Chimpanzees appear to consume plants with medicinal properties to treat their ailments, according to a study led by the University of Oxford.
The research goes some way to clearing up the question of whether chimpanzees self-medicate intentionally or by chance.
Researchers from Oxford studied the behaviour and health of 51 chimpanzees living in Uganda's Budongo Central Forest Reserve.
They focused their observations on two communities that were accustomed to human presence.
The team noted plants eaten by the chimps that were not part of their regular diet as well as ones that previous research has suggested chimpanzees might consume for their medicinal properties.
They gathered extracts from 13 types of trees and herbs believed to be used by chimpanzees for self-medication.
The extracts were then tested for their anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties at Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences, led by Dr Fabien Schultz.
The researchers found 88 per cent of the extracts inhibited bacterial growth while 33 per cent had anti-inflammatory capabilities.
Dead wood from Alstonia boonei, a tree species from the Dogbane family, showed the strongest antibacterial activity and it also had anti-inflammatory properties, suggesting that chimpanzees may consume it to treat wounds.
East African communities use this plant to treat a variety of conditions, including bacterial infections, gastro-intestinal issues, snake bites, and asthma.
Bark and resin from Khaya anthotheca, an East African mahogany tree, and leaves from Christella parasitica, a fern, also displayed strong anti-inflammatory effects.
A male chimpanzee with an injured hand was seen seeking out and eating leaves of the fern, possibly to reduce pain and swelling.
Another individual with a parasite infection was seen consuming bark of a Scutia myrtina, which the chimpanzees in this group had never been observed eating before.
Testing revealed that this bark had both anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.
Lead author Dr Elodie Freymann, from the University of Oxford’s School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, said: "To study wild chimpanzee self-medication you have to act like a detective - gathering multidisciplinary evidence to piece together a case.
"After spending months in the field collecting behavioural clues that led us to specific plant species, it was thrilling to analyse the pharmacological results and discover that many of these plants exhibited high levels of bioactivity."
With antibiotic-resistant bacteria and chronic inflammatory diseases posing growing global health threats, these findings could potentially guide the development of new drugs.
Dr Freymann added: "Our study highlights the medicinal knowledge that can be gained from observing other species in the wild and underscores the urgent need to preserve these forest pharmacies for future generations."
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