TH C OSM E THI C 25 IFSCC SCIENCE AND CONSCIENCE 318 MILAN 2019 CONFERENCE 30 SEPTEMBER 1-2 OCTOBER Zoopharmacognosy & primate self-medication observations: Towards a new phytomolecule discovery model Aïna, Queiroz*; Céline, Chauvergne*; Pauline Gueunier*, Carine, Quenel* *SEQENS Cosmetics (ID bio) - 6 allée Skylab 87068 LIMOGES Cedex – France Introduction What if the behavioral observation of animals gave us access to valuable clues in the discovery of new bioactive compounds? Only knowledge generated by the human species was considered until multidisciplinary teams demonstrated the interest of studying other self-medication animal models. Etho-Phytology™ A new discovery model Zoopharmacognosy: animal self-medication using plants1. Etho-Phytology™: a new discovery model based on zoopharmacognosy cases. Material & Method Valid conditions for new cases of “Etho-Phytology™”: • Unusual feeding behavior: the plant is not part of the animal’s traditional diet • Occasional uses: new seasonal eating habits generally limited in time and space • Physiological condition: an animal in poor health making an effort to access a plant • Biological properties: effects already documented for a plant Topical uses of plants Plant ingestion From protection… Among Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus capucinus), in order to prevent certain Diversity of plant elements ingested among primates with therapeutic topical diseases, the plants below are chewed, coated with saliva and rolled purposes : using the hands before being applied directly to the fur2 : • Bitter stems • fruits of the genus Citrus Chimpanzees consumption of the very bitter stem of Vernonia • leaves of Piper marginatum and Clematis dioica amygdalina3 coinciding with the rainy season, which can increase • pods of Sloanea terniflora susceptibility to infections. • Barks Albizia grandibracteata bark consumed by chimpanzees suffering … to socialization from digestive disorders4. Healing observations correlated with the presence of triterpenic saponins. These behaviors also play a role in: • Seeds • strengthening olfactory communication in groups Consumption of Aframomum melegueta seeds by gorillas is described • generating social bonds as well as grooming or hand-sniffing. as protecting their myocardium5. Results From zoopharmacognosy to targeted molecules Main effects plot • Molecules of interest for Aframomum 45 melegueta seeds: 40 35 - Gingerols family (6-paradol, 6-shogaol 30 or 6-gingerol) 25 - Flavonoids 20 15 • Design of flavonoid extraction : 10 5 0 45 60 80 3 15 6 1 2 3 50 25 75 Temperature of Duration of Pretreatment of % of solvent extraction (c°) extraction (h) the raw material extraction Extraction factors and modalities Conclusion The creation of this new platform, guided by the observation of plant-animal interactions, therefore opens the company today to new opportunities for the development of bio-inspired and responsible dermo-cosmetic active ingredients. As this approach is based on the fragile balance to be preserved between fauna and flora, these various works are also the subject of impact studies for the plant supply chains. References 1Janzen, Daniel. «Complications in interpreting the chemical defenses of trees against tropical arboreal plant-eating vertebrates.» The ecology of arboreal folivores (1978). 2Baker, Mary. «Fur rubbing: use of medicinal plants by capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus).» American Journal of Primatology38.3 (1996): 263-270. 3Huffman, Michael A., and Mohamedi Seifu. «Observations on the illness and consumption of a possibly medicinal plant Vernonia amygdalina (Del.), by a wild chimpanzee in the Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania.» Primates 30.1 (1989): 51-63. 4Krief, Sabrina, et al. «Triterpenoid saponin anthranilates from albizia g randibracteata leaves ingested by primates in Uganda.» Journal of natural products 68.6 (2005): 897-903. 5Dybas, Cheryl Lyn, and Ilya Raskin. «Out of Africa: a tale of gorillas, heart disease... and a swamp plant.» BioScience 57.5 (2007): 392-397..