Supplement
Artemisia annua, or sweet wormwood, is a plant whose leaves contain artemisinin, a compound that damages malaria parasites in the blood. Artemisinin-based combination drugs became the WHO-recommended first-line option for malaria, and large studies found they cleared the infection in over 95% of uncomplicated cases. That strong evidence is for those combination medicines; work on arthritis and hay fever symptoms was small, and the evidence there is limited.
- Updated
- How we grade
- 6 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade A
- Conditions studied
- 5
- Outcomes
- 5
- Graded outcomes
- 1040
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
Malaria P. Falciparum
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parasite Clearance WHO-recommended first-line treatment; ACTs achieve >95% cure rates in uncomplicated malaria | Improves (the measure goes up) | Large effect | 10,000 people |
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disease Activity Extract (30g/d) + methotrexate/leflunomide more effective than standard therapy alone over 48 weeks | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 159 people |
Osteoarthritis Hipknee
- WOMAC Score (Pain/Stiffness/Function): improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WOMAC Score (Pain/Stiffness/Function) 150mg twice daily significantly improved WOMAC total scores vs placebo at 12 weeks (p=0.0159) | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 42 people |
Osteoarthritis (OA)
- Long-term Safety/Efficacy: changes; see studies
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long-term Safety/Efficacy 6-month open-label extension showed maintained benefits with continued safety | Changes; see studies | Moderate effect | 42 people |
Allergic Rhinitis (Seasonal Allergies / Hay Fever)
- Symptom Reduction: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symptom Reduction Sublingual pollen extract (2400 BU/day) reduced symptoms over 32 weeks | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 40 people |
Key findings
- Parasite ClearanceImproves (the measure goes up)
- Disease ActivityImproves (the measure goes down)
- WOMAC Score (Pain/Stiffness/Function)Improves (the measure goes down)
Shop the evidence-backed picks
Third-party tested Artemisia annua products, in the forms the graded studies used where we can match them.
- Grade A
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Studies cited
6 studies from PubMed
- Artemisinin and Its Derivatives as Potential Anticancer Agents
- New clinical application prospects of artemisinin and its derivatives: a scoping review
- Artemisinin relieves osteoarthritis by activating mitochondrial autophagy through reducing TNFSF11 expression and inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in cartilage
- Effect of Artemisia annua extract on treating active rheumatoid arthritis: A randomized controlled trial
- A pilot randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of an extract of Artemisia annua administered over 12 weeks, for managing pain, stiffness, and functional limitation associated with osteoarthritis of the hip and knee
- An open-label six-month extension study to investigate the safety and efficacy of an extract of Artemisia annua for managing pain, stiffness and functional limitation associated with osteoarthritis of the hip and knee