2011

Patrick E. Ogwang, Jasper O. Ogwal, Simon Kasasa, Francis Ejobi, David Kabasa and Celestino Obua
Use of Artemisia annua L. Infusion for Malaria Prevention : Mode of Action and Benefits in a Ugandan Community
British Journal of Pharmaceutical Research 1(4) : 124-132, 2011

Use of a annua L. Infusion for Malaria prevention mode of action and benefits in a ugandan community

Abstract : Malaria is major public health problem in Uganda endemic in 95% contributing up to 40% of hospital outpatient attendances. Approaches to controlling the disease include ; environmental, entomological and medicinal interventions. Some communities use medicinal plants to control the disease. In this paper we report the use of Artemisia annua L. for malaria prophylaxis at a Ugandan floricultural farm. We conducted a survey of the farm workers to determine extent of use of A. annua ‘tea’, their clinic attendance patterns and also quantified the levels of artemisinin and flavonoids in A. annua. We further tested the effect of artemisinin devoid extract in laboratory animal models. Findings from the survey showed that 84.2% of the managers and 62% of field workers in this farm consumed A. annua ‘tea’ once a week to prevent malaria and related fevers. Clinic attendance due to fevers or symptoms associated with malaria was reduced by 80% while cases of laboratory confirmed diagnosis of malaria reduced by 16.7%. Laboratory test of A. annua leaf powder used in community indicated the presence of artemisinin (0.4% to 0.5%) and flavonoids (9% to 11%). A. annua extract devoid of artemisinin was found to significantly boost monocyte counts in albino rats (p<0.001).The> https://plutgen.wordpress.com/2011/08/08/artemisia-annua-et-prophylaxie-du-paludisme/]

2012

Patrick Engeu Ogwang, Jasper O. Ogwal, Simon Kasasa, Deogratius Olila, Francis Ejobi, David Kabasa, Celestino Obua
.Artemisia annua L. Infusion Consumed Once a Week Reduces Risk of Multiple Episodes of Malaria : A Randomised Trial in a Ugandan Community
Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research June 2012 ; 11 (3) : 445-453

Artemisia annua L. Infusion Consumed Once a Week Reduces Risk of Multiple Episodes of Malaria : A Randomised Trial in a Ugandan Community

Abstract :
Purpose : To evaluate the protective effect of Artemisia annua infusion against malaria in a community that uses it as herbal ‘tea’ for malaria prevention.
Methods : 132 flower farm workers who met the study inclusion criteria and were not yet using A. annua infusion were randomized either to A. annua or placebo groups in the ratio of 1:1. Treatments were administered once a week under direct observation to participants. Malaria episodes were documented over a 9-month period while adverse effects were documented over 12 months.
Results : A. annua herbal ‘tea’ significantly reduced the risk of suffering more than one episode of malaria in nine months by 55 % (12/67 vs 26/65, p = 0.005 No participant experienced any serious adverse effect although bitter taste was the most common side effect of the infusion.
Conclusion : Artemisia annua infusion consumed once a week was effective in preventing multiple episodes of malaria in humans living in malaria endemic areas. However, its bitter taste and the risk of development of malaria parasite resistance to the artemisinin contained in it remain major challenges for its use in the mass control of malaria.

2013

Michel Onimus, Sophie Carteron and Pierre Lutgen
The Surprising Efficiency of Artemisia annua Powder Capsules
Medicinal & Aromatic Plants, 2013, 2:3

The Surprising Efficiency of Artemisia annua Powder Capsules

Abstract : The administration of powdered leaves of Artemisia annua, used as preventive treatment of malaria attack, was evaluated in 25 patients, most of them children, and all of them were operated for orthopaedic disorder. The duration of the treatment was 36 hours in 11 patients and 60 hours in 14 patients. The average parasitemia was reduced from 432 parasites/ml to 165 parasites/ml, i.e. 62% improvement, without significant difference according to the duration of the treatment. The efficacy was similar whatever the age and the weight of the patient. These results were obtained with a very low amount of powder (400 to 500 mg per day), and with very low quantity of artemisinin (0.4 to 0.5 mg per day). It is concluded that the Artemisia annua powder is apparently more effective than the tea preparation, but more costly and maybe not routinely available. The tea preparation, inexpensive and available everywhere, is still the best method for prevention and treatment of malaria on a large scale and should be preferred in the poorest countries.
Keywords : Artemisia annua ; Pediatric orthopaedics ; Plasmodium ; Parasitemia

2016

Pierre Lutgen
Very efficient prophylaxis with Artemisia annua : another Congolese breakthrough
malariaworld.org, January 26, 2017

Article published online

2017

Pierre Lutgen
Prophylaxis with Artemisia annua is very efficient : the role of chelators
Pharmacy & Pharmacology International Journal. 2017, Volume 5, issue 5 : 200-202.

Prophylaxis with Artemisia annua is very efficient : the role of chelators

2018

Lucie Peters
Impact de la prise de tisane d’Artemisia annua en préventif sur l’incidence du paludisme à Lubile, en République Démocratique du Congo
Rapport de stage, 1ere année du Master Sciences, Technologies, Santé Mention Santé publique, Promotion 2017-2018, Université de Bordeaux, ISPED.

Impact de la prise de tisane d’{Artemisia annua} en préventif sur l’incidence du paludisme à Lubile, en République Démocratique du Congo

Lucie Peters

2020

Jérôme Munyangi, Pascal Gisenya, Patrick Ogwang, Pierre Lutgen
An unexpected, revolutionary property of Artemisia infusions : immunoglobulins in the skin lead to a long-lasting prophylaxis
Pharmacy & Pharmacology International Journal, Volume 8 Issue 1 – 2020

An unexpected, revolutionary property of Artemisia infusions : immunoglobulins in the skin lead to a long-lasting prophylaxis

Abstract : Naturally acquired immunity to malaria is a known phenomenon. But little is known about the underlying mechanisms. The majority of adults in sub-Saharan Africa rarely experience overt disease, despite they have a population of parasites in their blood that could prove lethal to a malaria-naïve visitor. The use of Artemisia herbal medicine is spreading in many African countries, in schools, health centers. It was shown 10 years ago in Uganda that regular drinking of infusions from Artemisia plants had a strong prophylactic effect. We were of the belief that this prophylaxis was going to last for a few days, maybe a few weeks. Over the last 2 months we received several surprising inputs indicating that this prophylaxis was lasting for months, even years. But more recently several partners also report that when Artemisia infusions or capsules have been used during 7 days to cure a malaria infection, the people having used this short-term treatment also experience a long-lasting prophylaxis. The most interesting research lead is that specific IgEs induced by Artemisia consumption remain for months in the skin. In this review paper we present several hypotheses to explain this revolutionary property of Artemisia plants, and more particularly Artemisia afra used since generations in many African countries against tropical diseases.

Keywords : artemisia, plasmodium, immunoglobulins, gametocytes, prophylaxis

Martin Amanya, Clement Ajayi, Bernard Natukunda, Amon G.Agaba
Prophylactic Effect of ARTAVOL® on Plasmodium berghei in Infected Mice
East Africa Science 2021, 3 (1), 58-66

Introduction : Despite the efforts of governments and health organisations to eradicate malaria, it is still endemic in sub-Saharan Africa and this could be due to cost of antimalarial drugs, resistance to these drugs and climate change among others. Traditional medicine practitioners and scientists have started developing antimalarial drugs from medicinal plants among which is ARTAVOL®. ARTAVOL® is a herbal product that is used to prevent malaria in some communities in Uganda, however, its prophylactic effects on Plasmodium berghei infected mice has not been established yet.

Methods : The infusion of ARTAVOL® powder was prepared, cooled, filtered, concentrated in vacuo at 55 0C and freeze-dried. The freeze-dried extract was reconstituted with distilled water for antimalarial using prophylactic model mice. Thirty-six mice were randomised into 6 groups of 6 mice each. Groups I to III mice were orally administered with the extract at 15 to 60 mg/kg/day while group IV received Pyrimethamine (1.25 mg/kg) while groups V and VI (uninfected) received 0.2 mL distilled water for seven days before the inoculation of Plasmodium berghei ANKA parasites on day 7 (D7). The parasitaemia levels were examined after 72 hours using standard procedure and blood collected through cardiac puncture for haematological study.

Results : The Lethal Dose (LD50) of the crude ARTAVOL extract was greater than 5000 mg/kg. Also, there was calmness and paw licking immediately after dosing which stopped after few minutes. Significant reduction in parasitaemia level was observed in all test doses when compared with negative control. At 30 mg/kg, the extract gave 62.9% suppression, which was not significantly different from that of 60 mg/kg (68.7%) on day 3. On day 5, the extract gave 62.3% and 66.4% Suppressions At 30 And 60 Mg/Kg That Were Not Significantly Different From Each Other. A Dose Dependent Reversal of Hematocrit (HCT) reduction was observed at the 3 dose levels but their parameters did not show any significant difference when compared to the normal group but significant when compared with negative control.

Conclusion : ARTAVOL® extract has shown a dose dependent reducing effect on the level of parasitaemia in P. berghei infected mice ; it is acutely safe and has ability to increase RBC counts.
East Africa Science.