The active chemical of Artemisia annua (qinhao, sweet wormwood) is artemisinin, which is a sesquiterpene lactone. (Such compounds are anti-inflammatory.) Artemisia belongs to the family Asteraceae and was first described in China in 168 B.C.
Artemisinin is antimalarial and anticancer. The anticancer effect is in the range of concentration between nanomolar and micromolar blood levels. It has been shown to be a possible treatment for Schistomsoma (flukes), Pneumocystis carnii (a cause of pneumonia in AIDS), Toxoplasma gondii (parasite), human cytomegalovirus, Herpes simplex virus and hepatitis C and B.
Between 1.5 and 2.5 million people die each year from malaria. The various forms of artemisinin are expected to reduce the mortality of malaria. The drugs for the treatment of malarial have become less effective because of resistance developed by the malaria organism, Plasmodium. Studies have shown that the effectiveness of a malaria drug, mefloquine, is increased up to 95-100% when used with artesunate or artemether, forms of artemisinin. The World Health Organization banned the use of artemesinin alone in 2006.
Artemesinin inhibits nitric oxide synthesis and is effective in brain malaria. There are few problems with side effects and it is generally safe for children.
Plasmodium (malaria organism) uses human hemoglobin as a source of amino acids in its cellular food vacuoles. It breaks down hemoglobin, uses the amino acids and expels the iron molecules into the food vacuoles. The artemisinin combines with the iron to cause oxidative damage to the malaria cells by generating reactive oxygen species and damaging the proteins of the malaria cells.
The authors found that artemisunate also is a source of oxidative stress to cancer cells, which contain less iron than plasmodium cells. Iron glycine sulfate and transferrin were used to increase the effectiveness of artemisunate and artemisinin against leukemia and astrocytoma (brain tumor) cancer cells.
The growth of blood vessels (angiogenesis) is necessary for the tumors to obtain oxygen and other nutrients for tumor survival and growth. Artemisinin and its derivatives have been shown to inhibit angiogenesis.
Apoptosis is programmed cell death, which is the means by which many anticancer medications work. The author has identified several gene mechanisms by which artesunate produces apoptosis and studied the genes that are targeted by artemisinin. The activities controlled by these genes include regulation of proliferation, angiogenesis and apoptosis.
Dihydroartemisinin topical applications to dog oral papillomavirus tumors significantly inhibits the further development of the tumors. Other forms of artemisinin with iron have been used in various tumors in humans with some success.
Artemisia substitutes are being developed synthetically because of the high need for such products worldwide to treat malaria.
CONCLUSION: Artemisia annua is an herb containing artemisinin and other bioactive chemicals. The use of various chemicals in combination with drugs is quite successful in treating malaria. Such products have shown success in treating cancers alone and in combination with drugs. Iron increases the activity of the Artemisia compounds.
NOTE: Asteraceae is a large family of plants that includes Echinacea. People who are allergic to one member of this family are likely to be allergic to another.
Terpenes come from essential oils, gums and resins. Transferrin is a blood beta-globulin (protein) which transports iron.
Read about the use of Artemisia extracts in the treatment of malaria.
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