Doctoral Dissertation Improvement: Self-Medication as an Anti-Parasitic Adaptation in Japanese Macaques

博士论文改进：自我药疗作为日本猕猴的抗寄生虫适应

• 批准号: 0525156
• 负责人: Ervan Garrison
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Georgia Research Foundation Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-08-01 至 2008-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0525156&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Improvement; Self; Medication

The study of non-human self-medication is an emerging field with implications for primate behavior and cognition, human cultural and biological evolution, and the conservation of endangered species. Non-human primates have displayed innate and learned behaviors including the ingestion of antiparasitic plants, the ingestion of pharmacologically active clays, and the external application of insecticidal plants. Some self-medicative behaviors by great apes have shown remarkable similarities to human traditional medicine, raising the possibility of acquisition of some human medicine from observation of animals, in accordance with cultural "mythological" stories.This research will investigate the use of specific plants and minerals as anti-parasitic medication by Yaku Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata yakui), and by traditional Japanese Kanpo medicinal pharmacists. Yaku macaques are an endangered subspecies of Japanese macaque endemic to the island of Yakushima (southern Japan). The macaques are accustomed to researchers but are otherwise wild with minimal human intervention. Parasitological surveys have revealed 96% of the population to be infected with up to three species of intestinal parasite. Observation and fecal analysis of these monkeys over one full year will reveal whether the ingestion of medicinal plants and minerals corresponds to periods of heavy intestinal parasite infection, and also whether these materials are effective in alleviating the infection and the debilitating symptoms that they produce. Under particular scrutiny are five species of plant known to east Asian medicine, and Kaolinitic clays similar to that used in western anti-diarrheal medicines (e.g. Kaopectate). Observational data collection will be carried out focusing on one individual macaque per day, recording dietary intake and duration of ingestion of candidate medicinal materials. Fecal samples will be collected from the ground twice daily and be analyzed for parasite load and diarrheal symptoms. Statistical analysis will reveal the relationship between the health state of the monkeys, their use of the medicinal resources, and the functional outcome of this behavior.Ethnographic information will be collected through interviews with professional Kanpo pharmacists in Kyoto and on Yakushima. These interviews will investigate the traditional treatments for parasite infection, diarrhea and abdominal pain, their preparation and use. Areas of similarity or difference between the human and macaque data will allow further evaluation of self-medicative hypotheses.Alongside academic interest, this research has broader application. Human public health practices may benefit through the discovery of medicinally significant plant products, an evaluation of the efficacy of traditional medicinal practices, and the clarification of the health effects of human clay ingestion, common in many cultures but often regarded as a psychological disorder. The research may also have application in conservation of endangered species, especially the important and developing field of Conservation Medicine. It will reveal disease stresses significant to the survival of endangered primate populations, and the behavioral responses employed by that population to minimize these threats. It also will identify potential conflicts between human and non-human use of medicinal materials significant to protective-reserve management. It may also contribute to the design of more effective zoo enclosures for captive breeding programs through consideration of the biochemical environment.

非人类自我药疗的研究是一个新兴领域，对灵长类动物的行为和认知、人类文化和生物进化以及濒危物种的保护具有重要意义。非人灵长类动物表现出先天性和习得性行为，包括摄食抗寄生植物、摄食具有药理活性的粘土和外用杀虫植物。类人猿的一些自我治疗行为显示出与人类传统医学惊人的相似之处，根据文化“神话”故事，这增加了从观察动物中获得一些人类医学的可能性。本研究将调查日本雅库猕猴（Macaca fuscata yakui）和日本传统Kanpo医药药剂师使用特定植物和矿物质作为抗寄生虫药物的情况。雅库猕猴是日本屋久岛（日本南部）特有的濒临灭绝的日本猕猴亚种。猕猴已经习惯了研究人员，但在其他方面，它们是野生的，几乎没有人为干预。寄生虫学调查显示，96%的人口感染了多达三种肠道寄生虫。对这些猴子进行一整年的观察和粪便分析，将揭示药用植物和矿物质的摄入是否与肠道寄生虫严重感染的时期相对应，以及这些物质是否有效缓解感染和它们产生的衰弱症状。特别审查的是东亚医学已知的五种植物，以及类似于西方抗腹泻药物（如高岭石）中使用的高岭石粘土。观察性数据收集将集中在每天一只猕猴身上，记录候选药材的膳食摄入量和摄入时间。每天两次从地面采集粪便样本，分析寄生虫载量和腹泻症状。统计分析将揭示猴子的健康状况、它们对药物资源的使用以及这种行为的功能结果之间的关系。人种学信息将通过与京都和屋久岛的专业Kanpo药剂师的访谈来收集。这些访谈将调查寄生虫感染、腹泻和腹痛的传统治疗方法及其制备和使用。人类和猕猴数据之间相似或不同的领域将允许进一步评估自我药物假设。除了学术上的兴趣，这项研究有更广泛的应用。通过发现具有重要药用价值的植物产品、评估传统医学做法的功效以及澄清人体摄入粘土对健康的影响，人类公共卫生做法可能会受益，粘土在许多文化中很常见，但往往被视为一种心理障碍。该研究也可应用于濒危物种保护，特别是保护医学这一重要而发展迅速的领域。它将揭示疾病对濒危灵长类动物种群生存的重大影响，以及该种群为减少这些威胁而采取的行为反应。它还将确定对保护区管理具有重要意义的人类和非人类使用药用材料之间的潜在冲突。这也可能有助于设计更有效的动物园圈养繁殖计划，通过考虑生化环境。