Artemisinin (Artemisia annua)

Common names: Sweet annie, Sweet wormwood (English), Qing-hao (Chinese).

Family: Asteraceae

Habitat: The plant is native to china, western Asia, and southeast Europe. An emerging invasive plant species, it is naturalized in the United States, especially in Lyme endemic areas. Loves waste areas-roadsides, fallow fields, neglected gardens, especially in eastern North America. The plant is stronger and more aromatic when grown in poor, dry soil.

Collection: The plants grow 4-6 feet tall with a typical, attractive weedy look. They bloom in late summer. The aerial parts should be harvested just before flowering. The top third of the plant is strongest in artemisinin content.

Cultivation: Easily from seed. Sow outdoors in fall or from seed indoors before last frost. Self sows and will never go away once established.

Part used: Aerial parts, primarily the upper third of the plant, which is highest in artemisinin content.

Medicinal actions of artemisinin: Antimalarial, antiparasitical, antitumor, antiviral, calcium antagonist, immunomodulator, plasmodicide, schizonticide, antispirochetal. Broadly active against dermatophytes-fungi that cause infection in hair, skin, and nails. The whole herb has a much broader range of actions than artemisinin, the isolated constituent.

Functions in Lyme disease: Primarily for the treatment of babesia coinfections. Possesses mild antiendotoxin effects that can help in reducing Herxheimer reactions. Some clinical evidence exists for the plant possibly being effective against borrelia organisms.