title: Artemisinin evaluation in Romanian Artemisia annua wild plants using a new HPLC/MS method.
abstract: Artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone from Artemisia annua L., has received considerable attention in the last few decades as a potent antimalarial drug. Artemisinin has rather low toxicity; it is effective against drug-resistant Plasmodium species and against cerebral malaria. This study reports the development of a rapid and sensitive assay for the quantification of artemisinin in A. annua by reversed phase HPLC/MS. In the selected optimal experimental conditions, artemisinin exhibited a well-defined chromatographic peak with a retention time of 2 ± 0.2 min. The chromatographic signal shows a linear dependence with artemisinin concentration, enabling the use of this signal for artemisinin quantification according to the following regression equation: y = 2665.40x - 14697.61. The correlation coefficient (R(2)) was 0.9989. For every concentration within the range of the standard curve (0.1-2 µg mL(-1)), accuracy was between 95 and 104%. Artemisinin content in Romanian A. annua wild plants varies between 0.17 and 0.21% (dry weight basis).
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Gr. T. Popa, 16 Universitatii Street, 700150, Iasi, Romania. biancaivanescu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ivanescu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vlase
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corciova
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Lazar
mesh_terms: D000962:Antimalarials / Q000032:analysis; D031172:Artemisia annua / Q000737:chemistry*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D012383:Romania; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D010936:Plant Extracts; C031327:artemisinin