ABSTRACT
Artemisia annua, also known as sweet wormwood, in the family Asteraceae, is the source of artemisinin, a very important treatment for malaria. It was also used for the treatment of haemorrhoids. The current World Health Organisation recommendations for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria are to use one of five different artemisinin-based combination therapies consisting of dihydroartemisinin or another artemisinin derivative, together with another antimalarial such as amodiaquine or mefloquine. Simultaneous use of two antimalarials makes the development of a resistant strain less likely because the Plasmodium parasite would have to become resistant to both agents Although artemisinin derivative therapy has been shown to be effective in schistosomiasis, it has been used mostly in sheep liver fluke disease. Artemisinin also has treatment possibilities in autoimmune diseases such as lupus erythematosus and in cancer treatment. Artemisia annua plants still provide artemisinin for therapeutic purposes, but a culture method growing A. annua cells in giant fermenters is being developed for easier production.
