Product Name: Artemisinin

Synonym Name: (3R,5aS,6R,8aS,9R,12S,12aR)-

octahydro-3,6,9-trimethyl-3,12-

epoxy-12H-pyrano[4,3-j]-

1,2-benzodioxepin-10(3H)-one
Molecular formula: C15H22O5

Molecular weight: 282.332   
CAS No: 63968-64-9
Melting point: 152–157 °C (306–315 °F)

Artemisinin (pronounced) is a drug used to treat multi-drug resistant strains of falciparum malaria. The compound (a sesquiterpene lactone) is isolated from the plant Artemisia annua. Not all plants of this species contain artemisinin. Apparently it is only produced when the plant is subjected to certain conditions, most likely biotic or abiotic stress. It can be synthesized from artemisinic acid. The drug is derived from a herb used in Chinese traditional medicine, though it is usually chemically modified and combined with other medications.

Use of the drug by itself as a monotherapy is explicitly discouraged by the World Health Organization as there have been signs that malarial parasites are developing resistance to the drug. Combination therapies that include artemisinin are the preferred treatment for malaria and are both effective and well tolerated in patients. The drug is also being studied as a treatment for cancer.