Table of contents:
- Various benefits Artemisia annua
- 1. Potential to treat malaria
- 2. Against other parasitic infections
- 3. Potential to prevent gum disease
- 4. Relieve arthritis pain
- 5. Potential to reduce the risk of cancer
Artemisia annua or what is often known as artemisinin has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine. This is because Artemisia annua is believed to have benefits to treat various diseases. Most of these properties are thought to come from artemisinin compounds which are antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and even anti-cancer. Is that right?
Various benefits Artemisia annua
The main component of Artemisia annua is a compound called artemisinin.
Artemisinin is composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen bonds that are able to interact with various body functions and chemical reactions therein.
With these active compounds, here are some of the benefits you can get from plants Artemisia annua :
1. Potential to treat malaria
Artemisinin and its various derivatives are poisonous to parasites that cause malaria, especially those of species Plasmodium falciparum .
Once it enters the bloodstream, Plasmodium will infect and destroy red blood cells.
However, the artemisinin found in red blood cells will turn into free radicals with the help of iron.
Free radicals then bind to proteins in the parasite and disrupt the membrane structure. Parasites cannot develop and eventually die.
2. Against other parasitic infections
Benefits Artemisia annua in fighting parasites is not limited to Plasmodium .
The active compounds in it are also effective against other parasitic infections. Especially the causative parasites leishmaniasis , Chagas disease, and African sleeping sickness.
Leishmaniasis can cause injury to the skin, malfunction of a number of organs, to bleeding.
Meanwhile, Chagas disease can cause inflammation of the skin and various body tissues, especially the heart and intestines.
3. Potential to prevent gum disease
Apart from parasites, plant extracts are known by name sweet wormwood it is also effective in warding off infection with several types of bacteria.
This is because the artemisinin contained in it has quite strong antibacterial properties.
In deep research The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology , Artemisia annua known to have benefits in fighting 3 types of bacteria that cause gum disease.
These bacteria are A. actinomycetemcomitans, F. nucleatum, and P. intermedia .
4. Relieve arthritis pain
The same research also found that artemisinin is in plants Artemisia annua has the potential to relieve arthritis pain.
This finding is related to the effect of artemisinin, which has been shown to inhibit cytokine release. Cytokines are a type of protein released by the immune system.
The release of large amounts of cytokines will trigger inflammation and cause pain, as in people with arthritis.
Artemisinin is thought to relieve pain by inhibiting the process.
5. Potential to reduce the risk of cancer
A number of studies have been conducted to examine its benefits Artemisia annua against cancer.
Some of them suggest that artemisinin has the potential to inhibit cancer cell growth when combined with chemotherapy treatment.
Until now, evidence regarding its anticancer properties Artemisia annua is still limited to animal studies.
Despite its potential, further research is needed to examine its benefits for humans. Artemisia annua, or sweet wormwood , is an herbal plant with promising benefits.
Its potency against parasites even makes it a natural malaria remedy worth considering.
However, the use of this plant still has to follow the recommended dosage. Make sure you consult your doctor before taking it, either in natural form or in medicinal form.
