Because of its relatively obscure uses by the local herbalists, angostura's true medicinal purposes have yet to be defined in clear terms and integrated into the pre-existing body of herbal medicine as it is known and practiced today. Folkloric usage however suggests that the bark of the angostura plant possesses potent medicinal properties.
* Typically gathered from live trees via stripping, and subsequently dried prior to use to elicit a degree of preservation, angostura bark is usually prepared as a very strong decoction, taken unsweetened as a bitter tisane to ease stomach cramps, aid in digestion, and whet the appetite, following the function of all bitter tonics. Its use as a bitters is further enhanced when the dried bark is allowed to macerate in an alcoholic beverage for a set amount of time, resulting in a drink that is similar in purpose (if not always in flavour) to Angostura brand bitters and others of its ilk. The effect may be further improved with the integration of other bitter herbs, as well as in emulation of typical recipes that comprise traditional bitter tonics, although the integration of other bitter plant matter may be chiefly for flavour's sake than for any further medicinal purpose, as the bark can be very unpalatable if prepared solely on its own.
* Despite being relatively obscure, studies conducted on the efficacy of angostura bark's purported medicinal faculties yielded several positive results, among them angostura's apparent cytotoxic or cell-killing properties, which can be of significant use in the field of anticancer treatment, although its use for such a purpose is not (as of yet) supported by modern application, nor is it suggested by traditional usage.
* Traditionally, the bark of the angostura plant has been used not only as a general tonic, but as an antibacterial and antimicrobial rinse, typically in the treatment of various skin disorders, and in the sterilisation of minor to major injuries. A very potent decoction of the bark has also been traditionally prescribed as a cure for whooping coughs, recurrent coughing, and general pulmonary complaints. This is backed up by recent studies which show that angostura bark may also possess significant anti-tuberculosis properties thanks to its active compounds angosturin and galipine.