How Important Is Artemisinin In Cancer Therapies?
What is it?
Artemisinin is an extract of a plant called Artemisia annua which has been enhanced for maximal therapeutic effectiveness. It has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years and in modern western medicine, it has been used mainly in malaria treatment since its discovery in the ’70s and has since become the standard of care due to its high effectiveness and extreme safety profile.
How does it work?
Recent studies have delved into its potential anti-cancer characteristics. Several studies suggest that Artemisinin has cytotoxic properties by disrupting multiple signaling pathways inside the cancer cells. The mechanism of action is not completely understood neither for malaria nor for cancer treatment, but its extremely positive safety profile makes for a very effective drug.
Against which cancer types can it be used?
Artemisinin’s anti-cancer properties make it a hallmark of alternative oncological treatments. Its capability of addressing different kinds of pathways inside cancer cells makes it a valuable weapon for most cancer types. It can also be considered “natural chemotherapy”. Outside of the alternative oncology, it is used to treat malaria and may have some effect on other chronic illnesses.
Our opinion
We strongly suggest the use of Artemisinin for most oncological patients in combination with other treatment modalities to maximize the anti-cancer effect. As mentioned above, due to its extreme safety, this drug is very well tolerated and is associated with little to no side effect and it is given as an intravenous infusion over a short period of time. Research is still ongoing on this drug and there is still much to be discovered.