Artemisinin

Extracted from the plant Artemesia annua L. (sweet wormwood, also known as the Chinese herbal Qinghao), Artemisinin has been used for centuries to kill parasites, particularly worms and flukes, which are present in us all, and which by their nature sap energy resources from the body and create by-products that need to be excreted, thus becoming a body burden.

Artemisinin has proven itself as a safe and effective treatment for malaria in over two million patients, and now studies are showing that Artemisinin has activity against 55 cancer cell lines with low toxicity toward healthy cells.

Artemisinin contains two oxygen atoms linked together in what is known as an 'endoperoxide bridge', which could react with an iron atom to form free radicals. Artemisinin becomes toxic to malaria parasites when it reacts with the high iron content of the parasites, generating free radicals, and leading to damage to the parasite.

By this same mechanism, Artemisinin becomes toxic to cancer cells which sequester relatively large amounts of iron compared to normal, healthy human cells. According to the Gordon Research Institute, tests have been conducted which show that Artemisinin causes rapid and extensive damage and death in cancer cells and yet has relatively low toxicity to normal cells.

Artemisinin is a useful agent to help reduce the body’s burdens of parasites and protect against particular types of cancer cells.