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In London, a study from the University of Oxford has provided what’s described as the most comprehensive analysis yet on how wild chimpanzees use medicinal plants to self-medicate for various ailments and injuries. This groundbreaking research was conducted by closely observing 51 chimpanzees in Uganda’s Budongo Central Forest Reserve, an area where these primates are accustomed to human presence.
The research team documented instances where the chimpanzees consumed plants not usually found in their diet when they were injured or ill. These specific plants were then examined for medicinal properties by scientists from the Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences in Germany. Their findings were remarkable: 88% of the sampled plant items were capable of inhibiting bacterial growth, while 33% possessed anti-inflammatory properties.
Among the notable observations was a chimpanzee with a wounded hand who sought out and consumed the leaves of a fern, later identified to have potential anti-inflammatory benefits, presumably to alleviate pain and reduce swelling. Additionally, a chimpanzee suffering from a parasitic infection was seen eating the bark of a cat-thorn tree, a plant not previously observed in their diet, which was found to have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects.
Dr. Elodie Freymann, the leading author of the study from Oxford’s School of Anthropology & Museum Ethnography, likened the research process to detective work.
The team assembled a multidisciplinary body of evidence by tracking the chimpanzees’ behavior and analyzing the pharmacological properties of the plants they utilized. The discovery that many of these plants demonstrated significant bioactivity was, as Dr.
Freymann described, an exhilarating moment.
The implications of this research extend beyond the animal kingdom. As human beings face mounting challenges with chronic inflammatory diseases and the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the plants identified by these chimpanzees could be crucial in developing new and effective medicines.