Industrial Production
Source
Artemisinin is a sesquiterpene lactone derived from the sweet wormwood plant, Artemisia annua.
Extraction Process
Cultivation: A. annua is cultivated under controlled conditions to optimize artemisinin yield.
Harvesting: Leaves and flowering tops are harvested and dried.
Extraction: Typically involves solvent extraction using hexane or ethanol.
Isolation: Techniques such as column chromatography are employed to purify artemisinin.
Refinement: Final purification steps include recrystallization to achieve pharmaceutical-grade artemisinin.
Semi-Synthetic Production
Biosynthetic Engineering: Efforts are underway to produce artemisinin semi-synthetically using engineered yeast, enhancing production efficiency and reducing dependency on plant sources.
Estimation
Analytical Techniques
HPLC: The principal method for quantifying artemisinin in plant extracts and pharmaceutical formulations.
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS): Used for detailed analysis and confirmation.
NMR Spectroscopy: Employed for structural verification and purity assessment.
UV-Vis Spectroscopy: Utilized for routine monitoring based on absorbance properties.
Utilization of Artemisinin
Pharmacological Applications
Antimalarial Agent: Artemisinin and its derivatives (e.g., artesunate, artemether) are frontline treatments for Plasmodium falciparum malaria.
Cancer Research: Investigated for potential anticancer properties due to its ability to induce apoptosis in cancer cells.
Anti-inflammatory and Antiviral Activities: Emerging research explores these additional therapeutic roles.
Other Uses
Combination Therapies: Integral to Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs) to prevent resistance development in malaria parasites.
Veterinary Medicine: Used in some regions for treating parasitic infections in animals