Artemisinin--an innovative cornerstone for anti-malaria therapy.
Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACT) are recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to treat especially multidrug resistant forms of malaria, as currently used medications have become increasingly ineffective. In this chapter, the discovery of artemisinin from Traditional Chinese Medicine and its further development to ACT are reviewed. It is highlighted how the complex supply chain to the naturally occurring endoperoxide artemisinin, required to produce ACT-based drugs, was established; thus addressing the significant therapeutic needs and high demands for the medication.
Kuhn
Thomas
T
Global Chemical Operations, Institutes for Biomedical Research, Novartis Pharma AG, Postfach, 4002 Basel, Switzerland. thomas.kuhn@novartis.com
Wang
Ying
Y
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077549:Artemether; D000077611:Artemether, Lumefantrine Drug Combination; D031172:Artemisia annua / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018533:Biomass; D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D004338:Drug Combinations; D015195:Drug Design; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000962:Antimalarials; D000077611:Artemether, Lumefantrine Drug Combination; D037621:Artemisinins; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D004983:Ethanolamines; D005449:Fluorenes; D000077549:Artemether