chimps-use-medicinal-plants-to-heal-wounds

Researchers found that wild chimpanzees actively sought and ingested medicinal plants to treat their injuries.

 

While wild chimpanzees typically consume various plant materials, it can be challenging to determine whether they deliberately seek out medicinal plants for healing purposes or simply consume plants that happen to have medicinal properties.

 

The study has been released in the journal PLoS ONE.

 

In Uganda's Budongo Central Forest Reserve, the researchers, which included individuals from the University of Oxford in the UK, observed the behaviours and health of 51 wild chimpanzees from two habituated communities.

 

Researchers observed a male chimpanzee with an injured hand actively seeking and consuming fern leaves, a behaviour that might have helped alleviate pain and reduce swelling. Furthermore, they documented another chimpanzee with a parasitic infection consuming the bark of a cat-thorn tree (Scutia myrtina).

 

The team conducted tests on the plant extracts of tree and herb species in the reserve, suspected to be ingested by the chimpanzees for self-medication, to assess their anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties.

 

The plant species tested were not typically part of the chimpanzees' regular diet but were being consumed for their potential healing properties.

 

The authors discovered that 88 per cent of the plant extracts exhibited antibacterial properties, inhibiting bacterial growth, while 33 per cent possessed anti-inflammatory properties.

 

Deadwood from a tree in the Dogbane family (Alstonia boonei) displayed the most robust antibacterial activity. It also demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties, indicating its potential for treating wounds.

 

The bark and resin of the East African mahogany tree (Khaya anthotheca), as well as the leaves of a fern (Christella parasitica), were discovered to have strong anti-inflammatory effects.

 

These findings implied that chimpanzees actively sought out and consumed specific plants for their medicinal properties, marking one of the initial instances of such behaviour being documented, according to the authors.

 

The authors said the medicinal plants growing in Budongo Central Forest Reserve could also help develop new drugs to address the challenges of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and chronic inflammatory diseases.

 

They said the findings demonstrated how watching and learning from our primate cousins may fast-track the discovery of novel medicines and emphasised the importance of protecting our forest pharmacies.