By John Ikani
Deep in the Ugandan forests, a fascinating discovery is shedding light on the intelligence of chimpanzees.
Researchers have observed wild chimps seemingly self-medicating with plants, offering clues for potential new medicines.
Imagine detective work in a lush jungle. Scientists meticulously observed two chimpanzee communities in Budongo Central Forest Reserve for years. Their mission: to see if injured or sick chimps deliberately sought out specific plants.
The detectives looked for behavioural clues. An animal limping or favouring a body part could be a sign of pain. Droppings and urine samples helped them identify illness or infection. But the key moment came when an injured or sick chimp went for something unusual – tree bark, perhaps, or fruit skin.
“These unusual food choices were the telltale signs we were looking for,” explains Dr. Elodie Freymann, lead researcher from the University of Oxford.
The research, published in the journal PLOS One detailed that
one particular case stood out. A male chimp suffered a nasty hand wound. He couldn’t use it to walk and limped noticeably.
While his group munched on familiar food, the injured chimp ventured off in search of ferns. He was the only one in the group to eat them.
Intrigued, the researchers collected and analyzed the fern, identified as Christella parasitica. Remarkably, it had potent anti-inflammatory properties.
In total, 17 samples from 13 different plant species were collected and sent for testing. Nearly 90% of the extracts inhibited bacterial growth, and a third had natural anti-inflammatory properties.
The good news? All the injured and sick chimps in the study recovered fully. The fern-eating chimp regained use of his hand within days.
While Dr. Freymann acknowledges they can’t definitively say these were cases of self-medication, the findings are significant.
The study highlights a crucial point: animals may possess a surprising understanding of natural remedies and the urgent need to protect these forest pharmacies for future generations.
Chimpanzees, it seems, may not just be our closest living relatives, but also potential teachers in the world of medicine.
