Abstract

MODERN TECHNIQUES ENHANCING THE ARTEMISININ PRODUCTION IN ARTEMISIA ANNUA L. TO MEET THE GLOBAL DEMAND

Diksha P. Gawai*, Anita S. Patil and Anagha M. Undirwade

.

Abstract

An important global health issue that annually affects millions of people, particularly those living in developing nations, is Malaria. Due to the development of multiple drug resistance in the Plasmodium species that cause Malaria, the previously implemented measures to control and treat the disease are currently being hindered. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs) are the best treatment option for treating Malaria. The genus Artemisia includes the species Artemisia annua L is commonly known as sweet wormwood. Artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone produced by A. annua, is a key ingredient in ACTs and has remarkable effectiveness against Plasmodium species, which are multi-drug resistant parasites, causing Malaria. There have been past attempts to increase the artemisinin content of plants through selective breeding, micropropagation, pathway engineering and genetic manipulations due to the low artemisinin content in naturally growing plants and the low availability compared to high demand. Due to the slow progress, new approaches and cutting-edge scientific methodologies must be used to bridge the gap between the supply of artemisinin and the world's demand. The increase in the total amount of phytochemicals in A. annua, especially artemisinin, has commercial and medicinal implications for the entire human race. This review focuses on various facets of artemisinin production, such as the efforts made to increase it in the natural population and other socioeconomic aspects of the supply and demand for medicinally useful artemisinin and its derivatives.

Keywords: Malaria, ACT, Artemisinin, Artemisia Annua, Drug Resistance.