Depending on the illness, the herbs are prepared with cold, hot or tepid water. For contact with the poisonous pirana plant, he uses the roots of garlic, lemon and papaya. Some of the plants have psychological benefits. It is grated and squeezed into a tonic drink. Numerous hallucinogenic plants are used for metaphysical clarity.
Shamans also perform surgery.
A fiber made from the leaf of tukum plants are used to sew wound stitches. Armando claims the patient experiences no discomfort or excessive bleeding. The herbal plants used by the Baniwa tribe can only be found in the Amazon Rain Forest. Seeds or plantings can be bought by residents in more populated areas of the region. The shelf life of the plants continues indefinitely.