Michael sent our NZ Holistic Animal Therapists Association some interesting reports of studies he had done on a particular female chimp in Africa some years ago who appeared lethargic and seemed to be suffering from diarrhoea .She chose Lippea picata, a woodland shrub the locals use for stomach ache. She sucked on the bitter-tasting juice from the shoots of Veronia amygdalina, a woody bush shrub that locals use for internal parasite infestations. This shrub also has antibiotic and antiviral agents. Following a rest in her tree nest she made a complete recovery within 24 hours. Lippea contains potent monoterpenes and both plants are used by Africans in tropical regions for the treatment of internal parasites.

A plant of great interest is two varieties of Aspilia which chimps eat at dawn. These leaves are eaten slowly and the leaf is selected with care, the Chimps closing their lips over it, pausing for a few seconds, and rejecting it without pulling it off the branch. When a leaf meets with approval it is rolled around the mouth and swallowed whole. The leaves appear neatly folded in half in the chimps dung so why were they eating them? Tests carried out by pharmacognosists revealed the plants contained thiarubrine-A, a potent antifungal and worming agent. It also has antiviral and antibacterial properties and is more potent than the anti-cancer drug vinblastine in in-vitro toxicology tests. Picking the leaves at dawn indicates chimps know the plant will be more effective then because of the concentrations of secondary metabolites in the leaves, which follow a daily cycle.

Aspilia may undergo further investigation as a possible vermifuge for the commercial administration to the cattle in these areas.

Q. Why should self-medication in animals come as a surprise to scientists?