Artemisinin Powder

What is Artemisinin?

Artemisinin and its derivatives represent the most important and influential class of drugs in the fight against malaria. Since the discovery of artemisinin in the early 1970s, the global community has made great strides in characterizing and understanding this remarkable phytochemical and its unique chemical and pharmacological properties. 

Today, even as artemisinin continues to serve as the foundation for antimalarial therapy, numerous challenges have surfaced in the continued application and development of this family of drugs. These challenges include the emergence of delayed treatment responses to artemisinins in malaria and efforts to apply artemisinins for non-malarial indications. 

At present, artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for the treatment of malaria around the world has achieved more than 90% efficacy, and has been widely used in the treatment of malaria in countries around the world. It has a powerful and rapid killing effect on the red inner stage of Plasmodium, and can quickly control the clinical attack and symptoms. At the same time, chicken coccidiosis, porcine eperythrozoonosis, toxoplasmosis, yin deficiency fever, damp-heat jaundice, have outstanding curative effect on vivax malaria, falciparum malaria, cerebral malaria and anti-chloroquine malaria. 

Medical Use

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends artemisinin or one of its derivatives ― typically in combination with a longer-lasting partner drug ― as frontline therapy for all cases of malaria. 

For uncomplicated malaria, the WHO recommends three days of oral treatment with any of five artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs): artemether/lumefantrine, artesunate/amodiaquine (ASAQ), artesunate/mefloquine, dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine, or artesunate/sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine. In each of these combinations, the artemisinin derivative rapidly kills the parasites, but is itself rapidly cleared from the body. The longer-lived partner drug kills the remaining parasites and provides some lingering protection from reinfection. 

How does it work?

Artemisinin is a highly effective and fast-acting antimalarial drug. It acts on the intra-erythrocyte phase of Plasmodium, and is suitable for vivax malaria and falciparum malaria, especially in the rescue of cerebral malaria. 

The antipyretic time and the negative time of Plasmodium were shorter than those of chloroquine. It is also effective for chloroquine-resistant malaria parasites. 

Owning to the fast absorption, fast onset etc characteristics, Artemisinin has been widely applied in malaria rescue. Among them, artesunate has a significant antimalarial effect, mild and few adverse reactions, and a low drug resistance rate. It has been widely used around the world, especially for pregnant women and cerebral malaria patients.

Furthermore, Artesunate and mefloquine have good effects on the treatment of drug-resistant Plasmodium infections, with mild adverse reactions and low prices. They are safe in pregnant women and children, and are the first choice for malaria in many countries. 

1. Artemisinin Extract has low toxicity, is safe to use, and generally has no obvious adverse reactions. A few cases have gastrointestinal reactions such as loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, but they are not serious and can quickly return to normal without treatment.

2. When the injection site is shallow, it is easy to cause local pain and lumps.

3. Individual patients may have transient elevation of transaminase and mild rash.

4. Women in early pregnancy should use it with caution.