Plaque shows some Neanderthals were vegetarians
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- Published: Tuesday, 14 March 2017 08:52
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Some Neanderthals were vegetarians who used natural forms of penicillin and aspirin as medicine. Despite being commonly thought of as meat eaters some Neanderthals ate a vegetarian diet and appear to have used natural forms of penicillin and aspirin to treat infections and pain, examination of their dental plaque has revealed.
A team of researchers from Spain, Australia and the UK were able to extract DNA from dental plaque was found on the fossilised teeth of Neanderthals who lived in what is now Asturias, Spain, and in Belgium up to 50,000 years ago. The plaque also contained traces of the penicillium fungus, the natural antibiotic from which the drug penicillin is derived, and also poplar. That tree’s bark, roots and leaves all contain salicylic acid, which is used in aspirin and other painkillers.
Professor Alan Cooper, of the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA at Adelaide University, who helped carry out the genetic analysis, said the evidence showed Neanderthals were more sophisticated than previously thought.
“Apparently, Neanderthals possessed a good knowledge of medicinal plants and their various anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, and seem to be self-medicating. The use of antibiotics would be very surprising, as this is more than 40,000 years before we developed penicillin.” he said.
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