Abstract
Traditional remedies have been used for thousand years for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, particularly in developing countries. Of growing interest, the plant Artemisia annua, known for its malarial properties, has been studied for its numerous biological activities including metabolic, anti-tumor, anti-microbial and immunomodulatory properties. Artemisia annua is very rich in secondary metabolites such as monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and phenolic compounds, of which the biological properties have been extensively studied. The purpose of this review is to gather and describe the data concerning the main chemical components produced by Artemisia annua and to describe the state of the art about the biological activities reported for this plant and its compounds beyond malaria.
Keywords:
Artemisia annua; Asteraceae; biological properties; secondary metabolites.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Anti-Infective Agents / chemistry
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Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology
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Anti-Infective Agents / therapeutic use
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Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / chemistry
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Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology
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Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / therapeutic use
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Antioxidants / chemistry
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Antioxidants / pharmacology
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Antioxidants / therapeutic use
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Artemisia annua / chemistry*
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Coumarins / chemistry
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Coumarins / pharmacology
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Coumarins / therapeutic use
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Humans
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Hypoglycemic Agents / chemistry
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Hypoglycemic Agents / pharmacology
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Hypoglycemic Agents / therapeutic use
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Immunologic Factors / chemistry
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Immunologic Factors / pharmacology
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Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use
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Monoterpenes / chemistry
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Monoterpenes / pharmacology
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Monoterpenes / therapeutic use
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Phenols / chemistry
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Phenols / pharmacology
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Phenols / therapeutic use
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Plant Extracts / chemistry*
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Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
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Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
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Sesquiterpenes / chemistry
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Sesquiterpenes / pharmacology
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Sesquiterpenes / therapeutic use
Substances
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Anti-Infective Agents
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Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
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Antioxidants
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Coumarins
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Hypoglycemic Agents
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Immunologic Factors
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Monoterpenes
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Phenols
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Plant Extracts
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Sesquiterpenes