo on the 
Rio Apaporis in Amazonian Colombia value the plant as an 
efficaceous remedy for reestablishment of the ability to walk 
following attacks which, in age, appear to deprive Indians of the 
free use of the legs. The cause of this curious but not uncommon 
condition is not known. The bark of the young branches is 
scraped and, in fresh condition, is boiled into a decoction which 
must be drunk over a period of two or three weeks. Administra- 
tion of this tea is reported to result in strong stimulation of the 
afflicted patient and frequently in his ability to regain muscular 
use of the legs (Schultes et Cabrera 12467, 14933, 14953: Rio 
Apaporis, Raudal de Jirijirimo, Comisaria del Vaupés). 
Vv 
In view of these several interesting ethnopharmacological 
reports, a phytochemical study of the genus Pagamea would 
appear to be fully warrented. 
Little is known of the chemistry of Pagamea. Da Rocha et al. 
(in Inst. Nac. Pesquisas Amaz. Quimica, no. 12 (1968) 42) 
reported that the stems and leaves of P. coriacea are alkaloid- 
negative, yet a spot-test which | made on fresh leaves with 
Dragendorff reagent was positive (Schultes et Cabera 19921). 
274 
