Artemisinin is a natural compound found in plants from the wormwood family, and it's used by doctors as an antimalarial treatment for humans in tropical and subtropical countries. Malaria is a widespread infectious illness caused by the plasmodium parasite that's becoming more difficult to treat as the parasites develop reistance to pharmaceutical drugs. Artemisinin is better tolerated than many drugs and continues to be used to clear cases of malaria around the world. Consult your doctor about artemisinin and whether it is appropriate for you.
History
Artemisinin is a plant-derived chemical isolated from sweet wormwood, botanical name Artemisia annua. According to Drug Information Online, the use of sweet wormwood was first recorded over 2000 years ago in China, in the Wu Shi Er Bing Fang. It is traditionally prescribed for fevers and immune problems and prepared as an herbal tea to treat malaria. Artemisinin was first discovered and isolated from sweet wormwood in the 1970's, and since then other antimalarial derivates of artemisinin have been made, including arteether, artemether and artesunate. Artemisinin is better tolerated than other antimalarial drugs and does not cause drug resistance in the plasmodium parasites.
Pharmacology
In an article published in the "Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology" in 2011, researchers from Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research in India reviewed the research on artemisinin and its efficacy. Two theories on artemisinin's mode of action currently exist. The first is that artemisinin produces damaging free radicals that kill the plasmodium parasite. The second theory states that artemisinin affects the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum inside of the parasites and inhibits protein synthethis, though how this occurs is still not well understood. Despite the lack of precise knowledge on the action of artemisinin, it is still considered one of the main antimalarial drugs around the world.
Clinical Research
In a study published in "Malaria Journal" in 2011, researchers from Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine investigated the use of artemisinin drugs in the treatment of over 200 patients suffering from malaria. Artemisinin drugs had significant antimalarial action in patients, producing a cure rate between 80 to 98 percent. Artemisinin-piperaquine and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine phosphate were the most effective drugs, while artemether-lumefantrine was the least. All were well-tolerated, with limited side effects. Researchers concluded that artemisinin drugs are still effective in killing malaria parasites and producing good clinical results in human patients.
Safety and Toxicity
Artemisinin is safe and nontoxic for use in humans, though some adverse side effects have been reported. Neurotoxicity from high doses of artemisinin has been reported in animals but not in humans. Side effects of artemisinin drugs include headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. Consult your doctor about prescription artemisinin drugs when planning a trip to tropical and subtropical countries, where malaria is common.
References
- "Nature Reviews"; Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies: A Vital Tool in Efforts to Eliminate Malaria; Richard T. Eastman and David A. Fidock; December 2009
- "Trends in Pharmacological Science"; Artemisinin Drugs in the Treatment of Malaria: From Medicinal Herb to Registered Medication; M.A. van Agtmael et al.; 1999
- "The Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology"; Drug Resistance in Malaria; S.C. Parija and I. Praharaj; September 2011
- "Malaria Journal"; Randomized Trials of Artemisinin-Piperaquine, Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine Phosphate and Artemether-Lumefantrine for the Treatment of Multi-Drug Resistant Falciparum Malaria in Cambodia-Thailand Border Area; J. Song et al.; August 2011
- Drugs.com: Sweet Wormwood
