title: Progress in the research of artemisinin and its analogues as antimalarials: an update.
abstract: Malaria is the number one infectious disease in the world today. Worldwide, over two million people die each year from malaria. This shocking reality is largely due to the emergence of drug resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum. Artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone endoperoxide isolated from Artemesia annua has been shown to be a fast acting, safe and effective drug against multidrug-resistant and sensitive strains of P. falciparum. This article reports a survey of the literature dealing with artemisinin related antimalarial issues that have appeared from 1980s to the beginning of 2003. A broad range of medical and pharmaceutical disciplines is covered, including a brief introduction about discovery, phytochemical aspects, antimalarial mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, and major drawbacks and various structural modifications made to overcome them.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Group, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani-333 031, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Dharmarajan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sriram
authors.forename: Vajja Sambasiva
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Kondapalli Venkata Gowri
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Chandrasekhara
authors.forename: Perumal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yogeeswari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D031172:Artemisia annua; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C031327:artemisinin