A groundbreaking study led by researchers from the University of Oxford and published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution has revealed that wild chimpanzees in Uganda may actively seek out and use medicinal plants to treat themselves—and in some cases, each other—when sick or injured. This discovery sheds new light on the evolutionary roots of human medicine and caregiving behavior.
Over a span of several months, scientists observed 51 chimpanzees from two communities living in the Budongo Central Forest Reserve. The researchers meticulously documented 17 individual cases where the animals appeared to engage in self-medication, often consuming or applying plants not normally part of their diet. These behaviors were closely correlated with visible signs of illness or injury, such as limping or lethargy.
To identify the potential medicinal properties of the plants being used, researchers collected 13 different plant samples and conducted laboratory tests. Astonishingly, nine of those extracts showed promising antimicrobial or anti-inflammatory effects, supporting the idea that these chimpanzees were not randomly experimenting with unfamiliar flora, but potentially selecting specific plants for their therapeutic properties.
One particularly striking observation involved a male chimpanzee with a visibly injured hand who was seen chewing the stem of a plant with known anti-inflammatory properties. Another chimpanzee, appearing fatigued and lethargic, ingested the bitter bark of a tree not typically consumed in their usual diet—suggesting purposeful behavior aimed at treating symptoms of illness.
These findings mark one of the most comprehensive studies to date on how non-human primates may use plants medicinally, not only to care for themselves but also to assist others in their social group. This prosocial aspect of care, where chimpanzees might provide or share access to beneficial plants, hints at early evolutionary steps toward the complex medical systems seen in humans today.
“Our research helps illuminate the evolutionary roots of human medicine and healthcare systems. BY documenting how chimpanzees identify and utilize medicinal plants and provide care to others, we gain insight into the cognitive and social foundations of human healthcare behaviors,” said Dr. Elodie Freymann of the University of Oxford, first author of the study.
This study offers a rare glimpse into the biological and social intelligence of one of our closest relatives. It challenges us to rethink where our medical instincts come from and to consider how much of our healthcare behaviors may be deeply rooted in evolutionary history. Moreover, the research underscores the importance of conserving habitats like the Budongo Forest. Not only are these ecosystems vital for biodiversity, but they also serve as living laboratories that may help us uncover natural remedies hidden in plain sight.
Sources: Frontiers, EurekAlert
