Artemesia annua is a medicinal plant that is native to the temperate areas of Asia, but has been successfully grown all over the world.

It has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and has been a known treatment for malaria in the west since the 1970’s.

It is also referred to as sweet wormwood, sweet sagewort, and annual mugwort, and is part of the wormwood family of plants.

The plant has feathery leaves like a fern and blooms in vivid yellow flowers when it is time for it to pollinate. It has a scent like camphor. Artemesia annua can grow to about two meters in height and has a single stem with alternating branches with alternating leaves. It reproduces via cross-pollination by insects and by the wind.

What is Artemesia Annua Good For?

All modern medical literature agrees on the efficacy of Artemisia Annua in the treatment of malaria as an anti-viral and anti-parasitic agent.

The World Health Organization promotes the use of Artemisia Annua and its extracts as a cheaper way of treating and preventing malaria around the world.

It is less expensive and more readily available than synthetic drugs, and most studies into its use show it to actually be more effective against the disease than synthetic drugs.

Malaria doesn’t seem to become resistant to Artemisia Annua-derived drugs, like it does with other malaria drugs, either. This makes it a preferred treatment for the disease in any country.

The antibacterial and antifungal properties of the plant are also well documented. It is also highly effective against parasites and their eggs. It has been used as a natural treatment for Lyme disease and as an immune system booster.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the plant has been used in treating fevers and hemorrhoids for thousands of years. Its efficacy in treating these conditions is documented through anecdotal evidence. Traditional Chinese medicine doctors in the west prescribe it to their patients for these uses.

Reported Anti-Cancer Effects

While its use and efficacy in treating malaria successfully is well documented, Artemisia Annua has other important medicinal uses. Recent studies on the plant also show that the derivative Artemisinin has a cytotoxic effect against cancer cells, making it a promising new treatment to that condition.

The plant is very selective in the cells it targets, and has been observed to kill all of the cancer cells exposed to it in less than a day, while leaving the healthy cells around it alone.

Studies into the efficacy of the plant against cancer cells has so far focused solely on leukemia and breast cancer. These research trials have also primarily been conducted on in vitro cell samples, so further human testing is needed to confirm results in humans and for other types of cancers.

Animal testing was once conducted on a dog with bone cancer so severe it was unable to walk. The dog was reportedly completely cured after five days of using the plant, with no recurrence of the cancer in the dog.

More studies are sure to be done on this aspect of the plant in the future, though initial results do look promising. Naturopathic and other natural health doctors are recommending the use of this plant to patients with cancer who have tried all other options. It is viewed as something that has few negative side effects and could potentially help as an adjunct treatment.

Appropriate Dosages for Artemisinin and How to Take It

Artemisinin is the active compound of Artemisia Annua that is used to treat malaria. It can be synthetically extracted from the plant and made into anti-malarial medications. Artemisinin is the main ingredient in many anti-malarial drugs worldwide, and is used extensively by health organizations on the front lines of battling malaria in developing countries (and even in developed countries).

The World Health Organization (WHO) approves of the use of artemisinin in both oral and intravenous dosing. Oral doses are the most common.

The typical dose for malaria treatment is a 20 mg tablet taken four at a time for the initial dose. Another four tablets are given eight hours later, then four at a time twice a day for the following two days. This dosing of artemisinin has proven effective in treating malaria, with cure rates of up to 98 percent.

Side Effects and Precautions

Artemisia Annua and artemisinin should not be used in pregnant women, as it has been shown to make the embryos more susceptible to the development of birth defects in early pregnancy.

Side effects from the use of Artemisia Annua and artemisinin in patients with no other health problems are rare and usually mild when they occur. The most common side effects reported by otherwise health patients include:

Stomach pain

Nausea

Vomiting

Diarrhea

Rashes

Pain

Abscess at the injection site when it is used intravenously

Patients with diabetes and heart arrhythmias should exercise caution when using Artemisia Annua and talk to their doctor before beginning its use or the use of any drug containing artemisinin. This is because the plant and its extract can cause hypoglycemia in diabetic patients and can make arrhythmias worse in patients who already suffer from them.

Any use of the plant or its extract by these patients must be closely monitored by a doctor.

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Article last updated on:by Nootriment