Artemisia, an Asian plant used in Chinese medicine as well as against malaria, could help fight brain cancer and Covid-19.
- Artemisia annua is a plant that contains medicinal compounds, used in particular against malaria.
- Researchers from the University of Texas at San Antonio wanted to know its effects against brain cancer and covid.
- According to their work, one of its components, arteannuin B, has cytotoxic properties against these two diseases.
Artemisia annua (also called annual mugwort) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, but also by the pharmaceutical industries for treatments against malaria, for example. Researchers fromUniversity of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) wanted to understand the bioactive properties of this plant and examine its effects against cancer cells or even Covid-19.
Artemisia: one of its components is toxic to the glioblastoma
Initially, scientists carried out tests with extracts from the leaves of theartemisia to determine their cytotoxic activity (i.e. the toxicity of an agent to cells) on glioblastoma cells, a malignant form of brain tumor. As the tests progressed, they purified the substances taken from the Asian plant to identify and test the effect of the components one by one on cancer.
“Throughout the process, thearteannuin B consistently demonstrated cytotoxic activity against glioblastoma cells.write the authors in their press release. The team suggests that this active ingredient, taken from artemisia, could inhibit cysteine proteases (protein-degrading enzymes) which are overexpressed in tumors.
Covid-19: arteannuin B would also fight against the coronavirus
In addition to its potential in the fight against cancer,arteannuin B also showed interesting effects against Covid-19. By testing this molecule on the coronavirus, American researchers found that it was also capable of hindering the activity of the main protease and the caspase-8 of SARS-CoV-2. These are enzymes that play a role in inflammation and cell death.
Francis Yoshimoto, one of the three leaders of the study published in the journal Journal of Natural Products, told : “We want to know how it works so we can give someone medicine in an intelligent way. All our bodies are different.”
Artemisia: finding the right approach
The first results allowed scientists toUniversity of Texas at San Antonio to identify thearteannuin B as a potentially effective compound against brain cancer and Covid-19. However, further research will be necessary to determine the best methods of administration and uses of the molecule.
“We are in the first phases of studying the mechanism of action of medicinal compounds of theartemisia in order to decide the best way to administer them and target the treatment”indicated Annie Lin of theUTSA in a communicated. “We can still be more precise. We can decrease the concentration to directly target tumors. Currently, we are investigating how to encapsulate the compound in various concentrations that will specifically target areas requiring treatment.”
