From Artemisia annua L., a new oxidoreductase (Red 1) was cloned, sequenced and functionally characterized. Through bioinformatics, heterologous protein expression and enzyme substrate conversion assays, the elucidation of the enzymatic capacities of Red1 was achieved. Red1 acts on monoterpenoids, and in particular functions as a menthone:neomenthol oxidoreductase. The kinetic parameter k(cat)/...

Malaria is still an eminent threat to major parts of the world population mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. Researchers around the world continuously seek novel solutions to either eliminate or treat the disease. Artemisinin, isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb Artemisia annua, is the active ingredient in artemisinin-based combination therapies used to treat the disease. However, naturally art...

With increasing demand in the field of herbal medicines and cosmetics, it has become necessary and pertinent to probe into the area of systematic knowledge about herbal drugs. There is a need for the application of this knowledge in authentification, detailed study and practical utilization of crude drugs. The present paper deals with the taxonomy, anatomy, powder study pertaining to organolept...

Полынь однолетняя (Artemisia annua L.) семейства (Asteraceae) — травянистое однолетнее растение, которое используется народной медицине уже более двух тысяч лет. Artemisia L. имеет антиоксидантные, противовоспалительные, противоболевые, седативные, антибактериальные, противовирусные, гиполипидемические, противоопухолевые свойства. Во многих странах полынь в качестве официального противомалярийн...

Artemisinin 1, dihydro-epideoxyarteannuin B 2 and deoxyartemisinin 3 were isolated from the sequiterpene lactone-enriched fraction obtained from the crude ethanolic extract of Artemisia annua L. These compounds were tested on ethanol and indomethacin-induced ulcer models. Compound 1 did not afford cytoprotection under the experimental models tested. Only compounds 2 and 3 decreased the ulcerati...