Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by a mycobacterium called "Mycobacterium tuberculosis" or "Koch’s bacillus", which most often affects the lungs. Although tuberculosis has been practically eradicated in rich countries due to vaccination, and although this disease is generally curable with current treatments, it remains the disease that causes the greatest number of deaths among diseases due to a single infectious agent, after coronavirus. In addition, the increase in the number of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is worrying.
Artemisia afra is traditionally used in South Africa to treat or reduce the symptoms of TB. In Niger and Nigeria Artemisia annua is also used to treat tuberculosis.
This article reviews published studies regarding the anti-tuberculosis potential and antimycobacterial properties of Artemisia afra and Artemisia annua.