[自然百科] Why Chimps Eat Dead Wood and Other Plants

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Chimpanzees self-medicate, suggests a new study in the journal Physiology & Behavior, which also mentions many of their consumed plants with medicinal properties. Here is the list:  


Aneilema aequinoctiale              leaves        de-wormer
Antiaris toxicaria                       leaves        anti-tumor




Bosqueia phoberos                     leaves        anti-bacterial
Chaetacme aristata                    bark           anti-bacterial
Cordia abyssinica                        pith            anti-malarial, anti-tuberculosis, anti-bacterial   
Diospyros abyssinica                   leaves        multiple biological activities   
Ficus capensis                            leaves        anti-bacterial and multiple biological activities
Ficus exasperata                        unripe fruits    de-worming agent, reduces stomach acids
Ficus natalensis                          bark            anti-bacterial
Ficus stipulifera                         leaves        anti-malarial, anti-bacterial
Ficus urceolaris /Ficus asperifolia     leaves        dewormer
Illigera pentaphylla                    leaves        anti-bacterial, anti-malarial
Jasminum abyssinicum                leaves        de-wormer
Lepisanthes senegalensis             leaves        anti-malarial
Mimusops bagshawei                   leaves        anti-malarial
Monodora myristica                     leaves        de-wormer, anti-malarial
Myrianthus arboreus                    leaves        anti-malarial
Neoboutonia macrocalyx              dead wood    many biological properties
Olea welwitschii                          leaves        anti-malarial, other properties
Parinari excelsa                           leaves        numerous biological properties
Phytolacca dodecandra                unripe fruits    anti-viral, spermicidal and more
Psychotria mahonii                      root            anti-malarial
Pterygota mildbraedii                  leaves        anti-bacterial
Rothmannia urcelliformis             leaves        anti-bacterial
Rubia cordifolia                           leaves        de-wormer



Solanecio manii                           pith            several biological properties
Teclea nobilis                              root            anti-malarial
Trichilia rubescens                      leaves         anti-bacterial and more

Lead author Shelly Masi of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris and her team point out that chimpanzees and other primates learn to consume such plants by copying the eating habits of other older and highly ranked individuals. The chimps may not directly link the consumption with treating a particular illness, but they probably just know that this plant has some value because so-and-so ate it and is doing well.


While some of these plants are also used as medicines by humans, many can be toxic. Antiaris toxicaria, for example, is also utilized as a dart poison.
Therefore, it has to be said that you should not consume these mentioned plants without expert guidance. That's one reasonmedical research is so important. Scientists can isolate the effective medicinal compounds of such plants while removing their more dangerous agents.