This paper aims to provide the reader concerned with a bibliographic and critical review of the work done with regard to the use of the “adaptogens” in recent years in Peruvian territory and part of the Central Andes. While the subject of study is relatively new, the first research dates back to the 1980s with pioneering works of anthropologists, ethnologists, pharmaceutical chemists among other researchers who, over time and last decade of social violence, was seen almost as a taboo subject by researchers and that in recent years is going through a new moment of academic interest in all sciences. The work aims to create a theoretical framework applicable to Archaeology and to provide a methodology for their study. It also revalidates the importance of their study and, above all, their understanding for the analysis of the various activities of pre-Hispanic societies, which can give us interpretations with a greater degree of approximation by offering us a new approach. The term applied, adaptogen, has a denomination without negative charges and although there is another large number of names used to name certain plants and their properties when consumed, the uniformity of a terminology must be a common purpose of the researchers concerned. This work is divided into four chapters, which we describe below: The first chapter introduces us to the concept of “adaptogen” reaffirming its academic use, and a bibliographic review is carried out on the positive and negative implications of the different names. The term “modified state of consciousness” and its contextualization with “adaptogens” as well as generic forms of application is also mentioned. In addition, a brief comment was made on the first researchers and prospects for future investigations. The second chapter briefly mentions the distribution of plants in the world, America and the Central Andes within Peru. In addition, a variety of plants, the most relevant in pre-Hispanic societies, and others briefly explain a number of concepts such as botanical and chemical description, geographical distribution, scientific and common names, preparation, consumption and effects. Finally, it is about the chemical structure that plants possess, especially the concept of alkaloid and its implications in Central Nervous System. The third chapter deals with archaeological evidence recorded in pre-Hispanic Peru through research carried out over the years. Similarly, a brief historical compilation of chroniclers who mention these “plants” regarding their properties, effects, and uses by the “indigenous” in Peru after the arrival of the Spanish as well as the implications they possessed in the midst of the church’s actions to obtain followers to their cause. The fourth chapter, we focus on the discussion based on archaeological evidence in the pre-Hispanic Andes, their implications as a link between men and their deities, the Andean imaginary, the symbolism of their representations as a source of power. We also complement the ideas of the use of adaptogens in a Shamanic framework and finally address the iconographic problems that exist with regard to the representations of pre-Hispanic societies regarding the effects caused in the Central Nervous System and the ways to translate the different modified states of consciousness that carry their use. Finally, the conclusions of work, where we defend the ideas discussed throughout the work. It is important to remind people interested in these plants that care should be taken about the management of them. The chemical properties that each of them possess may cause serious damage to an individual's Central Nervous System; they are treated in an appropriate context and with the supervision of a person who “guides” his intake, who also knows the effects and possible problems that may arise in the process of assimilation of plants. The information provided in this work was done for purely scientific purposes and readers are asked not to use it in an inadequate manner. This paper is just a sample of the broad theme, shows how much there is to be research with regard to adaptogens, especially how valuable a different approach can be when archaeological information is contextualized.