6 Natural Medicines (Maybe) Used by Animals | Zoopharmacognosy

TL;DR

Animals, including insects and primates, have been observed using plants and substances for medicinal purposes, although the scientific evidence varies for each case.

Transcript

SciShow is supported by Brilliant.org. [♪ Intro ] Some animals are way smarter than we give them credit for. Crows can invent tools, some spiders customize hunting techniques, animals have even been observed medicating themselves to treat illnesses. But animal behavior isn’t always what it seems, and this self-medication is a great example of that.... Read More

Key Insights

• 🌱 Zoopharmacognosy is the study of animals using plants and substances for medicinal purposes.
• 🤳 Parasite defense is a prevalent motive for animals to self-medicate.
• 😒 Insects, such as tiger moth caterpillars and fruit flies, exhibit behavior that suggests the use of medicine to combat parasites.
• 😫 Primates, including chimpanzees and red colobus monkeys, use plants like Aspilia leaves and charcoal to defend against parasites and prevent upset stomachs, respectively.
• 😒 Orangutans may use Dracaena leaves for potential pain relief.
• 🤳 The efficacy and specific mechanisms behind animal self-medication are still being studied and require further research.
• 🤨 New discoveries in zoopharmacognosy raise questions about animal learning and the potential discovery of medicines for humans.

Questions & Answers

Q: How do tiger moth caterpillars use plants to protect themselves against parasites?

Tiger moth caterpillars consume plants with harmful chemicals called pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) that reduce their growth but act as a defense mechanism against parasitoid flies. The PAs are more toxic to the flies' larvae than the caterpillars themselves.

Q: How do fruit flies use ethanol to defend against parasitoid wasps?

Fruit flies lay their eggs on rotting fruit, and if yeast is present, it produces ethanol. Female fruit flies prefer to lay their eggs on low-ethanol fruit to protect their offspring from parasitoid wasps. The wasps are more likely to die if they parasitize flies that have consumed ethanol.

Q: How do chimpanzees use Aspilia leaves to combat parasites?

Chimpanzees fold and swallow Aspilia leaves, which contain rough, bristly surfaces. The leaves may physically scrape nematode worms off the chimps' intestinal walls. Additionally, the leaves stimulate the production of gastric acid, which further repels the worms.

Q: How do colobus monkeys use charcoal to prevent upset stomachs?

Colobus monkeys consume charcoal after eating tannin-rich mango and Indian almond leaves. The charcoal absorbs some tannic acid present in the leaves, reducing its adverse effects such as nausea and vomiting. It is hypothesized that eating charcoal enables the safe consumption of the nutritious leaves.

Q: How do orangutans potentially use Dracaena leaves for pain relief?

Orangutans chew Dracaena leaves and rub the mixture on their arms and legs. Dracaena leaves contain saponins, which have anti-inflammatory properties. It is plausible that the orangutans use the spit-leaf mixture as a pain-killing rub for sore muscles.

Q: Is there conclusive evidence for elephants using red seringa leaves to induce labor?

There is only one recorded observation of a pregnant elephant consuming red seringa leaves before giving birth. Although the leaves are used to induce labor in humans, it is unclear if the same effect occurs in elephants. Further testing and research are needed to determine the potential medicinal use of red seringa leaves for elephants.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Zoopharmacognosy is the field of study that focuses on animals using plants and substances for medicinal purposes.

• Examples of zoopharmacognosy include tiger moth caterpillars eating plants with harmful chemicals to protect themselves against parasites and fruit flies consuming ethanol to deter parasitoid wasps.

• Primates, such as chimpanzees and red colobus monkeys, have been observed using plants like Aspilia leaves and charcoal to combat parasites and prevent upset stomachs respectively.