title: Variations in antimalarial components of Artemisia annua Linn from three regions of Uganda.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Artemisia annua plant from the family Asteracea is a powerful antimalarial plant introduced to Uganda around 2003. In addition to the artemisinin component, the plant also contains flavonoids which work in synergy to artemisinin against malaria parasites. The plant also contains aromatic oils which repel mosquitoes. In this paper we report the variations in antimalarial components of A. annua samples from the regions cultivating it in Uganda.
  
  
  METHODS
  Artemisia annua samples were obtained from three regions that cultivated the plant at the time of this study. The samples were brought to laboratory, authenticated and processed. The levels of artemisinin, total flavonoids and aromatic components were quantified using high performance thin layer chromatography, ultra violet spectrophotometry and gas chromatography respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Artemisinin and total flavonoids levels were higher in samples obtained from high land areas (western and south western region) compared to that obtained from lowland regions (central) i.e 0.8% Vs 0.4% and 2.6% Vs 1.5% respectively. The aromatic oils (mosquito repellent components) were similar with camphor component being highest and levels ranging from 75.4% to 79.0%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings show that the active components in Artemisia annua cultivated and used in the Uganda vary with geographical regions and this calls for standardisation by source.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science & Technology, P.O.Box 1410, University Road, Mbarara, Uganda.
authors.forename: Patrick Ogwang
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Engeu
authors.affiliation: Natural Chemotherapeutics Research Institute, Ministry of Health P.O.Box 4864 Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Omujal
authors.affiliation: Natural Chemotherapeutics Research Institute, Ministry of Health P.O.Box 4864 Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Moses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agwaya
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, P.O.Box 7062 Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kyakulaga
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science & Technology, P.O.Box 1410, University Road, Mbarara, Uganda.
authors.forename: Celestino
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Obua
mesh_terms: D000962:Antimalarials / Q000737:chemistry*; D031172:Artemisia annua / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer / Q000379:methods*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D014454:Uganda
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D005419:Flavonoids; C031327:artemisinin
keywords: Antimalarial components; Artemisia annua; Uganda; Variations