1: P N G Med J 1992 Dec;35(4):264-269 Related Articles, Books  
A new look at an old drug: artemesinin and qinghaosu.

Trevett A, Lalloo D.

Faculty of Medicine, University of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby.

It is said that William Withering's discovery of digitalis arose out of
curiosity engendered during a stage-coach journey, by witnessing an old woman
collecting foxgloves by the side of the road. Whilst we are not aware of an
analogous stroke of genius reported from ancient China, the story of qinghaosu
has certain parallels. Just as foxgloves had been used traditionally for
centuries to treat 'afflictions of the heart', the plant Artemesia annua has
been used as a treatment for fever in China for almost two thousand years.
Artemesia annua, also known as 'sweet wormwood', is found in many parts of the
world, but it was not until the early 1970s that Chinese scientists recognized
its potential for treating malaria and isolated the active principle,
artemesinin or qinghaosu. This paper describes the evidence for the efficacy of
this drug and some of its derivatives in the treatment of malaria and the
potential of these {*filter*} for the standard management of malaria in Papua New
Guinea and elsewhere.

Publication Types:
Review
Review literature

PMID: 1341087 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
------