Artemisinin drugs in the treatment of malaria: from medicinal herb to registered medication

• Published in: Trends in Pharmacological Sciences Vol. 20; no. 5; pp. 199 - 205
• Main Authors: van Agtmael, Michiel A, Eggelte, Teunis A, van Boxtel, Chris J
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.05.1999
• Subjects: Adverse effect; Animals; Antimalarials - adverse effects; Antimalarials - pharmacokinetics; Antimalarials - pharmacology; Antimalarials - therapeutic use; Artemisia - chemistry; Artemisinin; Artemisinins; Clinical Trials as Topic; Drug Approval; Forecasting; Humans; Malaria; Malaria - drug therapy; Mechanism of action; Pharmacokinetics; Plants, Medicinal - chemistry; Plasmodium; Review; Sesquiterpenes - adverse effects; Sesquiterpenes - pharmacokinetics; Sesquiterpenes - pharmacology; Sesquiterpenes - therapeutic use; Treatment Outcome; Parasitology; Malaria; Artemisinin; Pharmacology; Review; Mechanism of action; Pharmacokinetics; Adverse effect
• ISSN: 0165-6147; 1873-3735
• DOI: 10.1016/S0165-6147(99)01302-4

Registration in Europe of several artemisinin drugs for the treatment of malaria can soon be expected. Artemisinin is isolated from the herb Artemisia annua, in use in China more than 2000 years as a herbal tea against fever. Artemisinin drugs are being used extensively in South-East Asia and increasingly in Africa. Active derivatives have been synthesized – artemether, arteether and artesunate – which are used for oral, intramuscular, rectal and intravenous administration. The origin, mechanism of action, efficacy and safety in patients, the pharmacokinetics and the position of this group of compounds among existing antimalarials are discussed in this review.