analgesic

While some research has found that morphine can have analgesic effects on crayfish, we don’t yet know what type of receptor it’s targeting, though it probably relates to these evolutionarily early starts at an opioid system.

Interestingly, menthol also has high medicinal value due to its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects.

Says Laumer: "This and related liana species that can be found in tropical forests of Southeast Asia are known for their analgesic and antipyretic effects and are used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases, such as malaria. Analyses of plant chemical compounds show the presence of furanoditerpenoids and protoberberine alkaloids, which are known to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, antioxidant, and other biological activities of relevance to wound healing."

"Orangutans at the site rarely eat the plant. However, individuals may accidentally touch their wounds while feeding on this plant and thus unintentionally apply the plant's juice to their wounds. As Fibraurea tinctoria has potent analgesic effects, individuals may feel an immediate pain release, causing them to repeat the behavior several times."

"It's thought that acetaminophen exerts its analgesic effect through the endocannabinoid system, which is also very important for fetal development," Woodbury said.