Description
Artemisinin is a sesquiterpene lactone originally found in Artemisia (wormwood); it is clinically used to treat malaria. Artemisinin exhibits anti-parasitic, antimalarial, cardioprotective, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activities. This compound inhibits growth of Plasmodium. In animal models of myocardial infarction, artemisinin decreases ventricular fibrillation threshold and levels of TNF-α and increases expression of connexin 43. In macrophages, this compound inhibits IL-6 release. Artemisinin also inhibits growth of neuroblastoma cells, increasing activation of AMPK and decreasing signaling by mTOR.