Which plant do chimpanzees ingest in order to eliminate parasites in their intestines?
Question
#73013. Asked by tragic_flawed. (Dec 06 06 11:48 PM)
zbeckabee
Extensive field and laboratory studies in progress at Mahale Mountains National Park show us how chimpanzees infected with nematodes use plants which help keep their infections under control. It now appears that some of these plants have a chemical effect (e.g. Vernonia amygdalina) while others have a physical purging effect (e.g. Aspilia mossambicensis).
The strongyle nematode species Oesophagosotmum stephanostomum is largely responsible for the observed cases of illness recorded at Mahale during the
rainy season, when these medicinal plants are most frequently used by chimpanzees.
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