Artemisia annua: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:48, 11 February 2025

Artemisia annua

Artemisia annua, commonly known as sweet wormwood, sweet annie, or annual wormwood, is a highly aromatic herbaceous plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to temperate Asia but is now widely distributed around the world. This plant is notable for its use in traditional medicine and its role in the production of the antimalarial drug artemisinin.

Description

Artemisia annua is an annual plant that can grow up to 2 meters in height. It has a single erect stem that is branched and covered with fine hairs. The leaves are bright green, deeply divided, and have a strong aromatic scent. The plant produces small yellow flowers that are arranged in loose panicles.

Habitat and Distribution

Artemisia annua is native to Asia, particularly China, but it has been introduced to many other regions, including Europe and North America. It thrives in temperate climates and is often found in disturbed areas such as roadsides and fields.

Uses

Traditional Medicine

In traditional Chinese medicine, Artemisia annua has been used for centuries to treat fevers and other ailments. The plant is known as qinghao in Chinese medicine and is one of the oldest known treatments for malaria.

Antimalarial Properties

The most significant compound derived from Artemisia annua is artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone with potent antimalarial properties. Artemisinin and its derivatives are the basis for the most effective treatments for Plasmodium falciparum malaria, particularly in areas where the parasite has developed resistance to other drugs.

Other Uses

Apart from its medicinal uses, Artemisia annua is also used in the production of essential oils and as a natural pesticide. The plant's aromatic properties make it useful in various applications, including perfumery and flavoring.

Cultivation

Artemisia annua is cultivated in many parts of the world for its medicinal properties. It requires well-drained soil and full sun to thrive. The plant is typically grown from seeds, which are sown in the spring. It is important to harvest the plant at the right time to maximize the yield of artemisinin.

Related Pages

Gallery

An apple corer
A historical bone apple corer
A modern apple corer and slicer

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-'''Artemisia annua''', also known as [[sweet wormwood]], is a common type of [[wormwood]] native to temperate Asia, but naturalized in many countries including scattered parts of North America.
+== Artemisia annua ==
+'''Artemisia annua''', commonly known as sweet wormwood, sweet annie, or annual wormwood, is a highly aromatic herbaceous plant in the family [[Asteraceae]]. It is native to temperate Asia but is now widely distributed around the world. This plant is notable for its use in traditional medicine and its role in the production of the antimalarial drug [[artemisinin]].
 == Description ==
-'''Artemisia annua''' belongs to the plant family of [[Asteraceae]] and is an annual short-day plant. Its stem is erect, smooth, and of a yellowish-brown color. The leaves of the plant have a length of 3–5 cm and are divided by deep cuts into two or three small leaflets.
-== Cultivation ==
+''Artemisia annua'' is an annual plant that can grow up to 2 meters in height. It has a single erect stem that is branched and covered with fine hairs. The leaves are bright green, deeply divided, and have a strong aromatic scent. The plant produces small yellow flowers that are arranged in loose panicles.
-The plant is harvested at the end of summer, just before flowering. While it can grow in a variety of climates, it typically prefers a warm temperate climate. It can be propagated by seeds or cuttings.
+== Habitat and Distribution ==
+''Artemisia annua'' is native to Asia, particularly China, but it has been introduced to many other regions, including Europe and North America. It thrives in temperate climates and is often found in disturbed areas such as roadsides and fields.
 == Uses ==
-'''Artemisia annua''' has been used in [[Chinese medicine]] for more than 2000 years in the treatment of many illnesses, such as skin diseases and malaria. The plant is used in [[traditional Chinese medicine]] under the name Qing Hao and is known in western medicine for the anti-malarial agent [[artemisinin]].
-== Artemisinin ==
+=== Traditional Medicine ===
-[[Artemisinin]] is a drug derived from the '''Artemisia annua''' plant. It is used to treat [[malaria]], a disease caused by parasites that enter the body through the bite of a mosquito. Artemisinin is often used in combination with other anti-malarial drugs to increase its effectiveness and reduce the risk of resistance.
+In traditional Chinese medicine, ''Artemisia annua'' has been used for centuries to treat fevers and other ailments. The plant is known as qinghao in Chinese medicine and is one of the oldest known treatments for malaria.
+=== Antimalarial Properties ===
+The most significant compound derived from ''Artemisia annua'' is [[artemisinin]], a sesquiterpene lactone with potent antimalarial properties. Artemisinin and its derivatives are the basis for the most effective treatments for [[Plasmodium falciparum]] malaria, particularly in areas where the parasite has developed resistance to other drugs.
+=== Other Uses ===
+Apart from its medicinal uses, ''Artemisia annua'' is also used in the production of essential oils and as a natural pesticide. The plant's aromatic properties make it useful in various applications, including perfumery and flavoring.
+== Cultivation ==
+''Artemisia annua'' is cultivated in many parts of the world for its medicinal properties. It requires well-drained soil and full sun to thrive. The plant is typically grown from seeds, which are sown in the spring. It is important to harvest the plant at the right time to maximize the yield of artemisinin.
-== Research ==
+== Related Pages ==
-Research into the plant has been ongoing since the 1970s when Chinese scientists discovered that the plant contained [[artemisinin]], which had anti-malarial properties. Since then, the plant and its derivatives have been the subject of much research, particularly in the field of [[pharmacology]] and [[medicine]].
-== See also ==
 * [[Artemisinin]]
+* [[Traditional Chinese medicine]]
 * [[Malaria]]
-* [[Traditional Chinese medicine]]
+* [[Asteraceae]]
-* [[Pharmacology]]
+== Gallery ==
+<gallery>
+File:Apple_Corer.jpg|An apple corer
+File:Complete_Post_Medieval_hand_made_bone_apple_corer_or_fid_(FindID_761315).jpg|A historical bone apple corer
+File:AppleCorer&Slicer.JPG|A modern apple corer and slicer
+</gallery>
 [[Category:Medicinal plants]]
-[[Category:Artemisia]]
+[[Category:Asteraceae]]
-{{Medicine-stub}}
+[[Category:Flora of Asia]]
+[[Category:Antimalarial agents]]