ARTEMISININ

1. What is 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.

2. Artemisinin safe and effective

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.

3. Artemisinin Studies

Dr. Lai, aware of the high accumulation of iron in cancer cells, wondered if this same mechanism might work in cancer cells, wondered if this same mechanism might work in cancer treatment. He and his colleague, Dr. Singh, conducted experiments in laboratory cancer cells documenting a 100% kill rate of breast-cancer cells in just hours. More importantly, it left normal breast cells and white blood cells unscathed.

4. Artemisinin herbal cancer therapy

Is Artemisinin just another herbal fad in the alternative cancer therapy? Typically most herbal cancer therapies, despite how effective they might be, are not recongized by conventional Western medicine. But unlike most supposed anti-cancer herbs, Artemisinin's cancer-fighting property was not discovered by alternative practitioners but by medical researchers working at a prestigious university. Research Professors Henry Lai, Ph.D., and Narendra Singh, M.B.B.S., at the University of Washington in Seattle are the pioneer scientists in studying the anti-cancer property of Artemisinin. Their work has spurted a new exciting direction in the area of anti-cancer treatment, and tremendous amount of research effort is still undertaking

5. Artemisinin for Which type of cancer

Which type of cancer has Artemisinin effective, Which type of cancer has Artemisinin been shown effective against? Studies are showing that Artemisinin has destructive activity against 55 cancer cell lines. Most notably Artemisinin has shown to be effective against cancer cells from leukemia, colon, lung, breasts to fibrosarcomas. It has also been shown that Artemisinin even killed cancers that were traditionally resistant to chemotherapy.

6. Is Artemisinin safe to use

Artemisinin is extracted from naturally occuring botanical that is capable of selectively destroy cancer cells. Artemisinin only becomes toxic to cancer cells because cancer cells are loaded with iron, which trigger the destructive reaction. But Artemisinin has shown little to none toxicity toward healthy cells. Additionally, Artemisinin has a safe track record since it has been serving as an effective malaria drug for more than a decade for millions of people who have already taken Artemisinin to treat malaria.

7. Artemisinin and public attention

If Artemisinin has such a promising anti-cancer effect, why isn't it more well-known? The reason Artemisinin lacks public attention is because Artemisinin is extracted from natural herbs and therefore cannot be patented. There won't be enormous marketing until after its genetic and chemical structure has been duplicated in the laboratory with the addition of a chemical sidearm that makes it into a patentable "new drug".

8. How does Artemisinin kill cancer cells

Cancer cells need irons to enable them to grow aggressively, hence cancer cells typically absorb a significantly larger amount of iron than noraml, healthy cells. When Artemisinin come in contact with these irons in the cancer cells, it would trigger a chemical reaction and form charged atoms that chemists call "free radicals". The free radicals attack the cancer cell membranes, breaking them apart and killing them. This is why Artemisinin is highly toxic to cancer cells. Tests have been conducted to show that Artemisinin causes rapid and extensive damage and death in cancer cells and yet has relatively low toxicity to normal cells.

9. Artemisinin Anti malaria

In 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the approval of Artemisinin for malaria treatment. Artemisinin has also proven itself as a safe and effective treatment for malaria in over two million patients.

10. Artemisinin Anti cancer

Now studies are also showing that Artemisinin is effective against a wide variety of cancers as shown in a series of successful experiments. The most effective is leukemia and colon cancer. Intermediate activities were also shown against melanoma, breast, ovarian, prostate, CNS and renal cancer. Artemisinin’s method of action

11. Artemisinin contains two oxygen

Artemisinin contains two oxygen atoms linked together in what is known as an 'endoperoxide bridge', which react with iron atoms 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.

12. Artemisinin and cancer cells

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.

13. Artemisinin Artemisia Refrences

• Prof Henry Lai and Assistant Prof Singh, University of Washington
• Singh N.P. and Lai H. Artemisinin human cancer cells.
• Lai, H., Sasaki, T. and Singh N.P. cancer with artemisinin.
• Lai, H and Singh, N.P. Oral artemisinin 2006.
• Haynes, R. K. 2001. Artemisinin and its derivatives.
• Hong, Y. L., Y. Z. Yang, 1994. The interaction of artemisinin.
• Kannan, R., D. Sahal, and V. S. Chauhan. 2002. Heme artemisinin.
• Olliaro, P. L., R. K. Haynes, B. Meunier 2001. artemisinin.
• Robert, A., J. Cazelles, and B. Meunier. 2001. artemisinin.
• Wu., Y. K. 2002. How might qinghaosu artemisinin.
• Brown, G.D. 1994. culture of Artemisia annua.
• Charles, D.J., E. Cebert, and J.E. Simon. 1991. Artemisia annua.
• Chen, P.K., G. Leather, and M. Polatnick. 1991. artemisinin.
• El-Sohly, H.N. 1990. artemisinin from Artemisia annua.
• Liersch, R., H. Soicke, 1986. artemisinin, Artemisia annua.
• Martinez, B.C. and J. 1988. artemisinin in Artemisia annua.
• Morales, M.R., D.J. Charles, 1993. artemisinin in Artemisia annua.
• Paniego, N.B. and A.M. Giuliette. 1994. Artemisia annua L.
• Weathers, P.J., R.D. Cheetham, E. Follansbee, 1994. Artemisinin
• Whipkey, A., J.E. Simon, D.J. artemisinin, Artemisia annua