TREATMENT DATABASE

Artesunate is a semi-synthetic anti-malarial drug derived from artemisia annua (wormwood). While artemisia has been used for centuries as an herbal anti-parasitic, it wasn't until the 1960s that Chinese scientists developed an artemisinin drug to combat malaria. Since then, artesunate and other artemisia-based drugs have been used worldwide to combat malaria. However, it was not until 2007 that the FDA approved artesunate for the treatment of severe malaria in the United States. The action of artesunate is still unclear, but it is thought to kill the parasite by destroying its mitochondrial membrane.

USES IN ME/CFS: Recent cell studies indicate that artesunate significantly reduces viral protein production in HHV-6 infected cells. An in vitro study in 2005 confirmed that artesunate also significantly reduces cytomegalovirus (CMV) replication in cells. Because so many ME/CFS patients test positive for HHV-6 and CMV reactivation, artesunate may provide a means to control the symptoms associated with the proliferation of the viruses. 

Treatment rating for Artesunate