Self-medicating to prevent malaria: house sparrows

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House sparrows protect themselves from malaria by lining their nests with and eating quinine-containing leaves from the paradise flower tree.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

	Maintain physical integrity >
	Protect from biotic factors >
	Microbes

Biomimetic Application Ideas

Urban designs that incorporate anti-malarial plants, new anti-malarial drugs.

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[Collapse all sections] Summary

"During an outbreak of malaria in Calcutta during 1998, Dr. Dushim Sengupta and fellow scientists at Calcutta's Center for Nature Conservation and Human Survival were surprised to witness house sparrows lining their nests with (and also eating) leaves from the paradise flower tree (Caesalpina pulcherrima), a species whose leaves are rich in the anti-malarial drug quinine. Confirming that their choice of leaves was deliberate, the sparrows swiftly gathered fresh leaves of this same species when the scientists removed those already lining their nests." (Shuker 2001:216-217)

About the inspiring organism

House Sparrow
Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758)
[House sparrow]

IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern
Habitat(s): Artificial - Aquatic, Artificial - Terrestrial, Forest, Grassland, Rocky Areas, Shrubland, Wetlands

Some organism data provided by: ITIS: The Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Urban designs that incorporate anti-malarial plants, new anti-malarial drugs.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Urban planning, medical

References

Shuker, KPN. 2001. The Hidden Powers of Animals: Uncovering the Secrets of Nature. London: Marshall Editions Ltd. 240 p.

Self-medicating to prevent malaria: house sparrows

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