title: Artemisia annua L. as a plant with potential use in the treatment of acanthamoebiasis.
abstract: The treatment of acanthamoebiasis is a great problem. Most cerebral invasions end with death, and the treatment of ocular invasions is usually long-lasting and not very effective. Numerous plant extracts and substances isolated from plants, which are effective against trophozoites or cysts, have been studied in the treatment of acanthamoebiasis. However, no agents that are simultaneously effective against both developing forms of amoebae have been discovered yet. It seems that such a plant which fulfils both tasks is Artemisia annua L. Our studies showed that water, alcohol and chloroform extracts from the herb A. annua L. can be applied in general and local treatment or in combined therapy with antibiotics in the treatment of acanthamoebiasis. Extracts from this plant show not only in vitro but also in vivo effects. Studies carried out on experimental animals infected with amoebae show that the application of these extracts significantly prolongs the survival of the animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 10 Fredry Street, 61-701, Poznan, Poland. mderda@ump.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Derda
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 10 Fredry Street, 61-701, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hadaś
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 10 Fredry Street, 61-701, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cholewiński
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 10 Fredry Street, 61-701, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Łukasz
authors.initials: Ł
authors.lastname: Skrzypczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 10 Fredry Street, 61-701, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grzondziel
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 10 Fredry Street, 61-701, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wojtkowiak-Giera
mesh_terms: D015823:Acanthamoeba Keratitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000656:Amoeba / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D031172:Artemisia annua / Q000737:chemistry*; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Acanthamoebiasis; Artemisia annua L; Experimental therapy