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Freymann E, Carvalho S, Garbe LA, Dwi Ghazhelia D, Hobaiter C, Huffman MA, Muhumuza G, Schulz L, Sempebwa D, Wald F, Yikii ER, Zuberbühler K, Schultz F. Pharmacological and behavioral investigation of putative self-medicative plants in Budongo chimpanzee diets. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305219. [PMID: 38900778 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Wild chimpanzees consume a variety of plants to meet their dietary needs and maintain wellbeing. While some plants have obvious value, others are nutritionally poor and/or contain bioactive toxins which make ingestion costly. In some cases, these nutrient-poor resources are speculated to be medicinal, thought to help individuals combat illness. In this study, we observed two habituated chimpanzee communities living in the Budongo Forest, Uganda, and collected 17 botanical samples associated with putative self-medication behaviors (e.g., bark feeding, dead wood eating, and pith-stripping) or events (e.g., when consumer had elevated parasite load, abnormal urinalysis, or injury). In total, we selected plant parts from 13 species (nine trees and four herbaceous plants). Three extracts of different polarities were produced from each sample using n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol/water (9/1, v/v) and introduced to antibacterial and anti-inflammatory in vitro models. Extracts were evaluated for growth inhibition against a panel of multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of bacteria, including ESKAPE strains and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibition activity. Pharmacological results suggest that Budongo chimpanzees consume several species with potent medicinal properties. In the antibacterial library screen, 45 out of 53 extracts (88%) exhibited ≥40% inhibition at a concentration of 256 μg/mL. Of these active extracts, 41 (91%) showed activity at ≤256μg/mL in subsequent dose-response antibacterial experiments. The strongest antibacterial activity was achieved by the n-hexane extract of Alstonia boonei dead wood against Staphylococcus aureus (IC50: 16 μg/mL; MIC: 32 μg/mL) and Enterococcus faecium (IC50: 16 μg/mL; MIC: >256 μg/mL) and by the methanol-water extract of Khaya anthotheca bark and resin against E. faecium (IC50: 16 μg/mL; MIC: 32 μg/mL) and pathogenic Escherichia coli (IC50: 16 μg/mL; MIC: 256 μg/mL). We observed ingestion of both these species by highly parasitized individuals. K. anthotheca bark and resin were also targeted by individuals with indicators of infection and injuries. All plant species negatively affected growth of E. coli. In the anti-inflammatory COX-2 inhibition library screen, 17 out of 51 tested extracts (33%) showed ≥50% COX-2 inhibition at a concentration of 5 μg/mL. Several extracts also exhibited anti-inflammatory effects in COX-2 dose-response experiments. The K. anthotheca bark and resin methanol-water extract showed the most potent effects (IC50: 0.55 μg/mL), followed by the fern Christella parasitica methanol-water extract (IC50: 0.81 μg/mL). This fern species was consumed by an injured individual, a feeding behavior documented only once before in this population. These results, integrated with associated observations from eight months of behavioral data, provide further evidence for the presence of self-medicative resources in wild chimpanzee diets. This study addresses the challenge of distinguishing preventative medicinal food consumption from therapeutic self-medication by integrating pharmacological, observational, and health monitoring data-an essential interdisciplinary approach for advancing the field of zoopharmacognosy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie Freymann
- Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab, Institute of Human Sciences, Department of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Susana Carvalho
- Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab, Institute of Human Sciences, Department of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Gorongosa National Park, Sofala, Mozambique
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Archaeology and the Evolution of Human Behaviour, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Leif A Garbe
- Ethnopharmacology & Zoopharmacognosy Research Group, Department of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences, Neubrandenburg, Germany
- ZELT-Center for Nutrition and Food Technology gGmbH
| | - Dinda Dwi Ghazhelia
- Ethnopharmacology & Zoopharmacognosy Research Group, Department of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences, Neubrandenburg, Germany
| | - Catherine Hobaiter
- Wild Minds Lab, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
- Budongo Conservation Field Station, Masindi, Uganda
| | - Michael A Huffman
- Wildlife Research Center, Inuyama Campus, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | | | - Lena Schulz
- Ethnopharmacology & Zoopharmacognosy Research Group, Department of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences, Neubrandenburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Sempebwa
- Budongo Conservation Field Station, Masindi, Uganda
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Florian Wald
- Ethnopharmacology & Zoopharmacognosy Research Group, Department of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences, Neubrandenburg, Germany
- ZELT-Center for Nutrition and Food Technology gGmbH
| | | | - Klaus Zuberbühler
- Budongo Conservation Field Station, Masindi, Uganda
- Department of Comparative Cognition, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Fabien Schultz
- Ethnopharmacology & Zoopharmacognosy Research Group, Department of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences, Neubrandenburg, Germany
- Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy, School of Pharmacy, University College of London, London, United Kingdom
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Ali M, Benfante V, Di Raimondo D, Salvaggio G, Tuttolomondo A, Comelli A. Recent Developments in Nanoparticle Formulations for Resveratrol Encapsulation as an Anticancer Agent. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:126. [PMID: 38256959 PMCID: PMC10818631 DOI: 10.3390/ph17010126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound that has gained considerable attention in the past decade due to its multifaceted therapeutic potential, including anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. However, its anticancer efficacy is impeded by low water solubility, dose-limiting toxicity, low bioavailability, and rapid hepatic metabolism. To overcome these hurdles, various nanoparticles such as organic and inorganic nanoparticles, liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, solid lipid nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanoparticles, zeolitic imidazolate frameworks, carbon nanotubes, bioactive glass nanoparticles, and mesoporous nanoparticles were employed to deliver resveratrol, enhancing its water solubility, bioavailability, and efficacy against various types of cancer. Resveratrol-loaded nanoparticle or resveratrol-conjugated nanoparticle administration exhibits excellent anticancer potency compared to free resveratrol. This review highlights the latest developments in nanoparticle-based delivery systems for resveratrol, focusing on the potential to overcome limitations associated with the compound's bioavailability and therapeutic effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Ali
- Ri.MED Foundation, Via Bandiera 11, 90133 Palermo, Italy;
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (D.D.R.); (A.T.)
| | - Viviana Benfante
- Ri.MED Foundation, Via Bandiera 11, 90133 Palermo, Italy;
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (D.D.R.); (A.T.)
| | - Domenico Di Raimondo
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (D.D.R.); (A.T.)
| | - Giuseppe Salvaggio
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Antonino Tuttolomondo
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (D.D.R.); (A.T.)
| | - Albert Comelli
- Ri.MED Foundation, Via Bandiera 11, 90133 Palermo, Italy;
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133 Palermo, Italy
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