Elephants select certain specific plants when they seem to be feeling unwell, according to the study, which is based on interviews with conservationists and local leaders in Mount Elgon National Park.
The animals appear to use a total of 35 different plant species, 25 of which are locally known to have medicinal uses. The mothers in the herd are also said to give the same plants to their calves - sometimes mixed with their own milk, the BBC reports.
The study raises questions about whether the destruction of forest habitats deprives animals of the medicines they need, the researchers note.
African elephants have long fascinated scientists. They are known for scraping salt from rocks with their tusks to obtain essential minerals.
