Tropical rainforests are important to humans and the environment for many reasons.
For instance, in Central America tropical rainforests are home to the endangered jaguar. Many products people find in their local pharmacies are derived from plants and animals found in the rainforest. These products include insecticides, muscle relaxants, high blood pressure medicine, and medicine for asthma and arthritis. It is believed that these plants and animals have many more medicinal uses, but these uses have not yet been discovered. Other important products found in rainforests include spices such as ginger, vanilla, and cloves.