By D.W.G. Kalani Tharanga, JadeTimes News
Scientists have uncovered a fascinating aspect of wild chimpanzee behavior, their use of plants with pain relieving and antibacterial properties to heal themselves. This discovery, rooted in meticulous observation and rigorous analysis, offers profound insights into the natural world’s self medicating practices and highlights the importance of preserving these “forest pharmacies.”
The Detective Work in the Forest
For the past four years, Dr. Elodie Freymann from the University of Oxford, along with her team, has delved deep into the Budongo Central Forest Reserve in Uganda. Their mission, to observe two communities of wild chimpanzees and discern whether these primates were self medicating with plants. This endeavor required patience, precision, and an eye for detail, as the researchers closely monitored chimps that exhibited signs of pain or illness.
Dr. Freymann’s approach was to follow these ailing animals, paying particular attention when they deviated from their usual diet to consume something specific from the forest. One notable instance involved an injured male chimpanzee with a badly wounded hand. Unlike his group, which was resting and eating as usual, this chimpanzee limped away to seek out ferns. His choice was not arbitrary, the fern he consumed, identified as Christella parasitica, was later found to possess strong anti inflammatory properties.
Analyzing Nature’s Remedies
The researchers collected 17 samples from 13 different plant species, which were then sent to Dr. Fabien Schultz at the Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences in Germany for testing. The results were striking, almost 90% of the plant extracts inhibited bacterial growth, and about a third had natural anti inflammatory properties. These findings suggest that the chimpanzees’ plant choices were indeed effective in treating their ailments.
Dr. Freymann emphasized the potential medicinal knowledge that can be gleaned from observing these behaviors. "We can't test everything in these forests for their medicinal properties, so why not test the plants that we have this information about plants the chimps are seeking out?" she said.
The study, published in the journal PLOS One, not only sheds light on chimpanzee behavior but also underscores the critical need to preserve natural habitats. These forests are more than just ecosystems, they are repositories of untapped medicinal knowledge. Observing the self medicating practices of chimpanzees can guide researchers in the search for new medicinal compounds, potentially benefiting human health as well.
Dr. Freymann and her colleagues also monitored the health outcomes of the chimpanzees. They noted that all the injured and ill chimps they observed fully recovered, including the one that ate the ferns, which began using its hand again within days. While direct causation is challenging to prove, these observations highlight the significant medicinal knowledge that wildlife can offer.
In a world where natural habitats are increasingly threatened, this research emphasizes the urgent need to protect these “forest pharmacies” for future generations. By safeguarding these environments, we not only preserve biodiversity but also retain a vast library of natural remedies that could one day revolutionize medicine.