CHIRIC SANANGO (Brunfelsia grandiflora)

Chiric Sanango — Brunfelsia grandiflora Shredded Bark

The Grandfather Medicine. The male peer of Ayahuasca. One of the most powerful and challenging master plants in the Amazonian tradition — in its raw traditional form.

Chiric Sanango is an Amazonian shrub of striking beauty — growing to eight or ten feet in height, adorned with brilliant purple and white flowers and fragrant leaves. It is a member of the nightshade family and grows abundantly throughout South America, but it is in the Peruvian and Colombian Amazon where its reputation as a master plant teacher is most deeply established.

In Peruvian shamanic tradition, Ayahuasca is considered feminine — mother or grandmother. Chiric Sanango is her male counterpart. It is referred to as grandfather, father or the grandfather medicine. Where Ayahuasca opens and reveals, Chiric Sanango strengthens and fortifies. It is the plant called upon when a person needs to be rebuilt from the inside — when resilience, courage, clarity and physical renewal are what is required.

This listing is for shredded bark — the raw plant material, for those who wish to prepare their own decoction or work with Chiric Sanango in its most traditional form.

Important — Please Read Before Ordering

This plant is not suggested for first time users of Chiric Sanango. At stronger doses it can produce significant physical effects including chills, fatigue, weakness, itchiness, nausea, convulsions, spasms, abdominal aches and vomiting. These effects are understood by traditional healers not as side effects to be avoided but as integral to the plant's healing process — the body being worked on at a deep level. They should be approached with preparation, respect and ideally under the guidance of an experienced practitioner.

If you are new to working with Chiric Sanango, we recommend beginning with our tincture or glycerine extract which offer a gentler and more gradual pathway to working with this plant.

Traditional Uses

Chiric Sanango has been used by Amazonian healers for centuries across multiple traditions. In the Putumayo region of southern Colombia it is used by the Siona, Kofan and Inga peoples as an ingredient in Ayahuasca brews, specifically for its focus on deep spinal, joint and neurological healing. Shamans of the Lama tribe in northern Peru consider it their primary spiritual guide.

On the physical level, Chiric Sanango's leaves and bark are traditionally prescribed for flu, colds, fever, chronic pain, arthritis, rheumatism, syphilis and parasitic infections. It contains scopoletin, a plant compound of increasing pharmacological interest for its anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antibacterial and antitumour properties.

On the psychological and spiritual level it is one of the most well-documented plants for deep introspection, emotional processing and the shift from distress to clarity and resilience. Research at the Takiwasi Centre in the Peruvian Amazon found that participants working with Chiric Sanango in structured dieta protocols frequently reported shifts from distressing emotional states to states of clarity, acceptance and resilience.

Chiric Sanango is worked with to face the shadow self — to illuminate what has been avoided, suppressed or denied — and to align the ego with the heart. Where some plants open and soften, this one clears and strengthens.

The Spirit of Chiric Sanango

Chiric Sanango is a grandfather energy — wise, grounding, strong and clear. It does not indulge weakness or self-deception. It illuminates. What is out of alignment becomes visible. What needs releasing is brought to the surface. What needs strengthening is strengthened. Those who have worked deeply with this plant describe a profound recalibration — as though everything that had drifted from its true course is brought firmly back to centre.

It is not a comfortable process. It is a deeply worthwhile one.

How to Prepare

In indigenous Amazonian tradition, Chiric Sanango is prepared as a tea-like decoction using the bark, leaves and roots. Add a small amount of shredded bark to water and simmer gently over a low heat for 20–30 minutes. Strain and drink slowly. A gentle simmer preserves the plant's properties far better than a rolling boil.

Always begin with a very small amount. Chiric Sanango is a potent plant and the dose-response relationship is significant — the difference between a gentle and an overwhelming experience is often a small one. Start cautiously, observe, and increase only with experience.

For a dieta: The dieta associated with Chiric Sanango is rigorous and structured. It is administered under the guidance of an experienced shaman or healer, alongside strict dietary and behavioural guidelines that enhance the plant's effects and prepare the body for the depth of the work. Read our full guide to master plant dieta on the website for more detail. A Chiric Sanango dieta is not recommended as a first dieta.

Storage: Keep in an airtight container away from direct sunlight, heat and moisture. A cool dark cupboard is ideal.

About This Product

Shredded bark of Brunfelsia grandiflora, sourced directly from trusted indigenous partners in the Amazon. Carefully dried and processed to preserve its full-spectrum potency. Sustainably and ethically harvested with deep respect for the plant, the land and the communities who tend it.

Important

This plant is not recommended for first time users of Chiric Sanango. Not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Consult your doctor before use if you are taking prescribed medication. Not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition. This product is offered for its ethnobotanial and traditional value.