Artemisia annua L.

Abstract

In the early 1970's, a potent and essentially non-toxic antimalarial agent was isolated from qing hao (Artemisia annua), a plant used in Chinese folk medicine for some 20 centuries. The active compound, artemisinin (qinghaosu), is a sesquiterpene lactone bearing an unusual endoperoxide group that is essential for its activity. Artemisinin is effective against drug-sensitive and -resistant Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax. Oil-soluble derivatives of artemisinin, such as artemether and arteether, and water-soluble derivatives, such as sodium artesunate and sodium artelinate, have increased potency and allow fewer recrudescences. The latter two have special application for the treatment of potentially fatal cerebral malaria. Recent animal studies suggest that the artemisinin class of compounds may be effective when administered transdermally.