Ugandan, French scientists trail chimps

Dec 20, 2007

UGANDAN and French scientists have for several months been observing the behaviour of a group of chimpanzees, whose uncanny aptitude for self-medication could help their human cousins discover new drugs.

KAMPALA

UGANDAN and French scientists have for several months been observing the behaviour of a group of chimpanzees, whose uncanny aptitude for self-medication could help their human cousins discover new drugs.

The great apes’ ability to treat ailments by adjusting their diet has long been observed by scientists, including world-renown primatologist Jane Goodall, at a project in Kibale Forest.

“It is the first time that a chimpanzee observation aimed at discovering new medicine for humans is conducted within a scientific framework,” said Sabrina Krief, a French veterinary and professor at the Paris National History Museum.

“Uganda is a country where eight of the 16 centres of endemic plants in the whole of Africa converge,” said John Kasenene, professor of botanics at Makerere University.

“We want to compare which plants are used by the traditional healers or traditional practitioners and the medicines used by chimpanzees. Is there a relation for the kind of treatment they go for?” he asked.

The university is conducting the project in partnership with the Natural History Museum in Paris, France’s National Centre for Scientific Research and the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

Should a new drug be discovered through the project, the memorandum of understanding signed by all the partners includes a revenue-sharing clause.
“There are few research stations in the world where chimps have been so well accustomed to being in the presence of human observers,” said Krief, who heads the chimp project.

The key moment in the observation is when one among the group of around 50 chimps that she monitors falls sick.

The primate’s choice of food is packed with information that could lead the scientists to new discoveries. At dawn, the team collects the animal’s faeces from under that night’s nest and carries out a range of analyses.

Krief explained how a chimp named Yogi, suffering from intestinal worms, ingested Aneilema aequinoctiale leaves in the morning and Albizia grandibracteata bark in the evening.

Such plants have been used in traditional medicine in some areas and the Kibale team later confirmed that through testing, they acted against parasites.

About 100 different kinds of plants have already been sampled in Kibale since the start of this year.

“It is rare to find active molecules, which might put us on the path to developing new pharmaceuticals. This is the ultimate goal of the project, Krief said.

AFP



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