Chimps helping scientists find plants that have potential to become medicines

A chimpanzee called Zalu at the Budongo Central Forest Reserve in Uganda (Elodie Freymann/University of Oxford/PA)

Oxford scientists have identified 13 plants that have potent wound-healing and infection-fighting properties in a “thrilling” discovery – with help from some wild chimpanzees.

Researchers observed the great apes in an African forest feeding on bark, dead wood and leaves from plants that were not part of their normal diet after becoming ill or injured.