What Is Artemisinin?
Artemisia annua L. (Asteraceae) is an annual herb native to Asia, and has been used for many centuries in traditional Asian medicine for the treatment and prevention of fever and chills. A variety of compounds have been extracted from Artemisia annua L. Such as sesquiterpenoids, flavonoids, coumarins, lipids, phenolics, purines, steroids, triterpenoids, aliphatics, and artemisinin.
Artemisinin is a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Artemisia annua. Currently, artemisinin-related compounds are primarily used in artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs). Researchers are also exploring the potential of artemisinin and its derivatives in the fields of parasitology and other pharmacological applications.
What is Artemisinin Used for?
Artemisinin and its derivatives are primarily used as components of antimalarial combination therapies.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) as key first- and second-line treatments for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria and related clinical scenarios.
The artemisinin component rapidly reduces the parasite load, while the partner drug helps eliminate any remaining parasites from the body.
Artemisinin and Malaria Treatment
Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites and is transmitted by infected mosquitoes.
Artemisinin derivatives became important antimalarial medicines because of their rapid action against malaria parasites. Today, they are generally used as part of combination therapy rather than as oral artemisinin monotherapy.
Artemisia Annua Extract derivatives include artesunate, artemether, and dihydroartemisinin; these compounds can be used in combination with other antimalarial drugs.
What Are Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapies?
Artemisinin-based combination therapies, commonly called ACTs, contain two important components:
- An artemisinin derivative
- A partner antimalarial drug
The two components have complementary roles. Artemisinin derivatives can rapidly reduce the parasite load in the body during the initial phase of treatment, whereas partner drugs provide sustained therapeutic activity, helping to eliminate parasites that survive the initial treatment.
Is Artemisinin Used Alone?
For malaria treatment, oral artemisinin monotherapy is not the preferred approach.
WHO states that continued use of artemisinin or partner medicines alone can compromise ACT effectiveness by increasing selection pressure for drug resistance.
Artemisinin and Drug Resistance
WHO defines artemisinin partial resistance as delayed parasite clearance following treatment with an artemisinin-containing medicine. It has been confirmed or suspected in several countries and regions.
Importantly, partial resistance to artemisinin does not necessarily mean that ACTs fail when the partner drug remains effective. However, resistance to both components can seriously threaten treatment effectiveness.
Artemisinin vs Artesunate
Artesunate represents a semisynthetic derivative of artemisinin that has improved water solubility. Cultivar of the Chinese herb Artemisia annua L. (qinhao or sweet wormwood) and its active principle artemisinin (qinhaosu).
Artemisinin in Scientific Research
Outside its established antimalarial application, artemisinin and its derivatives are being studied in several areas.
1. Cancer Research
Researchers have investigated potential effects on cancer cells, including apoptosis, oxidative stress, cell-cycle regulation and other pathways. However, most evidence remains preclinical or early-stage.
2. Other Biological Research
Studies have also explored artemisinin-related compounds in other areas, including antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial research. These areas should be described as scientific research rather than established therapeutic applications.
For more research on artemisinin, please read this article: Artemisinin Benefits, What Does the Research Show?
Is Artemisinin an Antibiotic?
Artemisinin, one of the bioactive compounds, with antimalarial activity has been successfully isolated from A. annua. Other than antimalarial activity, artemisinin was found to be a good antibacterial, antifungal, antileishmanial, and antitumor agent. The antibacterial properties of artemisinin had been tested on a wide range of bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Mycobacterium intracellulare. A broad spectrum of other secondary metabolites was found and accumulated at the aerial part of A. annua.
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References
World Health Organization. Safety of Artemisinin. Geneva: World Health Organization.
World Health Organization. Effectiveness of Non-Pharmaceutical Forms of Artemisia annua L. Against Malaria: WHO Position Statement.
Nyaaba N, et al. Comparative efficacy and safety of the artemisinin derivatives compared to quinine for treating severe malaria in children and adults: A systematic update of literature and network meta-analysis. PLoS ONE. 2022
Sharma K. A Comprehensive Review on the Antimicrobial Activity of the Genus Artemisia, Artemisinin, and its Derivatives. Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry. 2025
World Health Organization. World Malaria Report 2025. Geneva: World Health Organization.
