Artemisinin is a bioactive compound present in the sweet wormwood plant (Artemisia annua) with a broad spectrum of antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity. Artemisinin as a phytomedicine is widely used for treatment of malaria as well as a pain reliever and antipyretic.

Artemisinin and artemisia anuua based products gained a lot of attention from the scientists during COVID-19 pandemic and are currently being tested as a potential treatment against coronavirus.

Artemisinin safety and efficacy

Recent study showed that Artemisia annua extracts as well as artemisinin, artesunate, and artemether are effective against COVID-19 virus in vitro. The artemisinin derivatives: artesunate and artemether are already approved as active pharmaceutical ingredients of anti-malarial drugs and have documented safety profile. Clinical studies are required to further evaluate the efficacy of these compounds for the COVID-19 treatment.

WHO recently announced that artesunate has been selected as a drug for the next phase of the WHO Solidarity trial. Artesunate anti-inflammatory properties and its potential in reducing the risk of death are going to be evaluated on hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the clinical study Solidarity PLUS.

Artemisinin anti-COVID 19 activity is assigned to its ability to inhibit the initial steps in the infection process and the disruption of the post-entry intracellular events involved in the viral replication. In addition, artemisinin shows anti-inflammatory activity and reduces the systemic levels of the inflammatory cytokines that contribute to cytokine storm and organ injury in high-risk COVID-19 patients. Therefore it is assumed that artemisinin may prevent the worsening of the health condition of the patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 if administered early after infection.

The pharmacokinetics of artemisinin after a single oral dose of 500 mg has been already examined in couple of clinical studies.

Also, a recent study evaluated the safety and efficacy of the combination artemisinin-piperaquine for treatment of COVID-19. It was shown that continuous administration of the combination, beside the therapeutic outcome, might result in toxicity. Consequently, artemisinin COVID-19 treatment schedules have to be carefully designed for optimal efficacy by considering both the disease pathophysiology, concomitant medications and artemisinin pharmacokinetics.

On the market there are various food supplements formulations with artemisinin that are marketed as adjunctive therapy for COVID-19 treatment. However, the quality and safety challenges may exist since food supplements are not regulated as medicines. The potential problems may occur in case of allergic reactions, interactions with prescription drugs or if high doses are ingested.

Hence, despite all therapeutic and nutritional properties of Artemisia annua extracts, standardization of the dosage forms as well as clinical trials for evaluation of its efficacy and safety profile are needed in order to exploit the great potential of Artemisia annua and its constituents as food supplements, functional foods or as the source of efficient, safe medicines.

Artemisinin content analysis 

From analytical point of view, analysis of artemisinin represent a challenge due to its molecule characteristics, instability, low content in Artemisia annua plant extracts and interference with other plant constituents. Different analytical techniques have been employed for quantification of artemisinin. 

HPLC based methods are recognized as one of the most suitable methods for artemisinin content determination.

In our laboratory we have developed and validated selective and sensitive HPLC-MS method for artemisinin content determination in plant extracts and food supplements.

For any additional information or quotation relating to the artemisinin analysis please contact us.