The leaves of this plant are bound together to make a healing tool by the same name. Curanderos in the Amazon use the chakapa to keep the rhythm while singing icaros, or healing songs in Ayahuasca ceremonies, or when treating a patient outside of a ceremony. Patients are struck with the chakapa leaves in a rhythmic manner as part of the healing process.

The effect of being struck with a chakapa is both conscious and sub-conscious, because at a conscious level the tool reminds us of dusting or sweeping with a broom, which helps us to visualize the cleansing of our spirit, and feeling the repetitive rhythm has sub-conscious effects that bring us back to the safety of the womb, when our mother's heartbeat and pulse soothed us with rhythm for nine months.