[Research progress on artemisinin and its derivatives in treatment of orthopedics-related diseases]

As research into the mechanisms of orthopedic diseases continues to deepen, the shortcomings of traditional single-target the-rapies are becoming increasingly apparent. Consequently, the search for multi-target drugs has become the mainstream research direction for orthopedics-related diseases. Artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone compound extracted from Artemisia annua, has led to the gradual synthesis of various derivatives such as dihydroartemisinin, artesunate, artemether, and arteether. Recent pharmacological studies have found that artemisinin and its derivatives can treat osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteosarcoma, and other orthopedic diseases by regulating osteoblast-osteoclast coupling, modulating immune response, inhibiting angiogenesis, protecting cartilage, and inhibiting tumor growth. This paper reviewed the metabolic characteristics and mechanisms of action of artemisinin and its derivatives in the treatment of orthopedic diseases, aiming to inspire modern research on artemisinin-based drugs and orthopedic diseases.