There was a great movie that I saw as a kid, starring Shawn Connery, where he plays a mad field scientist. He's in the rainforest looking for a cure for cancer in chemicals produced by ants or something like that. I can't remember what it's called though!
Edit: ChatGPT to the rescue! It was a rare flower, not ants. 1992, called Medicine Man. Check it out! It's worth a watch.