Unlocking the Therapeutic Benefits of Artemisia Annua: A Comprehensive Overview of its Medicinal Properties

Artemisia annua L., also referred to as sweet wormwood, sweet annie, sweet sagewort, and annual wormwood (Chinese: qngho), is a species of wormwood native to temperate Asia but naturalised worldwide. It is a member of the Asteraceae family. At the moment, Artemisia annua is the sources of artemisinin and semisynthetic artemisinin derivatives (including dihydroartemisinin, artesunate, artemether, and arteether) used in the development of malaria combination treatments (ACTs = Artemisinin-based combination therapy). Animal experiments have shown that similar chemicals can prevent tumor development and metastasis. Furthermore, there is no conclusive proof from human trials that the benefits seen in animal research extend to cancer patients. Experiences with malaria treatment indicate that artemisinin-based medicines are generally well-tolerated. This study highlights A. annua's traditional use and contemporary pharmacological research, bringing unique insights into the usage of A. annua in the treating a wide range of ailments.