Artemisia annua (Sweet Annie), Other Artemisia Species, Artemisinin, Artemisinin Derivatives, and Malaria

In the past 20 years, an entirely new class of antimalarial agents has become available. They are derived from the sesquiterpene lactone artemisinin, which is found in the medicinal plant Artemisia annua, and its principal metabolite dihydroartemisinin. This article will review the proper of use A. annua, artemisinin and its derivatives (natural and semi-synthetic) for treatment of malaria as well as their limitations for primary prevention of malaria.