Cited by 503Sesquiterpenes and Asteraceae StudiesMedicinal Plant ResearchPhytochemical compounds biological activities

The Antiviral Activities of Artemisinin and Artesunate

Efferth, Thomas, Romero, Marta R., Wolf, Dana G., Stamminger, Thomas, Marin, Jose J. G., Marschall, Manfred·2008·Clinical Infectious Diseases

Abstract

Traditional Chinese medicine commands a unique position among all traditional medicines because of its 5000 years of history. Our own interest in natural products from traditional Chinese medicine was triggered in the 1990s, by artemisinin-type sesquiterpene lactones from Artemisia annua L. As demonstrated in recent years, this class of compounds has activity against malaria, cancer cells, and schistosomiasis. Interestingly, the bioactivity of artemisinin and its semisynthetic derivative artesunate is even broader and includes the inhibition of certain viruses, such as human cytomegalovirus and other members of the Herpesviridae family (e.g., herpes simplex virus type 1 and Epstein-Barr virus), hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and bovine viral diarrhea virus. Analysis of the complete profile of the pharmacological activities and molecular modes of action of artemisinin and artesunate and their performance in clinical trials will further elucidate the full antimicrobial potential of these versatile pharmacological tools from nature.

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Crossref · 10.1086/591195

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  • Artemisinin and its derivatives are effective against various types of cancers and tumors, some viruses including SARS-CoV-2, tuberculosis, and many other parasites including Schistosoma sp., Leishmania sp., Borrelia burgdorferi, and Trypanosoma sp.

    “Artemisinin and its derivatives are not only effective against malaria, but also against various types of cancers and tumors (Efferth 2017), some viruses (Efferth et al. 2008; Efferth 2018) including SARS-CoV-2 (Nair et al. 2021), tuberculosis (Martini et al. 2020; Zheng et al. 2017), and many other parasites including Schistosoma sp. (Munyangi et al. 2018), Leishmania sp. (Mesa et al. 2017), Borr”

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Authors
Efferth, T., Romero, M. R., Wolf, D. G., Stamminger, T., Marin, J. J. G., & Marschall, M.
Affiliations
  • German Cancer Research Center (DE)
  • Universidad de Salamanca (ES)
  • Hadassah Medical Center (IL)
  • Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (DE)
Corresponding author
Efferth, Thomas
Venue
Clinical Infectious Diseases
Published
2008-09-15
Volume
47
Issue
6
Pages
804-811
ISSN
  • 1058-4838 (ISSN-L)
  • 1537-6591
OpenAlex
W2137481369
Cited by
503
References
90
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 44 · 2021: 63 · 2020: 49 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 27 · 2017: 29 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 30 · 2013: 23 · 2012: 18
FWCI
1.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Clinical Infectious Diseases (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Sesquiterpenes and Asteraceae Studies
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Medicinal Plant Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Phytochemical compounds biological activities
Keywords
artemisinin, artesunate, antiviral activity, sesquiterpene lactones, Artemisia annua, traditional Chinese medicine, human cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus type 1, Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, bovine viral diarrhea virus, mechanism of action
MeSH terms
Artesunate, Antiviral Agents, Cytomegalovirus, Herpesviridae, Humans, HIV-1, Hepacivirus, Artemisinins

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