Artemisia annua, also known as sweet wormwood and Qing Hao, is an herbal supplement that is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Artemisia annua uses include aromatherapy, a folk remedy for fevers, and an immune system booster for its antiviral and antifungal properties.

It is also considered an effective treatment of malaria and studies have found it to be helpful for individual with frequent bladder infections.

It is also being studied for its effect on aggressive forms of breast cancer, cancers of the lungs and thyroid and Leukaemia.

Artemisia annua is a type of plant in the wormwood family. It can grow up to 2 m in height and features small, bright yellow flowers. It is also known by the names artemether, artemisinin, artemotil, artesunate, sweet annie, sweet wormwood or wormweed.

Artemisinin, a compound extracted from Artemisia annua has been shown to inhibit a number of viruses, including herpes simplex 1, hepatitis B & C. The artemisinin compound was first isolated in 1972 and is found in the leaves and stems of the plant.

This herbal medicinal has now been adopted by the pharmaceutical industry as an antimalarial drug.

Artemisia Annua Uses

This supplement is used in traditional Chinese medicine for various types of fever, such as summer heat with low fever, headache, dizziness and tightness in the chest.

It also clears blood deficiency and Yin fevers and strengthens febrile conditions. It is used for purpuric rashes, caused by bleeding underneath the skin from vasculitis or scurvy or in older people whose skin is more fragile.

It is also used for nosebleed due to heat in the blood. According to traditional medicine, Artemisia Annua controls heat for the alternating fever and chills of malarial disorders.

Chinese tradition states that this supplement acts on three of the meridians which are paths the life energy qi follow throughout the body. Artemisia Annua is said to balance this energy to promote health and vitality.

The Liver Meridian is a yin meridian that keeps energy regulated and it is paired with the Gall Bladder yang meridian. The Gall Bladder Meridian is a wood yang meridian that is source of energy for all the organs. The Kidney meridian is a water-energy yin organ regarded as an important reservoir of essential energy.

Native people used an infusion of the leaves internally to treat fever, colds, and diarrhea. Externally it is used to make a poultice for nosebleeds and abscesses, and to treat hemorrhoids and vaginitis. The seeds are used to treat night sweats, indigestion and gas.

The leaves and essential oil are used in aromatherapy for its calming and pleasant dreams association. It is called Sweet Annie for use in pillows and potpourri. It has a strong medicinal woody scent.

This supplement is also used traditionally to treat liver insufficiency, kidney oedema, anemia and absence of the menstrual cycle, anxiety, gout and it is generally good for all the diseases that need a diuresis for retention of water in tissues.

Medical Applications of Artemisia Annua

A study published in July 2014 in Pharmacognosy Magazine showed this supplement had anti tumor properties in four lines of cancer used in the study. The use of Artemisia Annua for cancer continues to be investigated.

A study in 2001 showed it had a selective cytotoxicity against human breast cancer cells, meaning that it may help to inhibit the development of these types of cancers.

Another study published in Planta Medica in November 2011 showed this action again for Molt-4 human leukaemia cells.

The WHO (World Health Organization) has recently approved a malaria treatment derived from Artemisia Annua. The drug Riamet (Coartem) contains a fixed dose of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). This is a malaria treatment that combines 120 mg lumefantrine with 20 mg of artemether.

This combination helps prevent resistance to the malaria treatment that is being found in just single ingredient medications. It has a reported cure rate of up to 98 percent.

Artemisia Annua is also being used to treat African Sleeping Sickness. A study published in the Antimicrob Agents and Chemotherapy Journal of May 2007 showed Artemisinin inhibits Trypanosoma cruzi, which is not found in humans but is used as a human model for lab and animal studies on African Sleeping Sickness.

This supplement also inhibits the human form caused by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense which is transmitted from infected game and cattle by the tsetse fly to humans.

This is the pathogen responsible for African Sleeping Sickness, which can be fatal. The disease is most common in southern and eastern Africa. In the second stage of the disease infected people have disorganized sleep patterns and have daytime sleep cycles and night time periods of being awake and can sleep 18 to 22 hours a day.

Is Artemisia Annua Safe to Use?

This supplement is not recommended for people who take anti-seizure drugs or patients with ulcers or gastrointestinal disorders. Side effects of using the Artemisia Annua herb can include rashes, a loss of appetite, stomach pain, nausea and diarrhea. The plant’s pollen can cause allergic reactions and headaches.

Diabetics and pregnant women and post partum women with anemia should not take this supplement. It should not be taken together with Radix et Rhizoma Rhei, common name Rhubarb Root and Rhizome, Radix Angelicae sinensis also known as Chinese Angelica Root, Tang-Kuei or Dong Quai Root or Radix rehmanniae, also known as Rehmannia Root, Chinese Foxglove Root. This herb may also interact with calcium channel blockers and antifungal medication.

Artemisia annua uses continue to be explored both as a supplement for energy and health and as a medicine. Artemisinin extract from this herb is being used as an ingredient in malaria medicines to help prevent malaria medication resistance. It is also used for antibacterial and antiviral treatment.

In studies it shows potential as an anti-cancer treatment for breast, lung, thyroid and leukaemia. Artemisia annua supplements can be purchased online. Speak to your doctor before starting to take any new supplement to determine whether it is appropriate for you.

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Article last updated on:by Nootriment