Complaint
Artemisinin is a drug used to treat multi-drug resistant strains of falciparum malaria. The compound (a sesquiterpene lactone) is isolated from the plant Artemisia annua. Not all plants of this species contain artemisinin. Apparently it is only produced when the plant is subjected to certain conditions, most likely biotic or abiotic stress. It can be synthesized from artemisinic acid. The drug is derived from a herb used in Chinese traditional medicine, though it is usually chemically modified and combined with other medications.
Use of the drug by itself as a monotherapy is explicitly discouraged by the World Health Organization as there have been signs that malarial parasites are developing resistance to the drug. Combination therapies that include artemisinin are the preferred treatment for malaria and are both effective and well tolerated in patients. The drug is also being studied as a treatment for cancer.
There are a number of derivatives and analogues (Chemically modified analogues) within the artemisinin family:
Dihydroartemisinin(or dihydroqinghaosu) is a drug used to treat malaria. Dihydroartemisinin is the active metabolite of all artemisinin compounds (artemisinin, artesunate, artemether, etc.) and is also available as a drug in itself.
Artesunate is prepared from dihydroartemisinin (DHA) by reacting it with succinic acid anhydride in basic medium. Artesunate is part of the artemisinin group of drugs that treat malaria. It is a semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin that is water-soluble and may therefore be given by injection. It is sometimes abbreviated AS.
Artemetheris an ether derivative of artemisinin. It is an antimalarial for the treatment of multi-drug resistant strains offalciparum malaria.
The Artemisinin and its derivatives are derived from the leaf and the upper portions of Arteminsia annua L.
Benefits
• Parasite treatment
• Malaria treatment
• Cancer treatment (such as be of selectively toxic to some Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Leukemia, and other cancer cells)
