In vitro antischistosomal activity of Artemisia annua and Artemisia afra extracts

Schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease, imposes substantial health and economic burdens on impoverished groups living in predominantly rural areas. Praziquantel (PZQ) is the only drug available for treatment, it not completely efficacious. Artemisia annua afra infusions were proposed to possess antischistosomal activities recently retracted publication of clinical trial, leading our investigation vitro. The objective was identify main components evaluate vitro traditionally prepared as well hexane dichloromethane (DCM) extracts A. annua. Infusions submitted liquid-liquid partitioning with n-hexane DCM provide samples bioassays using newly transformed schistosomulas (NTS) adult Schistosoma mansoni worms obtained from infected mice. viability NTS S. visually scored via microscopic readout. Nine phytochemicals comprising coumarins organic acids identified. potent against NTS, at 100 μg/ml. However, exhibited better than infusion. hexane- presented IC50 values that are similar PZQ (1.5 μg/ml) approximately five times lower comparison artesunate (11.6 NTS. Low both these also phenotypic assays mansoni. shows greater potential Thus, further studies necessary active molecule(s) responsible notable activity afra.