A review of various efforts to increase artemisininand other antimalarial compounds in ArtemisiaAnnua L plant

Abstract

The antimalarial active compounds in Artemisia annua include artemi-sinin, flavonoids, and aromatic oils. Artemisinin is the main antimalarial com-pound in A. annua, it used in the formulation of artemisinin-based combined therapies used to treat malaria. Artemisinin is largely obtained from A. Annua plant but the content in it is very low and its production commercially is not cost effective worldwide. Flavonoids have a synergistic effect with artemisinin against malaria and are partly responsible for the prophylactic effect of A. Annua herbal tea. Essential oils from A. annua are effective mosquito repellents. Most attempts have been made to try to raise artemisinin content. However, few or none has been tried to increase the flavonoids and aromatic oils. This article presents a review of various efforts that have been carried out to increase these antimalarial compounds