Groundbreaking research suggests that self-medicating gorillas may offer vital insights for future drug development. Scientists in Gabon explored tropical plants consumed by wild gorillas—also utilized by local traditional healers—discovering four plants with significant medicinal properties.
Studies conducted in laboratories showed that these plants possess high levels of antioxidants and antimicrobials. Notably, one plant demonstrated potential effectiveness against antibiotic-resistant superbugs.
Notably, great apes are recognized for their self-medication behavior by selecting plants with healing properties. A recent example includes an orangutan that used a plant paste for wound care.
In this latest study, botanists documented the plants consumed by Western lowland gorillas in Gabon’s Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, identifying four trees believed to have health benefits based on interviews with local healers: Ceiba pentandra (fromager tree), Myrianthus arboreus (giant yellow mulberry), Milicia excelsa (African teak), and Ficus species (fig trees).
The bark from these trees, traditionally used to treat ailments ranging from stomach issues to infertility, contained potent medicinal compounds such as phenols and flavonoids.
All four identified plants exhibited antibacterial properties against various multidrug-resistant strains of E. coli. The fromager tree, in particular, displayed “remarkable activity” against all tested strains.
This research highlights that gorillas have likely adapted to consume plants that are beneficial, emphasizing the vast gaps in our understanding of Central African rainforests, according to Dr. Joanna Setchell, an anthropologist involved in the research.
Gabon’s vast and largely unexplored forests are not only home to forest elephants, chimpanzees, and gorillas but also harbor many undiscovered plant species. Unfortunately, poaching and disease have led to a dramatic decline in Western lowland gorilla populations, classifying them as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List.
The findings of this important research are detailed in the journal PLOS ONE.
