Gorillas' Diets Reveal Plants with Potential to Combat Superbugs

Overview

• Scientists studied the eating habits of western lowland gorillas in Gabon's Moukalaba-Doudou National Park and identified four plants with medicinal properties.
• The plants—Ceiba pentandra, Myrianthus arboreus, Milicia excelsa, and Ficus—are also used by local traditional healers.
• Laboratory tests showed that the bark of these plants contains compounds like phenols, alkaloids, and flavonoids with antibacterial and antioxidant activities.
• The fromager tree (Ceiba pentandra) demonstrated the most potent antibacterial effects against all tested multidrug-resistant E. coli strains.
• This research underscores the potential of biodiverse regions to yield new drugs and highlights the importance of preserving these ecosystems.