Self Medication by Orangatans Using Bioactive Plants.

[NNadir]

The following paper is in Nature's open sourced journal Scientific Reports: Self-medication by orang-utans (Pongo pygmaeus) using bioactive properties of Dracaena cantleyi (I. Foitová et al, Scientific Reports 7, Article number: 16653 (2017))

This apparently is not the first instance among primates of this type of behavior, but it is only one of two examples of such a behavior of apes not originating in Africa. (As we originated in Africa, our particular species of ape does not qualify.)

According to this paper, orangatans have been observed to process (by chewing) this plant and then rubbing the resulting lather on their fur. Biological assays of the pulp of the plant showed, using cellular assays, that the plant had pronounced anti-inflammatory properties.

The paper is, again, open sourced, so there is no reason to excerpt it.

It's interesting, especially for the description of other species that self medicate.

Fascinating, I think.

Have a nice Friday tomorrow.

[cpamomfromtexas]

1. Awesome. Thank you for posting

[RandomAccess]

2. Native Americans routinely observed animals

for what they consumed to discover both food and herbal remedies. I think animals helped them locate water, and so forth as well.

So this is nice, and interesting, but not exactly earth shaking. I'm really glad scientists know this now.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Thank you, NNadir. Totally new subject to some of us.

Impressive learning something about these furry beings, and their awareness of their environment.

[fleabiscuit]

4. Thanks, that's very interesting. nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. Zoopharmacognosy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoopharmacognosy

The term derives from Greek roots zoo ( "animal" ), pharma ( "drug" ), and gnosy ( "knowing" ).

[NNadir]

7. Cool word, that. Having been born in Brooklyn...

...I'll probably mangle it when pronouncing it, but that's been the story of my life.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. Zoh-oh-pharma-cog-noh-see. But making the first bit "zoo" is probably ok too. :) . . . nt

[Solly Mack]

6. K&R