Artemisinin

Artemisinin is a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from sweet wormwood. Its peroxide bridge helps kill malaria parasites, and it is the basis of artemisinin-based combination therapies.

Artemisinin endoperoxide: The oxygen–oxygen bond in artemisinin’s trioxane ring that is essential to its antimalarial activity. This reactive bond is the structural feature most closely linked to parasite killing.
Artemisinin-based combination therapy: A malaria treatment combining an artemisinin derivative with a longer-acting partner drug. These regimens use artemisinin’s rapid action alongside a partner that clears remaining parasites.
Artemisia annua: A medicinal plant, commonly called sweet wormwood, that produces artemisinin. It is the natural source from which artemisinin was isolated.
Sesquiterpene lactone: A class of natural products built from three isoprene units and containing a lactone ring. Artemisinin belongs to this chemical family, whose members often come from plants.
World Health Organization: A United Nations agency that coordinates international public health work. Its malaria guidelines recommend artemisinin-based combination therapies for many cases.
Heme: An iron-containing molecule used in oxygen transport and other biological processes. Parasite-digested hemoglobin releases heme iron that can activate artemisinin’s peroxide.
Artemether: A semisynthetic artemisinin derivative used in antimalarial medicines. It is a widely used derivative in combination treatments, including with lumefantrine.
Tu Youyou: A Chinese pharmaceutical chemist who led research identifying artemisinin as an antimalarial treatment. Her team isolated artemisinin during a research program seeking malaria remedies.
Terpenoid: A large family of natural and synthetic compounds built from isoprene-derived units. Artemisinin’s carbon framework is a terpenoid structure.
Malaria eradication: The permanent worldwide reduction of malaria incidence to zero through deliberate intervention. Effective artemisinin treatment supports control, but cannot alone achieve eradication.

Linked from 19 pages